Earth Science, Module 1

Geology

The study (logos) of the Earth

Who studies the Solid Earth/Geosphere?

Geologists

Studies what the Earth is made of, examines materials of the Earth, and understand the processes/forces underneath and on Earth’s surface

Physical Geology

Historical Geology

Studies the origin of the Earth and its development through time.

What is an example of Historical Geology?

Sequence of fossils in Rock beds

Meteorology

The study of the atmosphere and the processes that produce weather & climate

Oceanography

The study of the oceans/hydrosphere and oceanic phenomena

What is an example of Oceanography

The study of seawater, coastal processes, seafloor topography, and marine life

Astronomy

The study of the universe & solar system.

What is an example of Astronomy?

The observation and interpretation of celestial bodies and phenomena

The Earth is more ______ than others in our solar system

Dynamic

Why is the Earth more dynamic in our solar system?

Abundant Water, People, and Subsystems

We think of our planet as a system and refer to it as an?

Earth System

Earth has ____ spheres

4

What are the Earth’s spheres?

Atmosphere, Hydrosphere, Geosphere, and Biosphere

What is another word for Geosphere?

Lithosphere

What is another word for Biosphere?

Ecosphere

Biotic means ______, Abiotic means ______

Living, nonliving

True or False: All spheres are interconnected

True

What is the Atmosphere?

A thin layer of gases surrounding the Earth, and held to the Earth by gravity

How below is the thing layer of gases

480 KM

What does the Atmosphere do?

It forms a protective boundary between outer space and the biosphere

What is the Hydrosphere?

An abiotic open system that includes all of Earth’s waters

The crust has _____, _____, and ______ forms

Gaseous, Solid, and Liquid

What is the Geosphere?

The Earth’s crust and that portion of the upper mantle directly below the crust

How far does the crust extend downwards?

70 KM or 45 miles

What is the Biosphere?

The area where the atmosphere, hydrosphere, and Geosphere function together to form the context within which life exists

The first science was?

Astronomy

The term _____ refers to the principles and processes that guide scientific investigation

Scientific Method

Steps in the Scientific Method

1. Observation, 2. Hypothesis/Theory, 3. Testing, 4. Law

What is a theory?

A well tested and accepted hypothesis

What can a theory eventually become?

A Law

Our sun & solar system lies within which galaxy?

Milky Way Galaxy

Most mass is found in?

The Sun

We use _____ as a _____

Lightspeed, Distance Unit

This distance is called a

Light Year

The theory for the formation of our solar system is called?

The Nebular Hypothesis/Theory

The Nebular Hypothesis was formed out of the observation of?

Other bodies in our universe

Our universe formed _____ years ago

4.6 Billion

Our solar system formed from a rotating, cloud of ___, ____, and ____

Gas, Dust and Ices

The cloud of gas, dust, and ices is referred to as a

Nebula

The _____ objects suck in the _____ Objects

Bigger, Smaller

Temps close to absolute 0

Ices

A ______ formed at the center of the nebula where the most mass existed

Proto-Sun

The cloud starts to _____

Flatten out

Mass accumulated by “accretion” away from the center of the nebula and formed the ______

protoplanets

The protoplanets grew in size

Planetesimals

The Earth is hottest in the

Center

The terrestrial or inner planets

Small, dense, rocky, metallic, and with minor amounts of gases

What is the atmosphere on terrestrials like?

Meager, isn’t extensive and thin

True or False: Terrestrials are closer to the Sun

True

Jovian/Outer Planets

Large, not very dense, contain a large percentage of gases

What is the atmosphere like on Jovians

Very Thick, Extensive, and is comprised of mostly hydrogen and helium

True or False: Jovians are further from the Sun

True

Why are Jovians so large and have so much gas?

Because they are further from the Sun

What sphere does Weather and climate fall under?

Atmosphere

Weather

The state of the atmosphere at any given time

Is weather over a short period of time or long period of time?

Short period of time - likely a couple of days

Climate

A description of aggregate weather conditions

Is climate over a short period of time or long period of time?

long period of time - average conditions on a daily basis

Climate helps describe a ______ or ____

Place or Region

Climate includes the _____

Extremes

True or False: Weather and Climate are the same

False; they are different, but similar

What are the weather & climate elements?

Air temperature, humidity, cloud cover, precipitation, atmospheric pressure & wind

What gets measured for cloud cover and precipitation?

Type and amount

What gets measured for Wind?

Speed and Direction

Air is mostly

Gases

Air tempertature =

Temperature of Gases

Humidity is _______ in a ______ phase

Gaseous Water (Water Vapor/Water), Gaseous

Rain, Sleet and Snow fall under

Precipitation

We measure with a Barometer; this is called?

Barometric Pressure

Low Pressure =

Less air above

Force (F) per unit Area (A)/ (F/A) exerted by air molecules

Pressure

What is Energy of motion called?

Kinetic Energy

1 millibar (MB) = _____ MB at ______ sea level

1000, average

A quantity that tells us how hot or cold something is relative to some standard value

Temperature

Derived from the Solar Nebula (existed short time frame)

Primordial Atmosphere

Gases derived from the Earth’s interior; “purple sulfur bacteria” produced organic material from inorganic elements

Evolutionary Atmosphere

When did evolutionary atmosphere happen?

3.6 Billion years ago

Outgassing

Gases derived from the Earth’s interior

First photosynthesis by Blue Green Algae

Living Atmosphere

When did living Atmosphere happen

3.3 Billion years ago

Abundance of life as a consequence of high levels of oxygen

Modern Atmosphere

Modern Atmosphere added what in the Atmosphere?

Oxygen

Clean Air + Pollutants is

Natural Air

Dry Air + Water Vapor is

Clean Air

What gases are in Dry Air

Nitrogen, Oxygen, and Argon

How much Nitrogen is in the air?

78.08%

How much Oxygen is in the Air

21%

How much Argon is in the Air?

0.93%

99% of the air is comprised of ____, while 1% is comprised of ____

Nitrogen & Oxygen, Argon

True or False: N2, O2, and Ar vary from place to place and time to time

False, they are non-variable

True or False: Water Vapor varies from time to time & place to place

True, it is a variable

Water Vapor is never a absolute _?

0

Are Ozone (O3), Carbon Monoxide (CO), Sulfur Oxides (SOx), Nitrogen Oxides (NOx) and Carbon Dioxide (CO2) variable or non-variable?

Variable

Pressure _____ with height

Decreases

_____ helps decrease pressure

Gravity

Most ____ is held pretty close to the ____ due to ____

Gas, Ground, Gravity

(mass per unit volume) of the atmosphere also decreases with height above the ground

Density

_____ rises over ___ air

Warm, cold