8: Earth as a Planet Flashcards
a force of 100,000 Newtons acting on a surface area of 1 square meter - the average pressure of Earth’s atmosphere at sea level is 1.013 _s
bar
igneous rock produced by the cooling of lava - makes up most of Earth’s oceanic crust and is found on other planets that have experienced extensive volcanic activity
basalt
movement caused within a gas or liquid by the tendency of hotter, and therefore less dense material, to rise and colder, denser material to sink under the influence of gravity, which consequently results in transfer of heat
convection
the central part of the planet - consists of higher density material
core
the outer layer of a terrestrial planet
crust
in geology, a crack or break in the crust of a planet along which slippage or movement can take place, accompanied by seismic activity
fault
a type of igneous silicate rock that makes up most of Earth’s continental crust
granite
the blanketing (absorption) of infrared radiation near the surface of a planet - for example, by CO2 in its atmosphere
greenhouse effect
a gas in an atmosphere that absorbs and emits radiation within the thermal infrared range - on Earth, these atmospheric gases primarily include carbon dioxide, methane, and water vapor
greenhouse gas
rock produced by cooling from a molten state
igneous rock
the region around a planet in which its intrinsic magnetic field dominates the interplanetary field carried by the solar wind; hence, the region within which charged particles can be trapped by the planetary magnetic field
magnetosphere
the largest part of Earth’s interior - lies between the crust and the core
mantle
the sudden disappearance in the fossil record of a large number of species of life, to be replaced by fossils of new species in subsequent layers - indicators of catastrophic changes in the environment, such as might be produced by a large impact on Earth
mass extinction
rock produced by physical and chemical alteration (without melting) under high temperature and pressure
metamorphic rock
(O3) a heavy molecule of oxygen that contains three atoms rather than the more normal two
ozone
a complex sequence of chemical reactions through which some living things can use sunlight to manufacture products that store energy (such as carbohydrates), releasing oxygen as one by-product
photosynthesis
the motion of segments or plates of the outer layer of a planet over the underlying mantle
plate tectonics
rock that has not experienced great heat or pressure and therefore remains representative of the original condensed materials from the solar nebula
primitive rock
in geology, a place where the crust is being torn apart by internal forces generally associated with the injection of new material from the mantle and with the slow separation of tectonic plates
rift zone
rock formed by the deposition and cementing of fine grains of material, such as pieces of igneous rock or the shells of living things
sedimentary rock
a vibration that travels through the interior of Earth or any other object - on Earth, these are generally caused by earthquakes
seismic wave
the layer of Earth’s atmosphere above the troposphere and below the ionosphere
stratosphere
the sideways and downward movement of the edge of a plate of Earth’s crust into the mantle beneath another plate
subduction
the lowest level of Earth’s atmosphere, where most weather takes place
troposphere
a place where material from a planet’s mantle erupts on its surface
volcano
outward flow from the hot surface of the sun, sending charged particles that get caught in Earth’s magnetosphere
solar wind
the study of Earth’s crust and the processes that have shaped its surface throughout history
geology
term for materials that evaporate at a relatively low temperature
volatile
term used to refer to the effects of the atmosphere that last through decades and centuries
climate
study of the coevolution of life and our planet
astrobiology
the study of the genetic code that is shared by all life on Earth
genomics
