GACE Middle Grades Science

tidal hypothesis

Theory that the solar system started with a near collision of sun and large star. Few astronomers believe this theory.

condensation hypothesis

solar system began with rotating clouds of dust and gas. Condensation happened in center to form sun, and smaller parts of clouds formed. More astronomers believe in this idea.

Core

Outer core- liquid; inner core- solid. Very dense in center. Believed that core is 80% iron. Helps heat oceans.

Mantle

Surrounds core. Semi-solid/plastic and the viscosity varies as pressures and temps. change at different depths.

Crust

Outermost layer of the Earth. Least dense layer.

Sedimentary rocks

forms when sediment collects and hardens; layers of sediment pile up and squeeze together; requires pressure

Igneous rocks

rocks formed by the cooling of molten rock (either magma or lava)

Metamorphic rocks

Rocks formed when other rocks are put under extreme heat and pressure

Foliated rocks

metamorphic rocks with crystals arranged in parallel layers or bands

Unfoliated rocks

metamorphic rocks that are NOT layered

Characteristics of minerals

non-living, formed in nature, solid in form, their atoms forming a crystalline pattern, and its chemical composition is fixed within narrow limits

Soils

fine material covering the earth's surface composed of both mineral & organic material; dirt

Sandy soils

gritty, loose, water passes through rapidly

Clay soils

smooth and greasy, are moist and do not let water through easily

Loamy soils

Velvety, particles clump together, holds some water, but some can pass through

Pedalfers

reddish soils/Aluminum and iron (Alfers)

Al and Fe rust and turn red clay. Georgia. Rich in iron.

Pedocals

found in grasslands and brush in WESTERN north america, rich in calcium carbonate, gray-tan-white, dry and temperate

Laterites

redish-orange soils that develop in hot, wet tropical climates, and are not good for farming

Orogeny

natural mountain building

Folded mountains

When rock layers are squeezed together and pushed upward. The Himalayas (formed when India collided with Asia), Mt. Everest

Fault-block mountains

A mountain formed by blocks of rock uplifted from normal faults (e.g. Utah, Arizona, & New Mexico).

Dome mountains

mountains that form when magma pushes up on Earth's crust but does not break through. Appears a a large blister on surface

Upwarped mountains

form when forces inside Earth push up the crust. Arching in crust

Volcanic mountains

built by successive deposits of volcanic materials. mountains that form when molten rock erupts onto the earth's surface

volcanism

any activity that includes the movement of magma toward or onto Earth's surface

active volcano

said of a volcano that is erupting or has shown signs of erupting in the near future

dormant volcano

a volcano that is not erupting now, but that may erupt in the future

extinct volcano

One that is unlikely to erupt ever again.

shield volcanoes

formed from layers of lava from repeated nonexplosive eruptions. Since the magma is runny, the lava coming out of the volcano tends to flow great distances.Over time the layers of lava create sloping sides

cinder cone volcanoes

Eruptions from cinder cone volcanoes are violent and explosive because of all the gas trapped in the magma.

composite volcanoes

Eruptions from composite volcanoes can be flowing lava or explosions. The explosive eruptions come from the trapped gases and produce cinders and ash.

folded mountains

form when rock layers are squeezed together and pushed upward. appalachian mountains

faults

cracks in the earth's crust. movement can be horizontal, vertical, or oblique

dip-slip fault

a fault in which the movement is parallel to the dip of the fault. land is uneven.

reverse faults

Are caused when rocks are compressed together, the hanging wall slides up, and the footwall slides down (convergent boundary)

strike-slip fault

A type of fault in which rocks on either side move past each other sideways with little up or down motion.

intrusive rock

igneous rock that was formed below the Earth's surface

extrusive rock

igneous rock that was formed at the Earth's surface

dikes

Formed when magma squeezes across rock layers and cools (vertically).

sill

a slab of volcanic rock formed when magma squeezes between layers of rock.

laccolith

an igneous intrusion that has been forced between two layered rock units. very thick and does not flow easily. creates surface dome.

caldera

The large hole at the top of a volcano formed when the roof of a volcano's magma chamber collapses.

inactive volcano

Volcano that has been dead for years and has no chance of erupting again

glacier

large mass of ice that moves or flows over the land in response to gravity.

valley glaciers

produce sharp peaked mountains. u-shaped eroision

continental glaciers

glaciers that ride over mountains causing smooth, rounding mountains

erosion

condition in which the earth's surface is worn away by the action of water, ice, or wind. running water removes rocks and moves from original location.

weathering

The breaking down of rocks and other materials on the Earth's surface.

physical weathering

weathering that changes the shape and size of rocks without changing the chemical makeup of the rock. freezing of water, expansion of rock, activities of plants and animals

chemical weathering

the process in which rock is broken down by changes in its chemical makeup

frost wedging

the repeated thawing and freezing of water in the cracks of rocks

rifting

the process by which Earth's crust breaks apart; can occur within continental crust or oceanic crust. what caused Pangaea to break up

fossil

remains or trace of an ancient organism that has been preserved naturally in the Earth's crust. Typically found in sedimentary rocks.

