Ch. 2- Earth Science

Geocentric

Earth is at the center of the revolving planets and stars.

Heliocentric

Based on the belief that the sun is the center of the universe

Star Brightness

depends on distance from earth and reactions occurring

Luminosity

the amount of light energy a star emitts

The Doppler effect

A change in sound frequency caused by motion of the sound source, motion of the listener, or both.

galaxy

A collection of stars, dust, and gas bound together by gravity

Big Bang Theory

The theory that the universe originated in a huge explosion that released all matter and energy.

solar wind

A stream of electrically charged particles that emanate from the sun's corona.

Heliosphere

The region of space influenced by our solar wind

terrestrial planets

composed of rock and can be separated into different compositional layers

Jovian Planets

larger than terrestrial planets and shrouded by dense gases

dwarf planets

Small round bodies that orbit the sun but have not cleared the area around their orbits of other orbiting bodies

Insolation

the amount of solar radiation reaching an area

seasonal lag

The amount of time it takes the Earth to either cool off or heat up.

Asthenosphere

The soft layer of the mantle on which the tectonic plates move

Lithosphere

composed of the crust and uppermost mantle, overlaying the asthenosphere, broken into slabs forming tectonic plates

geothermal gradient

the gradual increase in temperature with depth in the crust

Conduction

The direct transfer of heat from one substance to another substance that it is touching.

Convection

Process by which, in a fluid being heated, the warmer part of the mass will rise and the cooler portions will sink.

greenhouse gases

Gases in Earth's atmosphere that trap heat near the surface

Heat mining

extracting geothermal heat from hot, dry rock deep underground for energy