Earth Science Final

What is The Big Bang Theory - What does it say about the origin of the Universe?

It is how the universe began. It explains all space, matter, and how energy expanded from a single point

What is the Cosmic Microwave Background? - How does it support the Big Bang?

CMB is a faint glow of radiation in the universe. It shows how the universe was hot and has been cooling ever since.

What is redshift? - What does it tell us about how galaxies are moving?

Redshift is light from distant galaxies. Redshift tells us that galaxies are moving away from us.

What is blueshift? - How is it different from Redshift?

Blueshift has light waves that get compressed making wavelengths shorter. It tells us how objects are moving towards us.

What is nucleosynthesis? - What elements were formed during the Big Bang?

Nucleosynthesis is nuclear fusion which creates hydrogen and helium.

What evidence supports that the universe is still expanding?

Redshift

What are the main types of evidence scientists use to support the Big Bang Theory?

Redshift of galaxies, Cosmic Microwave Background, and abundance of hydrogen and helium.

What process powers stars like our sun?

Nuclear fusion

What happens to a star after it runs out of fuel?

It will turn into either a black hole, neutron star, or black dwarf

What is a black hole and how does one form?

A black hole is a strong gravitational pull that no light escapes. They form after a large mass star explodes.

What is a nebula and what role does it play in star formation?

Nebula is a large cloud of gas and dust. Nebula is the start of a star.

What does a stars color tell you about its temperature?

Red = Cold, Blue = Hot, Yellow = Colder, Green = Warmer

What do the y-axis and x-axis show on a H-R diagram?

Y-axis = tells us the luminosity

X-axis = tells us the temperature

What is the main sequence, and what happens to stars on it over time?

Stable phase where stars fuse hydrogen. They eventually leave the man sequence as fuel runs out.

What is accretion? How did it help form the planets?

Accretion are particles sticking together to form larger bodies like planets.

Why are inner planets rocky while out planets are gaseous?

Inner planets formed in hotter regions and lost gases; outer planets retained gas in cooler zones

What determines wether a planet can keep a thick atmosphere?

It’s mass and gravitational pull

What is the purpose of a leap year, and why is it necessary?

Earth Takes ~365.25 days to orbit the sun; leap year corrects the calendar every 4 years

What causes Earth’s seasons?

The tilt of Earth’s axis and its orbit around the sun

What is the effect of Earth’s 23.5 tilt?

It causes changes in the angle and intensity of sunlight, resulting in seasons.

How does Earth’s revolution lead to leap years?

Earths revolution takes about 365.25 days; the extra quarter-day adds up to one extra day every 4 years.

What does Kepler’s second law describe?

The closer a planet is to the sun, the faster its orbit will be.

What does Keplers third law describe?

The length of time it takes to complete an orbit.

How does planets orbital speed change as it gets closer to the sun?

The closer to the sun the faster, the further the slower.

What are the main layers of the atmosphere?

Troposphere, Stratosphere, Mesosphere, Thermosphere, exosphere

What happens to temperature and pressure as altitude increases?

Pressure will decrease, temperature will vary with altitude depending on layers of the atmosphere.

Which layer of the atmosphere contains the jet stream?

Tropoosphere

Which layer of the atmosphere contains weather?

Troposphere

What role does the ozone layer play?

The ozone layer protects life on Earth by blocking harmful UV rays from the sun.

What is dew point and what does it tell you?

Dew point is the maximum temperature at which saturation occurs. Humidity could be formed from the dew point.

What is condensation, and when does it occur?

It is moisture in the air and solidifies to water. This occurs after reaching the dew point.

What is the Coriolis effect and how does create winds?

It is a force caused by Earths rotation. As air reaches the surface it moves outwards and spreads clockwise creating winds.

What type of weather is associated with high-pressure systems?

Cooler temperatures and dryer conditions.

How does global wind form?

The earths rotation and the uneven heating of it surface

What is the jet stream, and how does it affect weather?

Fast moving current of air located in the upper troposphere. It influences storms and temperature changes.

What causes El Niño, and what are its effects?

Every 2-7 years when warm water spreads across the Pacific Ocean, distributing global weather patterns. There can be heavy rain, wildfires, and warmer global temps.

What happens to ocean currents during El Niño?

Weaker winds move warm weather East.

What’s the difference between climate and weather?

Weather is about short-term changes (temp, rain, wind, humidity) while climate is the average weather in a place for a long time.

What causes different climate zones across Earth?

Altitude, Ocean Currents, Global Winds, Topography

How does latitude affect climate?

Places closer to the equator are warmer because they get more sunlight, while places near the poles are colder because they get less sunlight.

Why do coastal cities have milder temperatures than inland cities?

Coastal cities are closer to the ocean. Because of land breeze and sea breeze, the ocean acts as a air conditioner.

How do oceans and large bodies of water influence regional climate?

Because of the temps they give off

What are the effects of greenhouse gases in Earth’s atmosphere?

extreme weather, heatwaves, hurricanes, floods, rising sea levels, glaciers, ice sheet melting, changes in animal habitats, changes in migration patterns, flood production risks, and droughts.

What is the lithosphere?

The outer crust of Earth.

What layer allows tectonic plates to move?

The asthenosphere.

What kind of energy transfer occurs in the mantle?

Convection

What is a subduction zone and what does it create?

Where Earths tectonic plates dive back into the mantle. It can create: earthquakes, volcanic mountain ranges, and deep ocean trenches.

What forms at a divergent boundary?

When two tectonic plates move away from each other

What causes plate tectonics to move?

Tremendous heat and pressure within the Earth cause the hot magma to flow in convection currents.

What is a mineral?

A mineral is a solid inorganic substance of natural occurrence.

What is a minerals defining characteristics?

Color, streak, luster, hardness, and density

What does the streak test tell you about a mineral?

The color of powder produced when dragged on a surface.

What is cleavage vs. fracture?

Cleavage = Shard division or split

Fracture = crack or break

What does hardness measure?

The strength of the mineral

What rock forms in the cooling of lava or magma?

Igneous

What rock forms by compacting sediments?

Sedimentary

What rock forms with recrystallization from heat and pressure?

metamorphic

What is lithification, and how does it occur?

Process where sediments compact under pressure. It occurs from weathering.

What is deposition and how is it different from erosion?

Process where sediments, soil, and rocks are added to landform or land masses.