geology notes

What is the definition of the universe?

The universe is everything that's out there, all of space, all of the matter and energy within it.

What does the term 'Solar System' refer to?

The Solar System refers to anything that revolves around the sun.

What does the term 'Geocentric' mean?

Geocentric refers to the Earth sitting at the center of the universe.

Who proposed equations to predict the movements of the planets?

Ptolemy proposed equations to predict the movements of the planets.

What is the Heliocentric model?

The Heliocentric model is the representation where the sun lays at the center of the universe, with Earth and planets orbiting around it.

What era facilitated the acceptance of the Heliocentric model?

The acceptance of the Heliocentric model gained traction during the Renaissance.

What is the significance of Copernicus and Galileo's studies?

Their studies led to the acceptance that Earth and the planets orbit the sun.

What did Newton and Kepler contribute to our understanding of planet motion?

Newton and Kepler explained planet motion through the theory of gravity.

What are stars composed of?

Stars are immense balls of incandescent gas.

How many galaxies are estimated to exist in the visible universe?

Over 100 billion galaxies exist in the visible universe.

What defines a planet?

A planet is a large solid body orbiting a star (the sun) that has a nearly spherical shape and has cleared its neighborhood of other objects by gravity.

What is a moon?

A moon is a solid body locked in orbit around a planet.

What are Terrestrial planets?

Terrestrial planets are small, dense, rocky planets such as Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars.

What defines the Giant (jovian) planets?

Giant (jovian) planets are large low-density, gas and ice giants.

What is the Asteroid belt?

The Asteroid belt lies between Mars and Jupiter.

What defines a theory in scientific terms?

A theory is an explanation of why something occurred based on the current knowledge.

What is the Big Bang Theory?

The Big Bang Theory is the best current explanation for the universe and its expansion initiated 13.7 billion years ago.

What is the Doppler effect?

The Doppler effect describes how sound waves (and light waves) are stretched or compressed as they move towards or away from an observer.

What are the two types of seismic waves?

The two types of seismic waves are body waves (P and S waves) and surface waves (L and R waves).

What is the definition of metamorphism?

Metamorphism is the solid state alteration of a protolith through changes in temperature, pressure, and reactive fluids.

What is an index mineral?

An index mineral is a mineral that indicates specific pressure and temperature conditions during metamorphism.

What are the two major types of metamorphic rock?

The two major types are foliated and non-foliated metamorphic rocks.

What geological time period is known for the presence of multicellular life forms?

The Proterozoic geological time period is known for the evolution of multicellular life forms.

What geological event marks the end of the dinosaurs?

The end of the dinosaurs is marked by the K-T boundary event, which was a mass extinction event.