About the Earth Flashcards
is a scientist’s best guess at an answer to a question.
hypothesis
A hypothesis that can consistently be proven true can become an explanation for observations, or a
theory
If the same results are achieved over and over again without significant differences, that theory can rise to the level of
law
Convergent plate movement can create all of the following EXCEPT
Valleys
Sea levels can rise but cannot become lower.
False
The solid portion of the earth is the
Lithosphere
Why are theories sometimes disproven?
-New discoveries show they are incorrect.
Most of the world’s fresh water is found in
icebergs
The example of submarines exploring the ocean floor is used to illustrate that
-technology makes advances in marine science possible.
The island chain of Hawaii was created by which of the following?
Volcanic eruptions
To become a theory, a hypothesis must
-have numerous experiments consistently prove it true.
Which of the following is true of oceanic plates?
-They are heavier than continental plates.
The borders of plates never change.
False
is defined as the study of the structure and behavior of the physical and natural world using observation and experiment.
Science
which is a measurable change in the level of the world’s oceans.
eustatic change
places where the magma beneath the surface is hotter than the other magma in the area
hot spots
also known as a tsunami
seismic sea wave
The magma fills in the space between the plates and pushes them farther apart.
seafloor spreading
the molten liquid of the mantle, is pushed out through these cracks.
Magma
the molten liquid of the mantle, is pushed out through these cracks.
Magma
the border between the crust that makes up the land and the crust that makes up the ocean floor.
continental shelf
is the energy that pushes a body away from the center while spinning.
Centrifugal force
One of the most important developments in plate tectonics is the theory of
continental drift
These movements of the plates are called
plate tectonics
Although we are usually unaware of it, the surface of the earth, or the —–, is always shifting beneath us.
lithosphere
They float on top of a soft layer called—–,which is divided into the upper and lower mantle.
mantle
Instead, the crust is made of many uneven pieces called
plates
the outer layer
crust
meaning water without salt, in rivers, lakes, and ponds.
freshwater
While 97 percent of Earth’s water is found in the oceans, there is also water under the surface, known as
groundwater
which is the total mass, or weight, of the water found on, under, or above the surface of the planet— only accounts for less than 0.25 percent of the weight of the earth.
hydrosphere
is a large body of salt water that fills a large depression in the earth’s surface.
ocean
also known as oceanography, is all of these things and more.
Marine science
