Earth Science Review Flashcards

Flashcards based on lecture notes for Earth Science review.

What is the Big Bang Theory?

The theory that the universe began from a small point and is still expanding.

What is the evidence for the Big Bang Theory?

Red Shift and Cosmic Background Radiation.

What is the approximate age of the Universe?

~13.7 billion years.

What is the approximate age of the Earth?

~4.6 billion years.

What causes day and night?

The Earth's rotation.

What causes the seasons?

The Earth's revolution around the sun.

What is the proof of Earth's motion?

Foucault Pendulum, Coriolis Effect, and changing constellations.

What is the Geocentric model?

Earth in the center.

What is the Heliocentric model?

Sun in the center.

What are the terrestrial planets?

Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars.

What are the Jovian planets?

Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune.

What are Kepler's Laws?

Planets move in ellipses, planets move faster closer to the sun, closer planets orbit faster.

What are the phases of the moon?

New, Full, Quarters.

What causes tides?

The moon's gravity.

What are spring tides?

Strongest tides during New and Full Moons.

What are Neap tides?

Weakest tides during 1st and 3rd Quarter Moons.

What is a solar eclipse?

Moon blocks the Sun (New Moon).

What is a lunar eclipse?

Earth blocks the Moon (Full Moon).

What occurs in the Troposphere?

Where weather happens.

What is located in the Stratosphere?

Ozone layer.

What are the characteristics of a cP air mass?

Dry & cold.

What are the characteristics of a mT air mass?

Moist & warm.

What are the characteristics of a cT air mass?

Dry & hot.

What are the characteristics of a mP air mass?

Moist & cold.

What does a cold front bring?

Brings storms, triangle symbol.

What does a warm front bring?

Steady rain, semicircle symbol.

What is associated with High Pressure (H) systems?

Dry, clear weather (outward, clockwise).

What is associated with Low Pressure (L) systems?

Wet, stormy weather (inward, counterclockwise).

Where do hurricanes form?

Big, warm ocean.

Where do tornadoes form?

Small, on land.

What does a station model show?

Shows weather info (temp, dew point, wind, pressure, clouds).

What is insolation?

Incoming Solar Radiation.

What is high albedo?

Light colors reflect (like snow).

What is low albedo?

Dark colors absorb (like blacktop).

What are examples of greenhouse gases?

CO₂, CH₄, N₂O.

What is radiation?

Energy from the sun.

What is conduction?

Heat by touch.

What is convection?

Heat in liquids/gases.

What is infrared radiation?

Heat radiation.

What are the steps in the water cycle?

Evaporation, Condensation, Precipitation, Runoff or Infiltration, Transpiration.

What is high specific heat?

Water heats up & cools slowly.

What is a warm ocean current?

Gulf Stream (east coast).

What is a cold ocean current?

California Current (west coast).

What is a kettle lake?

Left behind by melting glacier.

What is an oxbow lake?

Made by curved stream.

What is physical weathering?

Breaks rock (ice, plants, abrasion).

What is chemical weathering?

Changes rock (acid rain, rusting).

What are agents of erosion?

Water (rivers/streams), Wind, Ice (glaciers).

What is deposition?

Drops sediment.

What are glacier features?

U-shaped valleys, striations, moraines, erratics.

What are stream features?

V-shaped valleys, outside curve = faster erosion, inside curve = slower deposition, sorts sediments by size.

How is sediment sorted by water?

Sorted.

How is sediment sorted by glaciers?

Unsorted.

What is porosity?

Space in soil (same if shape is same).

What is permeability?

Water flows through (bigger particles = faster).

What is the origin of igneous rocks?

From melted rock (magma/lava).

What is the definition of sedimentary rocks?

Layers, formed from sediments, fossils found here, made by compaction + cementation.

What is the definition of metamorphic rocks?

Changed by heat + pressure, foliation (banding).

Dike

Vertical.

Sill

Horizontal.

Laccolith/Batholith

Dome-shaped.

Where are fossils found?

In sedimentary rock only.

What is half-life?

Time for half of radioactive material to decay (used for dating rocks).

Describe Mars

Red from iron-rich soil, has volcanoes, canyons, dry riverbeds, thin atmosphere, cold, dust storms.

Compare Earth and Mars

Earth has liquid water & life, Mars has signs of past water but no life known yet.

What happens in the acid test?

Vinegar (acid) dissolves calcium carbonate (chalk).

How does slope affect water flow?

More slope = faster flow.

How does particle size affect drainage?

Bigger particles = faster drainage.

What drains fastest?

Gravel.

What drains slowly?

Sand.