renewable resource

resource that can be replaced naturally. plants are renewable bc they grow and reproduce. animals are renewable bc they can reproduce.

non-renewable resource

not easily replaced in a timely fashion. ex: minerals, metals

photosynthesis

process by which plants use the sun's energy to convert water and carbon dioxide into sugars (food)

fossil fuels

nonrenewable resources formed from the remains of ancient plants and animals

pollutants

impurities in air and water that may be harmful to life.

air pollution

pollution of the atmosphere

land pollution

caused by improper disposal of hazardous materials

water pollution

(most prevalent) rain runoff carrying pesticides. sewage. oil spills

acid rain

formed by pollutant oxides in air

radioactivity

The process in which some substances spontaneously emit radiation. main concern comes from nuclear disaster.

stewardship

A philosophy that holds that humans have a unique responsibility to manage, care for, and improve nature.

Big Bang Theory

The theory that the universe originated in a huge explosion that released all matter and energy. (BrainPop- raisin bread demo)

Steady-state theory

a theory which states that there was no beginning to the universe and that the universe does not change in appearance.

Oscillating Universe Hypothesis

The idea that the Universe will expand and then contract. Galaxies will move away from each other and in time slow down and stop. Then a gradual moving toward each other will again activate the explosion or the Big Bang theory.

Mercury

planet closest to the Sun; has a thin atmosphere with temperature extremes, an iron core, and many craters and high cliffs. Named after Roman messenger god

Venus

second planet from the Sun; has a dense atmosphere with high temperatures and large cloud coverage, a surface with craters, faultlike cracks, and volcanoes; sometimes called Earth's twin. Named after Roman goddess of love

Earth

third planet from the sun; has an atmosphere that protects life and surface temperatures that allow water to exist as a solid, liquid, and gas

Mars

fourth planet from the Sun; appears reddish because of iron oxide in weathered rocks; has polar ice caps, a thin atmosphere, and two moons

Jupiter

largest planet and fifth planet from the Sun; has faint rings, seventeen moons, an atmosphere formed mostly of hydrogen and helium, and its surface has continuous storms (Great Red Spot), strong magnetic cloud

Saturn

second-largest and sixth planet from the Sun; has a complex ring system, at least 31 moons, and a thick atmosphere made mostly of hydrogen and helium

Uranus

seventh planet from the Sun; is large and gaseous, has a distinct bluish-green color, and rotates on an axis nearly parallel to the plane of its orbit (retrograde revolution- opposite rotation), 10 rings, 15 moons

Neptune

the eighth planet from the Sun; is large and gaseous, has 3 rings that vary in thickness, and is bluish-green in color, 2 moons

8 planets

My Very Excited Mother Just Saw Uncle Ned

Asteroids

objects revolving around the sun that are too small and too numerous to be considered planets; chunks of rock found mainly in the region of space between Mars and Jupiter

Meteorite

a meteroid that passes through the atmosphere and hits earths surface (Barringer Crater in Arizona)

Meteor

a streak of light in the sky produced by the burning of a meteoroid in Earth's atmosphere

Comet

a frozen chunk of ice and dust that orbits the sun

constellations

a group of stars that forms a shape or pattern

magnitude stars

21 of the brightest stars seen from earth

galaxy

(astronomy) a collection of star systems

elliptical galaxy

An oval-shaped galaxy that contains mainly older stars, a few new stars, and very little gas and dust.

spiral galaxy

a galaxy with a bulge in the middle and arms that spiral outward in a pinwheel pattern

pulsar

a rapidly spinning neutron star that produces radio waves

quasar

A distant galaxy with a black hole at its center

black hole

an object whose gravity is so strong that nothing, not even light, can escape

eclipse

the partial or total blocking of one object in space by another

lunar eclipse

occurs when Earth's shadow falls on the moon

solar eclipse

Occurs when the Moon passes directly between the Sun and Earth and casts a shadow over part of Earth

tides

The regular rise and fall of the ocean's surface influenced by the moon's gravity pulling on earth

barycenter

the common center of mass the earth and the moon rotate around

neap tides

Tides when the moon is not aligned with the sun, resulting in less extreme tides. Sun, Moon, and Earth positioned at right angles

spring tides

high tides that occur when the sun, earth, and moon are aligned

refracting telescopes

uses series of lenses to focus and magnify light. invented by Galileo

Isaac Newton

Defined the laws of motion and gravity. Tried to explain motion of the universe.

Newtons Law

for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction

water cycle

The continuous movement of water from the ocean to the atmosphere to the land and back to the ocean

ground water

water found beneath Earth's surface