Domain 3: Earth and Space Science Flashcards
Planets
Generally divided into two main types: large, low-density gas giants, and smaller, rocky terrestrials. There are eight planets in the Solar System. In order from the Sun, they are four terrestrials, Mergury, Venus, Earth, and Mars, and then the four gas giants, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune.
Comet
A small solar system body that orbits the Sun and, when close enough to the Sun, exhibits a visible coma or a tail - both primarily from the effects of solar radiation upon the comet’s nucleus.
Asteroid
Bodies - primarily of the inner solar system - that are smaller than planets but larger than meteoroids, excluding comets. Asteroids don’t have a coma like comets do.
Sun
Huge ball of incandescent gasses. More than 300,000 times more massive than the earth.
Sedimentary rock
one of the three main rock types. Formed by deposition and consolidation of mineral and organic material and from precipitation of minerals from solution. The processes that form sedimentary rock occur at the surface of the earth and within bodies of water. Rock formed from sediments covers 72-80 % of the earth’s land area, and includes common types such as limestone, chalk, dolostone, sandstone, conglomerate, some types of breccia, and shale.
Igneous rocks
domed by solidification of cooled magma. They may form with or without crystallization, either below the surface as intrusive rocks or on the surface as extrusive rocks.
Metamorphic rock
is the result of the transformation of an existing rock type, the protolith, in a process called metamorphism, which means “change in form”. The protolith is subjected to heat and pressure, causing profound physical and/or chemical change.
Minerals
Natural chemical compounds that are the crystals that make up rocks.
Mountain
landform that stretches above the surrounding land in a limited area, with a peak. A mountain is generally steeper than a hill, but there is no universally accepted standard definition for the hight of a mountain or a hill.
River
A natural flow of water, usually freshwater, traveling toward an ocean, a lake, or another stream. In some axes, a river flows into the ground or fires up completely before reaching another body of water.
Deserts
Take up about one-third of the earth’s land surface. They usually have a large day and seasonal temperature range, with high daytime temperatures, and low nighttime temperatures.
Many deserts are formed by rain shadows; mountain blocking the path of precipitation to the desert.
Weathering
The decompositions of the earths rocks, soils, and minerals through direct contact with the planet’s atmosphere.
Erosion
carrying away or displacement of solids usually by the agents of currents such as wind, water, or ice or downward or down-slope movement in response to gravity.
The earth’s structure
inner to outer: inner core, outer ore, mantle, upper mantle, crust
Precipitation
condensed water vapor that falls to the earths surface. Most precipitation occurs as rain but also include snow, hail, fog drip, graupel, and sleet