Freshman Science Exam

How does the atmosphere help sustain life on Earth?

The atmosphere contains gases that are necessary for life (oxygen for breathing, carbon dioxide for photosynthesis)

The atmosphere holds in water vapor, which helps the water cycle happen

All weather happens in the atmosphere (no rain = no food)

The upper atmosphere contains the ozone layer, which protects us from the harmful rays of the Sun

The atmosphere helps keep the Earth at moderate temperatures. There are no large fluctuations in in temperature like on planets without an atmosphere.

Without an atmosphere, we wouldn't have sound.

Weather occurs in which layer of the atmosphere?

Troposphere

How does temperature and air density change as altitude increases in the troposphere?

Temperature and density DECREASES as you move higher up in the troposphere

How does temperature affect the density of air?

The colder the air, the more denser the air.

Cold air molecules like to move closer together, meaning more molecules in a smaller space, which means higher density.

How can we use relative humidity measurements and dewpoint to predict the occurrence of precipitation?

Precipitation is likely when relative humidity is at or near 100%.

Precipitation is likely when the air temperature is at the dewpoint

What is air pressure?

The weight (or pull of gravity) air molecules feel.

Explain how surface winds circulate around high and low-pressure systems.

Around a low pressure center, wind will move counterclockwise around the center.

Around a high pressure center, wind will move clockwise around the center.

Explain how air pressure plays a role in the creation of winds.

Air masses will move from areas of high pressure to areas of low pressure.

How is climate different from weather?

Weather - Day to day changes in atmospheric conditions

Climate - the average trends in atmospheric conditions a region of land experiences over a long period of time

What types of data can we collect to determine the climate of a region? Given climate data, be able to discuss trends the data show.

Hours of sunlight, cloud cover, winter temperatures, summer temperatures, wind speed and direction, precipiation amounts and type, storm seasons, growth seasons

What type of biome is usually found around the equator? Why is this?

tropical rainforests- Hadley cells start dry north, then as they move down, they pick up moisture and drop it near the equator

What type of biome is usually found around the 30-degree north and south latitude? Why is this?

desert. the Hadley cells come down and drop off the moisture deprived air around that place

What is dendrochronology and how does it connect to climate?

The study of tree rings

The climate of a region can affect the growth of a tree from year to year. The color and width of a tree ring can tell us about the amount of precipitation and temeprature of a region.

What does it mean to be a steward of God's creation?

To sustainably use natural resources so there is enough for the current generation and generations to come.

To faithfully study creation in order to take care of and protect what God has made.

What are tectonic plates?

Sections of Earth's crust (lithosphere) float on the mantle

What causes tectonic plates to move?

Convection currents - Magma within the mantle is heated by the core and rises, away from the core, the magma cools and sinks back down

List out the layers of Earth from the outermost to the innermost.

Crust (lithosphere)

Mantle → Asthenosphere = upper + a little of crust

Outer core

Inner core

What layer of Earth is the thinnest? The thickest?

Thinnest - crust

Thickest - Mantle

What is a convection current and how does it move?

Convection current - occurs within the mantle to move crust plates; Magma within the mantle heated up by the core and rises, it gets the top and cools and falls back down

What is a plate boundary?

Where two tectonic plates meet

For each type of plate boundary below, describe how the plate are moving and the types of land formations found at each one:

CONVERGENT:

Description of movement:

Plates go towards each other

Landforms:

Earthquakes, volcanoes (subduction zones), mountains

DIVERGENT:

Description of movement: Going away from each other

Divergent Landforms:

Mid-ocean ridges where new crust is being formed

TRANSFORM:

Description of movement:

Slide past each other

Landforms:

Earthquakes

What causes Earth's magnetic field?

the spinning of earths core

What are hotspots?

Place on Earth where magma in the mantle is hotter than anywhere else

How did the Hawaiian Archipelago form?

Hot spot in mantle → Plate moving over top of hot spot so crust melted and lava came out

How does the idea of a supercontinent fit in with the Biblical timeline?

Christian geologists believe that there once was a supercontinent that was mostly broken apart during the Flood. The plates continued to move during the Tower of Babel and are still moving today.

How has the Mid-Atlantic Ocean Ridge added to geologists' knowledge of Earth's layers?

Mid-Atlantic Ocean Ridge is an example of a divergent plate boundary. The new plate material that is being created shows that the two plates move away from each other at equal rates. This has also shown that Earth's magnetic field has switched in history several times.

Draw an atom showing the subatomic particles, their charges, and where they are found.

Electrons - Outside, 0 mass, Charge = -1

Protons - Nucleus, Mass = 1, Charge = +1

Neutron - Nucleus, Mass = 1, Charge = 0

What is atomic mass?

Mass number = # of protons + # of neutrons

Average atomic mass = the average of all masses of all isotopes found in the world

Ex. C-12, C-13, C-14 → Avg. Atomic Mass = 12.01

What is an atomic number?

Atomic number = number of protons (the number at the top of square)

Explain what an isotope is.

Def. Isotope = an element with the same number of protons and different number of neutrons (gives us a different mass)

Know how to write in isotope notation and gather information about atomic structure from the periodic table.

Briefly explain the process of nuclear fusion.

Why do we care? Nuclear fusion is how stars use their energy and how heavier elements are created.

Def. Nuclear fusion = The process of two elements coming together and fusing

H-1 + H-1 → H-2 + H-1 → He-3 + He-3 → He-4 (alpha particle)

What is an alpha particle?

He-4

Explain the process of alpha fusion.

He-4 + He-4 → Be-8 + He-4 → C-12 + He-4 → O-16 + He-4 → ........Fe-56

What does alpha fusion eventually create?

Iron!!!!!!!

Describe the life cycle of a star, beginning with a nebula. Make sure to define any terms that are relevant.

Nebula - collection of dust and gas in space

Dwarf star

Main Sequence

Red Giant

Super Giant

What is hydrostatic equilibrium?

The force the holds a star together

When the force of a gas wanting to expand is equal to the force of gravity pulling the gas inwards

What is wavelength? What is frequency? What is the connection between the two?

Def. Wavelength = the distance between two crests or the distance between two troughs

Def. Frequency = the number of waves that pass by in a certain amount of time

Wavelength and frequency are inversely related (When wavelength is high, frequency is low)

Be able to answer questions using an HR diagram.

Sample questions:

What does HR stand for?

What does the HR diagram show?

Stars of low temperature are what color?

Stars of high temperature are what color?

What is luminosity? How is this different than magnitude?

What is the electromagnetic spectrum?

All of the wavelengths of energy known to man.

Using an EM Spectrum, be able to determine the highest and lowest: frequency, wavelength, and energy.

The two Hubble images from the Hubble Telescope were redshifted. What did this mean for the galaxies shown in the picture?

The galaxies show proof of being red shifted, meaning that the galaxies are moving away from the observer

Explain how waves of energy change if their energy source is moving away from the observer versus moving towards the observer.

If an energy source is moving towards you, the waves get compressed and the wavelengths get shorter. If the energy source is light, the light will appear to be shifted towards the blue side of the EM spectrum.

If an energy source is moving away from you, the waves get elongated and wavelength is greater. If the energy source is light, the light will appear to be shifted towards the red side of the EM spectrum.

Given a spectra, be able to tell whether the object is moving away from the observer or moving toward the observer.

What is the Doppler effect?

The Doppler effect describes red shift/blue shift but with sound waves.

As a sound moves away from you, the sound waves get longer and the pitch gets lower.

As a sound moves towards you, the sound waves get shorter and the pitch gets higher.