Lecture Notes Review: Earth and Space Science

Flashcards covering contour mapping, the stratosphere and ozone, universe age, redshift/blueshift, seasonal constellations, comets, historical geocentric vs. heliocentric models, orbital periods, basic solar system facts, senses, phase changes, and the Earth's lithosphere and shape.

On a topographic map, closely spaced contour lines generally indicate an area with a ****.

A steep slope.

Which feature is indicated by a series of closed, progressively smaller contour lines on a topographic map?

A hilltop or mountain peak (indicating higher elevation).

On a topographic map, V-shaped contour lines that point upstream toward higher elevations indicate the direction of ****.

Stream flow.

Which atmospheric layer is immediately above the troposphere and contains the ozone layer?

The stratosphere.

The primary role of the ozone layer in Earth's atmosphere is to ****.

Absorb harmful ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the Sun.

The increase in temperature with increasing altitude observed in the stratosphere is primarily caused by ****.

The absorption of ultraviolet (UV) radiation by ozone.

The atmospheric layer closest to Earth's surface where most weather phenomena occur is the ****.

Troposphere.

According to current scientific estimations, what is the approximate age of the universe?

13.7 billion years.

The observed **** of light from distant galaxies provides evidence that the universe is expanding.

Expanding, with galaxies moving away from each other.

When astronomical objects exhibit blueshift, it indicates that they are ****.

Moving towards the observer.

The apparent change in the constellations observable from Earth throughout the year is primarily due to ****.

Earth's orbit around the Sun.

Comets are primarily composed of ****.

Ice, dust, and rocky material, orbiting the Sun in highly elliptical paths.

The luminous tail of a comet, which always points away from the Sun, is formed by ****.

The sublimation of ice and dust as the comet approaches the Sun.

The model that accurately describes the Sun as the center of our solar system, with planets orbiting it, is known as the ****.

Heliocentric model.

Historically, the Earth-centered model of the universe was known as the ****.

Geocentric model.

The time required for a planet to complete one full revolution around the Sun is defined as its ****.

Orbital period.

Due to its closest proximity to the Sun, which planet in our solar system has the shortest orbital period?

Mercury.

Describe the relationship between a planet's average distance from the Sun and its orbital period.

As a planet's distance from the Sun increases, its orbital period also increases.

The different phases of the Moon are caused by the changing angles at which we view the Moon's **** as it orbits Earth.

Sunlit portion.

The primary cause of Earth's ocean tides is the gravitational pull of the **** and, to a lesser extent, the Sun.

Moon.

When liquid water changes phase to solid ice, what unique physical property is observed regarding its volume?

It expands in volume and becomes less dense.

Explain why ice floats on liquid water.

Ice is less dense than liquid water, causing it to float.