Earth Science Lecture Review

Flashcards for reviewing key vocabulary and concepts from the Earth Science lecture.

Force

mass x acceleration

Work

consequence of a force acting on an object over a distance

Energy

capacity of a system to do work

Heat

how fast atoms are jiggling and moving

Temperature

average velocity of atoms/molecules

Radiation

electromagnetic waves transfer heat

Conduction

nearby hot atoms cause cold atoms to jiggle

Convection

hot material rises, cool material falls

Density

How tightly packed matter is; amount of mass in a given space.

Earth Differentiation

density pulled heavy elements to the core

Lithosphere

crust and uppermost solid mantle

Crust

The outermost layer of the Earth.

Mantle

The layer of the Earth between the crust and the core.

Outer core

A liquid layer of the Earth's core.

Inner core

A solid layer of the Earth's core.

Cryosphere

The portion of Earth's surface where water is in solid form, such as ice sheets, glaciers, snow cover, and sea ice.

Hydrosphere

All the waters on the earth's surface, such as lakes and seas.

Atmosphere

The envelope of gases surrounding the earth or another planet.

Biosphere

The regions of the surface, atmosphere, and hydrosphere of the earth occupied by living organisms.

Geosphere

The solid part of the earth consisting of the crust and outer mantle.

Lithosphere

Rigid upper mantle

Moho

boundary between lithosphere and crust

Oceanic crust

thin, dense, deeper

Continental crust

thick, less dense, higher

Asthenosphere

The highly viscous, mechanically weak and ductile region of the upper mantle of Earth