Untitled Flashcard Set

Earth & Space Science Review Sheet – Concepts You Must Understand

Part I: Plate Tectonics & Earth Structure

1. Plate Tectonic Boundaries (ALL TYPES)

You must distinguish all 3 boundary types:

● Convergent

○ Plates move toward each other

○ Subduction → volcanoes

○ Continental–continental → mountain building (Adirondacks)

● Divergent

○ Plates move away

○ Form mid-ocean ridges

○ New crust forms

● Transform

○ Plates slide past

○ Causes earthquakes

2. Plate Motion & Volcanoes

● Volcanoes form at:

○ Convergent boundaries (island arcs)

○ Hot spots (not in your test but compare)

● You must understand:

○ Direction of plate motion

○ Relationship between subduction and magma formation

3. Seafloor Spreading & Magnetic Polarity

Students must understand:

● Youngest rock = at mid-ocean ridge

● Age increases away from ridge

● Magnetic stripes are symmetrical

● Normal vs reverse polarity

Concept:

● Ocean crust records Earth’s magnetic history

● Movement over time explains rock ages

4. Earth’s Interior & Seismic Waves

Wave Behavior

● P-waves (primary):

○ Travel through solids + liquids

● S-waves (secondary):

○ Travel through solids only

Key Concept

● Outer core is liquid → stops S-waves

Asthenosphere (100–200 km)

● Partly molten

● Causes plastic flow

● Slows seismic waves

Minerals, Rocks & Bowen’s Reaction Series

5. Mineral Identification (ALL PROPERTIES)

Students must compare properties:

● Hardness (most reliable)

● Cleavage vs fracture

● Streak

● Luster

Key concept:

● Color is NOT reliable

● Different minerals can look the same

6. Igneous Rocks (FULL CLASSIFICATION)

Students must know ALL combinations:

By Origin

● Intrusive (plutonic)

○ Slow cooling → coarse grain

● Extrusive (volcanic)

○ Fast cooling → fine grain/glassy

By Composition

Type Intrusive Extrusive Characteristics

Felsic Granite Rhyolite Light, silica-rich

Intermediate Diorite Andesite Mixed composition

Mafic Gabbro Basalt Dark, iron/magnesium-rich

Concept:

● Cooling rate controls texture

● Composition controls color & density

7. Bowen’s Reaction Series (FULL IDEA)

Students must know:

Two branches

● Discontinuous:

Olivine → Pyroxene → Amphibole → Biotite

● Continuous:

Ca-rich feldspar → Na-rich feldspar

Key Concepts

● High temperature minerals form first

● Low temperature minerals form last (e.g., quartz)

● Minerals change as magma cools

8. NYS Landscape Regions & Rocks

Check ESRT, pg 8 for Bedrock Geology of NY, pg. 9 forEnergy and Mineral resources of NY, and Pg. 11 for

Landscapes of NY

Students must know:

● Adirondacks = Mountains

● Age: Mesoproterozoic (very old)

● Rock type: crystalline (igneous/metamorphic)

Contrast:

● Plateau → sedimentary rocks

● Plains → younger rocks

Part II: Climate Change

9. Carbon Cycle & Coal Formation

Students must understand:

● Plants remove CO2 from atmosphere

● Burial → peat → coal

● This reduces atmospheric CO2

Concept:

● Changes in CO2 affect climate

10. Greenhouse Effect

● CO2 traps heat

● More CO2 → warmer climate

● Less CO2 → cooler climate

11. Ice Core Evidence

Students must interpret:

● CO2 levels and temperature rise and fall together

● Past data helps explain climate trends

12. Climate Feedback Loops

Students must understand:

● Positive feedback

○ Amplifies change

○ Example:

■ Ice melts → darker surface → more heat absorbed → more melting

Key concept:

● Earth systems are connected

Part III: Weather

13. Air Masses (ALL TYPES)

Type Source Characteristics

mT Ocean (Gulf) Warm, humid

cP Land (Canada) Cold, dry

mP Ocean (cold) Cool, moist

cT Land (desert) Hot, dry

14. Cloud Formation

Students must know:

● Air rises → expands → cools → condenses

Causes of rising air:

● Fronts

● Convection

● Mountains

15. Fronts (COMPARE BOTH)

Type Movement Weather

Cold front Fast Heavy rain, storms

Warm front Slow Light, steady rain

16. Low Pressure Systems

Students must know:

● Winds move:

○ Counterclockwise

○ Inward

● Air rises → clouds form

17. Weather Maps & Station Models

Students must interpret:

● Air masses using:

○ Temperature

○ Dew point

● Front symbols:

○ Triangles = cold front

○ Semicircles = warm front

18. Storm Movement

● Controlled by:

○ Prevailing westerlies

○ West → east movement

Part IV: Groundwater (Design Application)

19. Porosity vs Permeability

● Porosity:

○ Amount of empty space

● Permeability:

○ Ease of water flow

Critical concept:

● High porosity ≠ high permeability

20. Groundwater Flow & Materials

Material Permeability

Gravel High

Sand Medium–high

Silt Low

Clay Very low

21. Drainage Design Concept

● Best drainage:

○ Materials with high permeability

○ Example: sand + gravel

● Poor drainage:

○ Clay, shale

Real-world concept:

● Material choice controls water movement

Final Key Idea for Students For every topic:

● Do not memorize one example

● Understand the entire system and all variations