Earth Science Midterm Study Guide – Flashcards
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Astronomy
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Study of space, the universe, lunar phases, tides, eclipses
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Meteorology
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Study of weather, climate, atmosphere
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Oceanography
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Study of earth's oceans
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Geology
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Study of earth and its processes, volcanoes, faults and folds, erosion, plate tectonics, and geologic history
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Hypothesis
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A possible explanation that can be tested. Shows relationship between the variables
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Controlled experiment
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An experiment that tests only one variable or factor at a time, keeping all other variables some or constant.
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Control Group
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The standard for comparing experimental effects. A trial in which there is no alteration to the independent variable
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Independent Variable
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The part of the experiment that is purposefully changed
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Dependent Variable
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The part that changes in response to the I.V. The thing that you're measuring. Quantitative or Qualitative.
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Levels
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The independent variables that can affect change in the dependent variables
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Map
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A representation of the features of a physical body such as Earth
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Reference point
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A fixed place on the Earth's surface from which direction & location can be described.
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Compass
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Shows the cardinal directions as well as combinations of these directions
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True North
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The direction to the geographic North Pole
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Magnetic declination
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The difference between the magnetic north and the true north
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Latitude
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The distance north or south from the equator; expressed in degrees
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Longitude
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The distance east and west from the prime meridian
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Prime Meridian
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The line that represents zero degrees longitude
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Topographic Map
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A map that shows surface features, or topography
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Elevation
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The height of an object above sea level
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Contour Lines
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Lines that connect points of equal elevation
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Contour Interval
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The difference in elevation between one contour line and the next
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Relief
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The difference in elevation between the highest & lowest points of the area being morphed
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Index contour
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A darker heavier contour line that is usually every 5th line and that is labeled by elevation.
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Distortion
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Changes in the distance, shapes & sizes of landmasses and oceans on maps
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Cylindrical projection
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A map projection that is made by moving the surface features of the globe onto a cylinder
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Conical projection
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A map projection that is made by moving the surface features of the globe onto a cone
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Azimuthal projection
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A map projection that is made by moving the surface features of the globe onto a plane
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Title
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Gives you info about the subject of the map
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Compass rose
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Shows you how the map is placed in relation to true north
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Scale
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Shows the relationship between the distance on Earth's surface & the distance on the map
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Legend
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A list of the symbols used in the map & their explanations
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Date
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Gives you the time at which the information on the map was recorded
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Remote sensing
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The process of gathering and analyzing information about an object without physically being in touch with the object
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Geographic Information System
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GIS stands for
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Ore
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A mineral deposit large enough and pure enough to be mined for profit
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Reclamation
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The process of returning land to its original condition after mining is complete
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Carat
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The mass of a gemstone
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Mineral
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Inorganic, solid, naturally occurring, crystalline structure
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Compound
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Two or more elements that are chemically bonded together
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Crystal
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A solid whose atoms, ions, or molecules are arranged in a definite pattern
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Luster
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The way in which a mineral reflects light
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Streak
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The color of the powder of a mineral
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Cleavage
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The splitting of a mineral along smooth, flat surfaces
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Fracture
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The manner in which a mineral breaks along either curved or irregular surfaces
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Hardness
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A measure of the ability of a mineral to resist scratching
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Element
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A substance that cannot be separated or broken down into simpler substances by chemical means
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Silicate mineral
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A mineral that contains a combination of Si, O, and 1 or more metals
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Nonsilicate mineral
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A mineral that does not contain compounds of silicon and oxygen
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Density
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The ratio of the mass of a substance to the volume of the substance
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Rock
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A naturally occurring solid mixture of one or more minerals & organic matter
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Rock Cycle
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The continual process by which new rock forms from old rock material
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Erosion
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The process by which sediment is removed from its source
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Deposition
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The process in which sediment moved by erosion is dropped and comes to rest
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Composition
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The chemical make up of a rock; describes either the minerals or other materials in the rock
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Texture
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The quality of a rock that is based on the sizes, shapes, and positions of the rock's grains
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Intrusive Igneous Rock
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Rock formed from the cooling & solidification of magma beneath the Earth's surface
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Extrusive Igneous Rock
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Rock that forms as a result of volcanic activity at or near the Earth's surface
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Strata
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Layers of rock
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Stratification
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The process in which sedimentary rocks are arranged in layers
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Foliated
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The texture of metamorphic rock in which the mineral rains are arranged in planes or bands
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Non-foliated
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The texture of metamorphic rock in which the mineral grains are not arranged in planes or bands
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Natural resource
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Any natural material that is used by humans, such as water, petroleum, minerals, forests, and animal
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Renewable resource
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A natural resource that can be replaced at the same make which the resource is consumed
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Non-renewable resource
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A resource that forms at a rate that is much slower than the rate at which it is consumed
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Recycling
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The process of recovering valuable or useful materials from waste or scrap; the process of reusing some items
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Fossil fuel
