Untitled Flashcards Set

Big Bang

The initial explosion that began the universe.

Red Shift

A phenomenon that occurs when light from an object is increased in wavelength, indicating it is moving away from the observer.

Nucleosynthesis

The process by which elements are formed from nuclear reactions in stars.

Nebula

A cloud of gas and dust in space, often the birthplace of stars.

Protoplanetary Disk

A rotating disk of dense gas and dust surrounding a newly formed star, where planets may form.

Planetesimals

Small bodies from which planets are formed.

Chondrite Meteorites

Stony meteorites that contain both metallic and silicate materials, providing clues about the early solar system.

Planetary Accretion

The process by which particles in a protoplanetary disk collide and stick together to form planets.

Geomagnetic Dynamo

The process that generates the Earth's magnetic field through the motion of molten iron alloys in its outer core.

Iron Meteorites

Meteorites that are primarily made of iron and nickel, believed to originate from the metallic cores of differentiated asteroids.

Differentiation

The process during which denser materials move towards the center of a planet and lighter materials move towards the crust.

Inner Core

The solid, innermost layer of the Earth, primarily composed of iron and nickel.

Outer Core

The liquid layer of iron and nickel that surrounds the inner core.

Refraction

The bending of waves, such as light or seismic waves, as they pass from one medium to another.

P-wave

A type of seismic wave that compresses and expands material in the direction it travels.

S-wave

A type of seismic wave that moves material perpendicular to the direction it travels.

Plate Tectonics

The theory explaining the movement of the Earth's lithospheric plates.

Peridotite

A dense, coarse-grained igneous rock composed primarily of olivine, commonly found in the Earth's mantle.

Mantle Convection

The slow, churning movement of the Earth's mantle due to heat from the core.

Sea-floor Spreading

The process by which new oceanic crust is formed at mid-ocean ridges and spreads outward.

Subduction Zone

An area where one tectonic plate is being pushed under another.

Volcanic Island Arcs

Curved chains of volcanic islands formed at subduction zones.

Paleomagnetism

The study of the magnetic properties of rocks to understand the history of the Earth's magnetic field.

Magnetic Lineations

Patterns of magnetic anomalies on the ocean floor that reflect past geomagnetic reversals.

Lithosphere

The rigid outer layer of the Earth made up of the crust and upper mantle.

Asthenosphere

The semi-fluid layer beneath the lithosphere where convection currents occur.

Mid-ocean Ridge

An underwater mountain range formed by plate tectonics.

Rifting

The process of the Earth's lithosphere being pulled apart, often leading to the formation of new ocean basins.

Trench

Deep depressions in the ocean floor formed by subduction zones.

Ring of Fire

A region in the Pacific Ocean basin characterized by frequent earthquakes and volcanic activity.