Earth and Environmental Honors Final Exam Review

Atmosphere

the envelope of gases surrounding earth 

Biosphere

the region of earth’s atmosphere occupied by living organisms

Lithosphere

the rigid outer part of the earth, consisting of the earth's crust and mantle

Hydrosphere

the total amount of water on earth, including water underground, on the surface and in the atmosphere

Contour line

a line on a map joining two points of equal height above or below sea level

Contour interval

the vertical distance or difference in elevation between adjacent contour lines

index contour

a thicker, bolder contour line that is typically labeled with a value, such as the elevation

It indicates a steep slope

What does it mean when contour lines are close together? 

Vallies or Gullies

What does it mean when contour lines form a U or V shape?

(latitude, longitude)

How do we write coordinates?

North: horizontal top, South: bottom, East: right, West: left

Where are North latitude locations located? South latitudes? East longitudes? West longitudes?

3rd from the sun

Describe Earth’s place in the solar system.

The theory that the sun is the center of the solar system and the planets revolve around it.

What is the heliocentric model?

Earth is in the milkey way 

What galaxy is Earth in?

The combining of two atoms

What is Nuclear Fusion?

Photosynthesis→consumers

How does energy get from the Sun to Earth to people/animals? 

Infrared, ultraviolet, visible

What are the 3 main electromagnetic waves that reach Earth from the Sun?

The universe originated from a small, hot, and dense state, which rapidly expanded and cooled, eventually forming the Earth we see today.

Describe the Big Bang.

4.5 billion years old

How old is the universe?

redshift

What evidence do we have to support that the universe is expanding?

Kepler- planets move in elliptical orbits with the sun at one focus, a line segment joining a planet and the sun sweeps out equal areas in equal intervals of time, the state of the planet's orbital period is proportional to the cube of the semi-major axis of its orbit.

Who developed the three laws of planetary motion? What are they? 

The center of mass, or balance point, for two or more objects that are orbiting each other

What is a barycenter?

In the sun or right outside of the sun because  it depends on where the planet is in their orbit

Where is the barycenter of our solar system and why

Depending on latitude, time of day, seasons, and atmospheric conditions

How does the amount of sunlight Earth receives vary?

The equator

What area of Earth gets the most direct sunlight?

Mark the shortest and longest days of the year

What are the Winter/Summer Solstices?

The only time of the year where earth's axis is not tilted towards or away from the sun

What are the Vernal/Autumnal Equinoxes?

Rotation- the spinning motion lasting approximately 24 hours

Revolution- the orbital motion of earth around the sun

What is the difference between revolution and rotation?

Earth's revolution around the sun

Which causes our year?

The rotation of the earth 

Which causes our day?

Days and nights would last 6 months 

What would happen if Earth did not rotate?

Earth’s Tilt

What causes seasons?

Winter- the S hemisphere is tilted away from the sun

If it is summer in the Northern Hemisphere, what season is it in the Southern Hemisphere? Why?