Earth and Space Final Exam

Silicon and oxygen

Which two elements combine to make most of the common rock forming minerals in the crust?

Meteoroogy

The study of Earth’s atmostphere is know as…

Seaward of the continental slope

The continental shelf is located ___________.

8

Atoms tend to gain, lose, or share electrons unless they are surrounded by __________ electrons.

Geosphere

The largest of Earth’s spheres

Diamond

Hardest known substance in nature

Earth and Space Science

Includes all the sciences that collectively seek to understand Earth and its neighbors in space.

Natural hazards

Earth processes that adversely impact society (ex: tornadoes, hurricanes)

Oceanography

Study of the ocean

Meteorology

the study of the atmosphere and the processes that produce weather.

Astronomy

Study of the universe

Consistent; predictable

Science is based on the assumption that nature behaves in a ________ and ________ manner.

Hypothesis

tentative or untested explanation

Theory

well-tested and widely accepted view that best explains certain scientific observations

5 billion

According to the nebualr theory, all of the bodies in the universe evolved form a rotating cloud of gases and dust a bout _______ years ago.

Identify the patterns in anture and use that information to predict the future

Primary goal of Earth Science

Continental margins

Portions of seafloor adjacent to major landmassesCo

Continental shelf

gently sloping platform extending seaward from shore

Continental slope

Steep drop off at edge of continental shelf

Continental rise

More gradual incline; continental slope that merges with a thick accumulation of sediments.

Deep-ocean basins

Are between continental margins and oceanic ridgesA

Abyssal plains

Flat features of deep-ocean basins

Deep-ocean basins

are between continental margins and oceanic ridges.  

Abyssal plains

flat features of deep-ocean basins 

Deep-ocean trenches

deep depressions in ocean floor

Seamounts

submerged volcanic structures

Mid-Atlantic ridge

separation of the sea floor; newest parts of the ocean. In both oceans; Mountain belt with lines around the oceans, forms the underwater volcanoes.  

Minerals

Natural, inorganic, solid,possess an ordely internal structure of atoms, have a definite chemical composition

Rocks

any naturally occurring solid mass of mineral or mineral-like matter. Contains minerals and other things like fossils.

It contains planes along which the chemical bonding is much weaker than other directions

When a mineral fractures alone a cleavage plane, what does this suggest about the crystal structure of the mineral.

Atom

smallest particles of matter

Atomic Number

number of protons in nucleus; determine the chemical nature of the atom 

Mass number

the total number of protons and neutrons in the nucleus 

Element

A substance that cannot be broken down into simpler substances by ordinary chemical means 

Matter

anything made up of atoms that occupies space. 

Ionic Bonds

where one atom gives up 1 or more valence electrons; forms ionic compounds

Ion

positively and negatively charged atoms that are strongly attracted to each other 

Covalent bonds

Sharing of valence electrons; no ions are present

Metallic Bonding

When electrons are shared amongst all atoms.

70%

Oceans cover about ________ of Earth’s surface

They do not have a well-defined chemical composition

Why are boulders not a mineral?

Luster

Opitcal property of minerals; appearance in reflected light

Color

Optical properties of minerals; can vary and is not as diagnostic

Streak

Optical properties of minerals; Color of minerals in powdered form.

Hardness

Mineral ability to resist scratching or abrasionC

Cleavage

Mineral’s tendency to break along planes of weak bonding

Fracture

Mineral’s random pattern of breakage

Tenacity

Mineral’s resistance to cutting, breaking, bonding, and deformation

Flat areas that include rocks older than 1 billion years old

Sheilded areas in continental interiors are characterized by __________

Nebular Theory

The theory is that the solar system evolved from an enormous, condensing, rotating cloud of dust 7 billion years ago. Inner planets form from metallic and rocky clumps, while larger outer planets form from fragments with a high percentage of ice.

Igneous Rocks

Rocks that form as magma cools and crystallizes

Rate of cooling

The cystal size of igneous rocks are determined by the _____________

Sedimentary Rocks

Rocks formed from sediment (weathered products). Make up about 75% of all rock outcrops in the continents.

Lithification

Processes by which sediments are transformed into sedimentary rocks

Metamorphic Rocks

Rocks that form from preexisting igneous, sedimentary, or metamorphic rocks from exposure to high temperatures and pressures.