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A non-renewable energy resource formed from the remains of organisms that lived long ago
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Petroleum
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A liquid mixture of complex hydrocarbon compounds; used widely as a fuel source
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Natural gas
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A mixture of gaseous hydrocarbons located under the surface of the Earth, often near petroleum deposits; used as a fuel
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Coal
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A fossil fuel that forms underground from partially decomposed plant material
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Acid precipitation
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Rain, sleet, or snow that contains a high concentration of acids
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Smog
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Photochemical haze that forms when sunlight acts on industrial pollutants and burning fuels
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Nuclear energy
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The energy released by a fission or fusion reactions the binding energy of the atomic nucleus
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Chemical energy
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The energy released when a chemical compound reacts to produce new compounds
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Solar energy
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The energy received by the Earth from the sun in the form of radiation
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Wind Power
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The use of a windmill to drive an electronic generator
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Hydroelectric energy
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Electrical energy produced by falling water
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Biomass
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Organic matter that can be a source of energy; the total mass of the organisms in a given area
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Gasohol
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A mixture of gasoline and alcohol that is used as a fuel
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Geothermal Energy
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The energy produced by heat within the Earth
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Reduce
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Use less of a resource
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Reuse
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Find a new use for discarded products
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Recycle
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The recovering of valuable or useful material from waste or scrap
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Uniformitarianism
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A principle that states that geologic processes that occurred in the past that can be explained by current geologic processes
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Catastrophism
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A principle that states that geologic change occurs suddenly
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Paleontology
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The scientific study of fossils
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Relative dating
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Any method of determining whether an event or object is older or younger than other events or objects
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Superposition
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A principle that states that younger rocks lie above older rocks if the layers have not been disturbed
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Geologic column
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An arrangement of rock layers in which the oldest rocks are at the bottom
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Unconformity
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A break in the geologic record created when rock layers are eroded or when sediment is not deposited for a long period of time
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Absolute Dating
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Any method of measuring the age of an event or object in years
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Isotope
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An atom that has the same number of protons or the same number of as other atoms of the same element do but that has a different number of neutrons and thus a different atomic mass
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Radioactive decay
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The process in which a radioactive isotope tends to break down into a stable isotope of the same element or another element
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Radiometric dating
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A method of determining the age of an object by estimating the relative percentages of a radioactive parent isotope and a stable daughter isotope
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Half-life
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The time needed for half of a sample of a radioactive substance to undergo radioactive decay
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Fossil
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The remains or physical evidence of an organism preserved by geological processes
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Trace fossil
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A fossilized mark that is formed in soft sediment by the movement of an animal
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Mold
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A mark or cavity made in a sedimentary surface by a shell or other body
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Cast
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A type of fossil that forms when sediments fill in the cavity left by a decomposed organism
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Index fossil
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A fossil that is found in the rock layers of only one geologic age and that is used to establish the age of the rock layers
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Geologic time scale
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The standard method used to divide the Earth's long natural history into manageable parts
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Eon
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The largest division of a geologic period
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Era
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A unit of geologic time that includes two or more periods
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Period
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A unit of geologic time into which eras are divided
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Epoch
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A subdivision of a geologic period
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Extinction
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The death of every member of a species
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Crust
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The outermost layer of the earth
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Mantle
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The layer of the Earth between the crust & the core
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Core
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The layer of the Earth that extends from below the mantle to the center of the Earth
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Lithosphere
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The outermost, rigid layer. 2 parts- crust & rigid upper part of the mantle. It's divided into tectonic plates
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Asthenosphere
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A plastic layer of the mantle on which pieces of the lithosphere move. Made of solid rock that flows very slowly
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Mesosphere
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The strong, lower part of the mantle between the asthenosphere & the outer core
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Outer core
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The liquid layer of the Earth's core that lies beneath the mantle & surrounds the inner core
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Inner core
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The solid, dense, center of our planet
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Tectonic plate
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Pieces of the lithosphere that move around on top of the asthenosphere
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Continental Drift
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The hypothesis that states that the continents once formed a single landmass, broke up, and drifted to their present locations
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Sea-floor spreading
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The process by which new oceanic lithosphere forms as magma rises toward the surface & solidifies
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Plate tectonics
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The theory that explains how large pieces of the Earth's outermost layer move and change shape
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Convergent boundary
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The boundary formed by the collision of 2 lithospheric plates
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Divergent boundary
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The boundary between two tectonic plates that are moving away from each other
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Transform boundary
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The boundary between tectonic plates that are sliding past each other horizontally
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Convection
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The transfer of thermal energy by the circulation or movement of a liquid or gas
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Compression
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Stress that occurs when forces act to squeeze an object
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Tension
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Stress that occurs when forces act to stretch an object
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Folding
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The bending of rock layers due to stress
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Anticline
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Upward-arching folds
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Syncline
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Downward, trough-like folds
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Monocline
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Rock layers are folded so that both ends of the fold are horizontal
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Fault
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A break in a body of rock along which one block slides relative to another
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Uplift
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The rising of regions of the Earth's crust to higher elevations
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Subsidience
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The sinking of regions of the Earth's crust to lower elevations
