Earth Science Lecture Notes Review

Flashcards about the formation of the moon, nebulae, star formation, and tectonics.

Capture Hypothesis

Early theory suggesting Earth captured a small planet that became the Moon.

Accretion Hypothesis

Theory suggesting Earth and Moon formed together from the same accretion disc.

Collision (Giant Impact) Hypothesis

Current understanding that a Mars-sized protoplanet (Theia) struck Earth, creating the Moon.

Giant Impact Theory

Another name for the collision theory.

Collision Theory

Proposes that the Moon formed from a collision between Earth and a Mars-sized planet.

Theia

Mythical Greek Titan, mother of Selene, the goddess of the Moon; name sometimes used for the colliding body in the collision theory.

Analysis of Lunar Rocks (2016)

Lunar rocks suggest the impact causing the moon's formation may have been a direct hit, thoroughly mixing parent bodies.

Moon Density

The moon's density compared to that of the Earth.

Molten Moon Surface

Evidence from Moon rocks indicating it was once molten.

Moon's Iron Core

Size of the Moon's core compared to Earth's.

Evidence Outside Solar System

Supports the collision theory outside of our solar system.

Collision Theory Fit

How well the collision theory aligns with the formation of the Solar System.

Rock Composition

The composition of rocks on both the Moon and the Earth.

Earth's Surface

Contradicts collision theory, earth's does not appear to have been molten

Venus

Planetary body that's lack of moon refutes collision theory

Moon Rock Similarity

Prediction regarding rock composition on the Moon if the collision theory is accurate.

Nebula

A giant cloud of dust and gas in space, mostly hydrogen and helium.

Nebula Origin

Origin of nebulae.

Star Nurseries

Nebulae where new stars are beginning to form.

Orion Nebula

Visible from the northern hemisphere.

Carina Nebula

Visible from the southern hemisphere.

stellar nursery

Area of outer space within a dense nebula in which gas and dust are contracting, resulting in the formation of new stars

Hydrogen and Other Gases

Gases that collapse under their own gravity to form stars.

Gas Heating

What happens to gas as it collapses to form a star.

Nuclear Fusion

Process caused by high temperatures, igniting the fromation of a protostar

Protostar

A newly born star that still obtains gravitation influence from its cloud of interstellar matter

Protoplanetary Disk

Cloud remnant around a newly born star where planets may form.

Nebula

Term of cloud of gas and dust where starts are born

Nebula Gaining Mass

Accumulation of mass that causes gravitational forces inside a Nebula

Protostar

Event that that occurs when the core of a nebula cloud heats up

Nuclear Fusion

Marks the birth of a star.

Inward gravity and outward pressure

Forces that balance the star

Balancing forces

Keeps star in equilibrium and hinders their collapse

Continental Drift Hypothesis

Hypothesis proposed by Alfred Wegener suggesting that continents were once assembled into a supercontinent.

Pangaea

Name of the supercontinent proposed by Alfred Wegener.

Evidence of the Continental Drift Hypothesis

Fit of the continents

Evidence of the Continental Drift Hypothesis

Fossil evidence

Evidence of the Continental Drift Hypothesis

Ancient mountain ranges

Evidence of the Continental Drift Hypothesis

Swamps formed in tropical regions

Evidence of the Continental Drift Hypothesis

Past climate evidence

Fossil Record

Fossils of plants and animals found on different continents suggesting the continents were once joined, evidence for the Continental Drift Hypothesis

Seafloor spreading

Process used to describe plate tectonics

Two main types of tectonic plates

Oceanic and Continental

Sima

Oceanic crust consisting of silicon and magnesium.

Sial

Continental crust consisting of silicon and aluminum.

Divergent Plate Boundries

Plate boundry that creates Oceanic plates

Convergent Plate Boundries

Plate boundry that creates Continental plates

Volcano

A feature where molten rock is squeezed out onto the Earth's surface.

Magma

Molten rock beneath the Earth's surface.

Lava

Molten rock that erupts from a volcano.