Weathering

Process that produces Sedimentary rocks

Metamorphism (high heat and pressure)

Process that forms Metamorphic Rocks

Cooling and crystallization

Process that forms igneous rocks

Fine-grained

Igneous rock texture resulting from fast rate of cooling

Coarse-grained

Igneous rock texture resulting from slow rate of cooling

Porphrytic (two crystal sizes)

Igneous rock texture resulting from two rates of coolingGla

Glassy

Igneous rock texture resulting from very fast rate of cooling

Vesicular

Igneous rock texture resulting from the consolidation of volcanic fragments. Is a fragmented texture.

Granite, Andesitic, Basaltic

Types of Igneous Rocks

Strata of beds

Most characteristic feature of sedimentary rocks. Accumulated layers of sediment over time; record past environments.

Fossils

Features of sedimentary rock, traces or remains of prehistoric life, are the most important inclusions that help determine past environments. They are used as time indicators and for matching rocks from different places.

Metallic Minerals

Gold, silver, copper, mercury, lead

Metamorphic and Igneous Processes

Metallic Minerals are produced by ____________.

Nonmetallic Minerals

Make use of the material’s nonmetallic elements, and physical or chemical properties.

Energy Resources

Coal, Oil and Natural Gas

Coal

Material that burns energy stored by plants millions of years ago. Causes air pollution and surface scarring.

Oil and Natural Gas

More than 60% of U.S.-consumed energy uses this resource. Is the remains of marine plants and animals. O

Oil trap

Geologic environment allowing oil and gas to accumulate. Has a Reservoir rock and Cap Rock.

Reservoir Rock

Porous and permeable rock that yields oil and gas in significant quanitites.

Cap rock

The impermeable part of the oil trap that keeps oil and gas from escaping to surface. Does not yield a lot of oil and gas.

Continental Drift

The idea that the supercontinent Pangea began breaking apart 200 million years ago and the continents drifted to their present-day locations.

The fit of South America and Africa along shorelines, and the discovery of fossils, rock types and structures that match in different continents across the sea, as well as ancient climates.

What primary evidence is used for the continental drift theory?

Plate Tectonics

Theory that continental plates in Earth’s Lithosphere are in constant motion and major interactions occur at their boundaries.L

Lithosphere

The strong layer formed from the crust and uppermost mantle that varies in thickness and density.

Asthenosphere

Hotter, weaker region of the Earth’s mantle. Solid, but near the melting temperature. Flows between the lithosphere.

Divergent Plate Boundaries

Two plates move apart form each other, creating new oceanic crust (seafloor)

Convergent Plate Boundaries

Two plates collide, forming an ocean trench . Two types of Convergence

Ocean-ocean convergence

Happens at convergent plate boundaries. One plate descends beneath the other, often forming volcanoes on the ocean floor.

Continental-continental convergence

Occurs at convergent plate boundaries; When two continents collide, which can produce new mountain ranges.

Transform Plate Boundaries

Two plates grind past one another. No new crust is created or destroyed.

Air Masses

Large bodies of air, 1600 km (1000 miles) or more across.

Source Region

The area where an air mass acquires its properties of temperature and moisture

Continental Polar (cP)

Cold, dry air in winter, cool air in Summer. One of the most dominant air masses ranging from northern Canada and interior of Alaska.

Maritime Tropical (mT)

Warm, moist unstable air. Brings precipitation to the eastern United States. Ranging from the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic Ocean.

Continental Tropical (cT)

Hot, dry air. Southwest and Mexico. Seldom important outside of source region.

Maritime Polar (mP)

Brings precipitation to the western mountains. Occasional influence in the norhteastern US, causing “Nor’easter” in New England with cold temperatures and snow.

Warm Front

Front where warm air replaces cooler air. Shown on a map by a red line with semicircles. Clouds become lower as the front nears.

Slow rate of advance

Warm fronts have a _________________.

Light to moderate precipitation

Warm fronts cause __________.

Cold Fronts

Front where cold air replaces warm air. Shown on a map by a line with triangles.

Faster

Cold fronts advance _________ than warm fronts.

Violent

Weather associated with cold fronts is more violent than a _______________.

Stationary front

When the flow of air on both sides of the front is almost parallel to the line of the front, the surface position does not move.

Occluded front

Front type where an active cold front overtakes a warm front, wedging the warm air upward.

Complex

Occluded fronts produce ________ weather.