General Science - Geology

___is the study of the earth, including such large applications as seismic shifts and the formation of mountains, and such small applications as the formation of minute rock and mineral formations.

Geology

The ___ is made of solid iron and nickel. It is solid due to extremely high pressure, even though it's very hot.

inner core

The ___ is made of liquid iron and nickel. Its movement creates the Earth’s magnetic field.

outer core

The __ is the thickest layer made of semi-solid rock that flows slowly. Convection currents in the mantle move tectonic plates.

mantle

The __ is the outermost layer of the Earth. It is made of solid rock, and it includes continental (land) and oceanic(underwater) crust. It's the thinnest layer.

crust

Which layer is responsible for Earth's magnetic field?

The outer core, because of the movement of liquid metal within it.

The ___ is the rigid outer layer of the Earth. It includes the crust and the upper part of the mantle. It is broken into tectonic plates that float on the asthenosphere.

lithosphere

The __ is the soft, semi-fluid layer of the mantle beneath the lithosphere. It allows tectonic plates to movedue to convection currents.

asthenosphere

__ are large pieces of the lithosphere that move slowly over the asthenosphere. Their movement causes earthquakes, volcanoes, and mountain formation.

Tectonic plates

Plates move apart (e.g., mid-ocean ridges)

Divergent

Plates move toward each other (can form mountains or trenches)

Convergent

Plates slide past each other (e.g., San Andreas Fault)

Transform

___ in the asthenosphere cause plates to move. Hot material rises, cools, and sinks, creating a circular motion that drags the plates.

Convection currents

The boundaries between the plates experience heavy friction and geologic activity. ___ are associated with the boundaries between tectonic plates.

Earthquakes and volcanoes

___ is formed when magma or lava cools. A majority of the Earth’s crust is made up of _

Igneous rock

___is made up of smaller sediments and inorganic material.

Sedimentary rock

___is made when igneous or sedimentary rock are exposed and altered due to changes in temperature or pressure.

Metamorphic rock

Changes in the Earth’s temperature cause changes in the air pressure in the atmosphere, which leads to the ___

atmospheric cycle

The ___ involves the passage of carbon through the ground, atmosphere, and water. Carbon, like nitrogen and water, is necessary in order for life to function.

carbon cycle

The ___ involves the transformation of nitrogen to its various usable forms. Nitrogen makes up a large part of the atmosphere, but in order for higher order organisms to use it, it must first be converted into a different form.

nitrogen cycle

The __ describes the way in which the three rock types transform from one type to another. These transformations take place when a rock undergoes a change in external surroundings.

rock cycle

The __ describes the movement of water to the atmosphere by way of evaporation and then from the atmosphere to the ground by way of precipitation.

water cycle

___ is the study of the atmosphere and the ongoing changes that occur within the atmosphere. Much of __ aims to predict future weather and climate trends based on the current weather and climate.

Meteorology

What are the five main layers of the Earth's atmosphere (from lowest to highest)?

Troposphere, stratosphere, mesosphere, thermosphere,exosphere

The __is the lowest layer where weather occurs. It contains most of the air's mass and is where we live.

troposphere

The ___ contains the ozone layer, which absorbs harmful UV radiation. Jets and weather balloons fly here.

stratosphere

The __ is where meteors burn up. It is the coldest layer of the atmosphere.

mesosphere

The __ is very hot and contains the ionosphere, where auroras occur and radio waves are reflected.

thermosphere

The __ is the outermost layer of the atmosphere. It gradually fades into space and contains very thin air.

exosphere

A __ is a boundary between two air masses with different temperatures, humidity, and densities. It often brings changes in weather.

weather front

A ___ forms when a cold air mass pushes under a warm air mass, forcing it upward. It brings thunderstorms, heavy rain, or snow, followed by cooler, drier air.

cold front

A ___ forms when a warm air mass slides over a cold air mass. It brings light rain or drizzle followed by warmer, humid air.

warm front

A ___ occurs when cold and warm air masses meet but neither moves. It can cause cloudy skies and long periods of rain or drizzle.

stationary front

An __ forms when a cold front overtakes a warm front. It can bring complex weather like heavy rain, snow, or thunderstorms.

occluded front

___are made of tiny water droplets or ice crystals that form when water vapor condenses in the atmosphere.

Clouds

Fluffy, white, and often signal fair weather

Cumulus

Flat, gray layers that cover the sky and may bring light rain

Stratus

Thin, wispy clouds high in the sky made of ice crystals

Cirrus

Tall, towering clouds that bring thunderstorms

Cumulonimbus

___ clouds are large, dark, and towering; they can produce thunderstorms, lightning, and even tornadoes.

Cumulonimbus

____ form at the highest altitudes and are made of ice crystals.

Cirrus clouds

___ look like gray, flat blankets covering the sky and often bring drizzle or light rain.

Stratus clouds

The __ is made up of the Sun and all the objects that orbit around it, including planets, moons, asteroids, comets, and dwarf planets.

solar system

___ is called the Red Planet because of its iron-rich soil that gives it a reddish color.

Mars

___ is the largest planet. It is a gas giant and has a Great Red Spot, a massive storm.

Jupiter

A __ is a small planet-like object that orbits the Sun but doesn’t clear its orbit. Example: Pluto.

dwarf planet

What are the inner and outer planets?

• Inner planets: Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars (rocky, small)

• Outer planets: Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune (gas giants and ice giants)

The __ is a medium-sized star at the center of our solar system. It provides light and heat, making life on Earth possible.

Sun

The __ is a region filled with rocky objects (asteroids) between Mars and Jupiter. It separates the inner and outer planets.

asteroid belt

What are moons and which planet has the most?

Moons are natural satellites that orbit planets. Jupiter has the most known moons—over 90 confirmed!

What is Earth’s atmosphere made of?

• 78% Nitrogen (N₂)

• 21% Oxygen (O₂)

• 1% Other gases (like argon, carbon dioxide, and trace gases)

___is important for plant growth (used in proteins and DNA) and helps stabilize the atmosphere. It doesn’t easily react with other gases.

Nitrogen

___ is essential for respiration in animals and humans, and it's used in combustion (burning fuels).

Oxygen

This is when the Earth comes between the Sun and the full Moon. When this occurs, the sun’s rays are blocked from illuminating the Moon.

Lunar Eclipse

This occurs when the Moon goes between the Earth and the Sun, casting a shadow on the Earth. These occur much less frequently than lunar eclipses.

Solar Eclipse