Chapter -The Earth In Context Flashcards

1
Q

What is a moon?

A

A solid body locked in orbit around a planet.

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2
Q

What are the three classifications for a planet?

A
  1. Large solid body orbiting a star
  2. Has a nearly spherical shape
  3. Has cleared it’s neighborhood of other objects
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3
Q

What are the two types of planets in our solar system?

A

Terrestrial (small, dense, and rocky)

Jovian (large, low density, and a gas giant)

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4
Q

Where is the asteroid belt in our solar system?

A

Between mars and Jupiter.

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5
Q

What is the solar wind made of?

A
  1. Magnetically charged particles
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6
Q

What kind of magnetic field does earth have?

A

Earth has a dipolar magnetic field going from positive north to negative south.

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7
Q

What is the name of the magnetic shield around the earth?

A

The magnetosphere.

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8
Q

What causes the northern lights?

A

Radiation not blocked by the van Allen belts that is pulled near earth by magnetic poles.

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9
Q

What is the most common element in our atmosphere?

A

Nitrogen

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10
Q

What are the levels of our atmosphere starting at the lowest?

A

Troposphere
Stratosphere
Mesosphere
Thermosphere

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11
Q

Why is continental crust higher in elevation that oceanic crust?

A

Because of the buoyancy of each type of crust.

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12
Q

What are the four most prevalent elements in earth’s composition in order from greatest to least?

A
  1. Iron
  2. Oxygen
  3. Silicon
  4. Magnesium
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13
Q

True or false?

Most minerals on earth are silicates.

A

True

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14
Q

What is a glass?

A

Non-crystalline mineral like matter

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15
Q

What is a rock?

A

An aggregate of minerals

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16
Q

What is a metal?

A

Solid comprised of metallic minerals

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17
Q

What is magma?

A

Melt that is beneath the surface

18
Q

What is lava?

A

Melt once it reaches the surface

19
Q

What are volatiles?

A

Materials from a volcanic eruption that turn into gas at the surface

20
Q

What is an earthquake?

A

Seismic waves passing through earth

21
Q

What are the two types if crust?

A

Continental and oceanic

22
Q

What are the two types of mantle?

A

Upper and lower

23
Q

What are the two types if core?

A

Outer (liquid)

Inner (solid)

24
Q

Where is the crust thickest?

A

Under mountains

25
Q

Where is the crust thinnest?

A

Under mid ocean ridges

26
Q

What is the mohorivicic “Moho” discontinuity?

A

It is the separation of the crust from the mantle

27
Q

Is continental crust granitic or basaltic?

A

Granitic

28
Q

Is oceanic crust granitic or basaltic?

A

Basaltic

29
Q

True or false? The mantle is 46% of earths volume.

A

False it is 83% of earths volume

30
Q

What is the mantle composed of?

A

The ultra mafic rock peridotite

31
Q

What is the inner core composed of?

A

A solid iron and nickel alloy

32
Q

What is the outer core composed of?

A

Liquid iron, nickel, and sulfur

33
Q

What creates the magnetic field?

A

The flow of the outer core

34
Q

What is the difference between the lithosphere and the aestenosphere?

A

The lithosphere includes crust and upper mantle and moves as a tectonic plate. The asthenosphere is below the lithosphere and flies as a soft solid and makes up the rest of the upper mantle

35
Q

What is the speed of light?

A

186,000 miles/second

36
Q

True or false? The universe contains more than 100 billion galaxies?

A

True

37
Q

When, approximately, was the Big Bang?

A

13.7 billion years ago

38
Q

True or false? Big Bang nucleosynthesis created lighter elements such as hydrogen and helium.

A

True

39
Q

Stellar nucleosynthesis creates what kind of elements?

A

Heavy elements such as carbon and iron

40
Q

True or false? All elements not created by the Big Bang and stellar nucleosynthesis formed later in planets

A

False they were created by supernovas

41
Q

What created the atmosphere?

A

The gases from volcanic explosions