Earth and Space Flashcards
What is the coriolis effect?
It explains the movement of air masses and water on Earth and creates currents. It is created by the east to west rotation of Earth.
What is air moisture?
It is water vapor cooling that forms dew and rain
Explain the tilt of the Earth
The tilt causes seasons
Plate tectonics
Theory that explains the movement of plates below the Earth’s surface. It can cause earthquakes, mountains, volcanoes and trenches
Igneous rock
Formed from cooled magma below the surface, granite is an example
Role of air patterns
Air patterns are developed with Earth’s rotation and Sun’s heating which creates winds
Explain geysers
Natural springs of hot water that breaks the surface
Sedimentary rock
Rock of sediment cemented together by the pressure of layers of Earth over millions of years
Metamorphic rock
Formed by heat and pressure below the surface.
How do clouds form?
When water vapor cool in the atmosphere, condenses and clings to particles called aerosols, these come together and form clouds
What is a weather front?
Boundary of two masses of different air temperatures.
Warm fronts
They produce warm conditions
Cold fronts
Can produce thunderstorms
Cloud types
Cirrus: Feathery, can produce rain or snow. high in the atmosphere
Cumulonimbus; Vertical, Can produce thunderstorms
Cumulus: Puffy, calmer weather
Stratus: Low and gray. Light rain
Planets in order
Mercury Venus Earth Mars Jupiter Saturn Uranus Neptune
What are asteroids?
Large rocks that orbit the Sun, made of rock and metal, there is an asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter
What are moons?
Natural satellite.
Earth Moon
It’s cycle is 27.3 days long, only one side is visible, it has 1/5 of the Earth’s gravity
How many days for the Earth to revolve around the Sun?
365 1/4 days
How long for Earth to rotate on its axis?
24h
How does the Sun produce energy?
Through nuclear fusion. Heat and pressure help hydrogen fuse and combine
Explain the lunar cycle
New Moon: Completely dark Waxing Crescent: Crescent of sunlight First Quarter: Right half illuminated Waxing Gibbous: More than half illuminated Full Moon: Completely illuminated Waning Gibbous: Small shadow Last Quarter: Opposite of first quarter Waning Crescent: Crescent on left side
What is a mineral?
Naturally occurring, inorganic solids with a definite chemical composition and a crystal structure
What is geology?
Study of planet Earth
What is intrusive?
Magma that solidifies at a depth, cools slowly and has coarse grain. Granite
What is extrusive?
Magma that solidifies at or near the surface and cools quickly. Basalt
Layers of the Earth
Crust: Cool, solid rock floating on a denser rock beneath
Mantle: Hot playdoh that moves slowly
Outer core: Super hot liquid rock
Inner core: Solid chunk of nickel and iron
What are contour lines?
Lines that help show elevations above the surface of the Earth and ocean floor
How is a mountain formed?
By folding, faulting, volcanic activity or erosion.
What is folding?
Layers of sedimentary rock are pressed together by plate movements. The Alps and Himalayas
What is faulting?
Created when tectonic plate movement produces tension that results in displacement.
Continental crust
Silicon, oxygen and aluminum
Oceanic crust
Silicon, oxygen and magnesium
Divergent boundary
Plates spreading apart and forming new crust
Convergent boundary
One plate gets under another
Transform plate boundary
Plates slide sideways past each other
Volcanic activity and divergent boundary
Plates spread apart and form a ridge
Volcanic activity and convergent boundary
Subduction process creates magma and when it rises to the surface, volcanoes can be formed
Types of volcanoes
Shield: Created by long term, gentle eruption
Cinder cone: Created by explosive eruptions
Composite: Combination of shield and cinder cone