Untitled Flashcards Set

Volcano

An opening in the Earth's crust where lava, ash, and gases escape.

Magma

Molten rock that rises and erupts through the Earth's crust.

Pacific Ring of Fire

A zone around the Pacific Ocean where most volcanoes are found.

Crater

The bowl-shaped opening at the top of a volcano.

Vent

The passage through which lava exits a volcano.

Conduit

The path that magma takes from the magma chamber to the vent.

Magma Chamber

The area where magma is stored beneath the Earth's surface.

Flank

The side of a volcano.

Fissure

A long crack in the Earth's crust.

Stratovolcano

A steep, explosive volcano, e.g., Mayon or Pinatubo.

Shield Volcano

A broad, gently sloping volcano formed by low-viscosity lava, e.g., Mauna Loa.

Cinder Cone

A small, steep volcano made of rock fragments, e.g., Paricutin.

Active Volcano

A volcano that is erupting or shows signs of erupting.

Inactive (Dormant) Volcano

A volcano that has not erupted for a long time but may erupt in the future.

Extinct Volcano

A volcano that will not erupt again.

Volcanic Hazards

Dangerous phenomena associated with eruptions, such as lava flows, lahars, ash fall, and toxic gases.

Hawaiian Eruption

A calm type of eruption characterized by runny lava.

Strombolian Eruption

An eruption that features bursts of lava.

Vulcanian Eruption

An eruption involving thick magma and ash.

Plinian Eruption

A violent explosion that produces a pyroclastic flow.

Mineral

A solid, naturally occurring, inorganic substance with a crystalline structure and specific chemical composition.

Color

One of the properties used to identify minerals; it describes what the mineral looks like.

Streak

The color of a mineral's powder when rubbed on a porcelain plate.

Luster

The way a mineral reflects light, such as metallic or glassy.

Hardness

A measure of how easily a mineral can be scratched, often using Mohs Scale (1-10).

Cleavage

The way a mineral breaks along specific planes.

Fracture

How a mineral breaks when it does not cleave easily.

Density

The weight of a mineral relative to its size.

Halite

A mineral commonly known as salt.

Quartz

A hard, glassy mineral often used in jewelry.

Hematite

A mineral known for its reddish streak, often used as an iron ore.

Pyrite

A mineral known as 'fool’s gold' due to its metallic luster.

Brightness (Apparent Magnitude)

How bright a star appears from Earth.

Absolute Magnitude

The actual brightness of a star if it were viewed from a standard distance.

Luminosity

The amount of energy a star emits per second.

Solar Radius

The size measure used for stars, based on the size of the Sun.

Dwarf Star

A small star, usually 75-80% the size of the Sun.

Giant Star

A star that is 2-10 times the size of the Sun.

Supergiant Star

A star that is more than 10 times the size of the Sun.

Spectral Classification

A classification of stars based on temperature and color.

Hydrogen

The most abundant element in stars, constituting 60-80% of their composition.

Helium

The second most abundant element in stars, making up 16-36% of their composition.

Planetary Nebula

A stage in the life cycle of low-mass stars when they eject their outer layers.

White Dwarf

The remnant core of medium-mass stars after they exhaust their nuclear fuel.

Supernova

A massive explosion that occurs at the end stage of a massive star's life cycle.

Black Hole

A region of space with a gravitational pull so strong that nothing, not even light, can escape it.

Constellation

A pattern formed by a group of stars in the night sky.

Circumpolar Constellations

Constellations that are always visible in one hemisphere due to their proximity to a pole.

Ursa Major

A constellation also known as the 'Big Dipper'.

Polaris

The North Star, located in the Ursa Minor constellation.

Crux

A constellation also known as the 'Southern Cross,' composed of four main stars.

Gas Exchange

The process where oxygen enters the blood and carbon dioxide is removed.

Alveoli

Tiny air sacs in the lungs where gas exchange occurs.

Mitochondria

The organelles in cells where cellular respiration occurs.

Medulla Oblongata

The part of the brain that controls the mechanics of breathing.

Spiracles

Openings that allow insects to breathe.