Earth Science

Question 1

Astronomy

Answer 1

the study of the universe beyond Earth’s atmosphere

Question 2

Asteroids

Answer 2

minor planets sometimes called planetoids

Question 3

Comets

Answer 3

small bodies of gas and dust consisting of a nucleus of ice and dust, a coma of gas and dust, and the tail (also gas and dust) that is only visible when the comet approaches the sun

Question 4

Meteors

Answer 4

any matter that collides with the Earth

Question 5

Meterology

Answer 5

the study of Earth’s atmosphere and its changes and interaction with the ground

Question 6

Evaporation

Answer 6

Water on Earth is constantly turning to vapor in

a process called

Question 7

Condensation

Answer 7

When warm air becomes saturated, or full of moisture, the water forms droplets

Question 8

Geology

Answer 8

the study of the origin, structure, and composition

of the Earth

Question 9

Cenozoic Era

Answer 9

began about 65 million years ago.
Giant glaciers (slow-moving sheets of ice)
retreated from land masses allowing mammals
and flowering plants the opportunity to diversify.
We are still in the Cenozoic era today.

Question 10

Precambrian Era

Answer 10

oldest era; a time of massive volcanic

activity

Question 11

Paleozoic Era

Answer 11

570 million years ago; the emergence

of continents and mountains

Question 12

Mesozoic Era

Answer 12

225 million years ago; more volcanic eruptions; also known as “The Age of Reptiles”
(time of dinosaurs)

Question 13

Plate tectonics

Answer 13

the study of the movement

of large chunks or plates of the Earth’s crust.

Question 14

Igneous rocks

Answer 14

formed by the crystallization of magma,

or molten lava. An example is granite.

Question 15

Sedimentary rocks

Answer 15

formed by the accumulation of silt or other rock fragments. Limestone is an example.

Question 16

Metamorphic rocks

Answer 16

formed when pre-existing rock is subjected to chemical or physical alteration by high heat and pressure. An example is marble.

Question 17

Mantle convection

Answer 17

occurs because the density of a fluid is related to its temperature. Hot rocks lower in the mantle are less dense than their cooler counterparts above. The hot rock rises and the cooler rock sinks due to gravity. This process is the origin of crustal plate movement.

Question 18

Radioactive Dating

Answer 18

Measurement of the amount of radioactive material (usually carbon 14) that an object contains; can be used to estimate the age of the object based on a measure of radioactive decay / also called radiometric or carbon dating

Question 19

Mineral content

Answer 19

The mineral formations contained in a rock; examination of mineral content does not make it possible to accurately determine the age of a rock since minerals can sit for long periods with little change after formation

Question 20

Law of Superposition

Answer 20

Layers of rock are arranged in a time sequence, with the oldest on the bottom and the youngest on the top; later processes can disturb the arrangement thus making it difficult to determine age of a single rock sample

Question 21

Crystal analysis

Answer 21

Determines the arrangements of atoms in solids; crystal formation, like mineral content, does not help accurately determine the age of a rock since crystals can sit for long periods with little change after formation

Question 22

Oceanic ridge

Answer 22

an underwater mountain range, formed when convection
currents rise in the mantle beneath the oceanic crust
and create magma where two plates meet at a
divergent boundary.

Question 23

Oceanic trench

Answer 23

a hemispheric-scale long but narrow topographic depression of the sea floor caused by plates moving together along convergent boundaries

Question 24

Mohs Hardness Scale

Answer 24

The Mohs scale was devised by Friedrich Mohs in 1812 and has been a valuable aid to identifying minerals ever since. Here are the ten standard minerals in the Mohs scale: 1. Talc 2. Gypsium 3. Calcite 4. Fluorite 5. Apatite 6. Feldspar 7. Quartz 8. Topaz 9. Corundum 10. Diamond

Question 25

Exosphere

Answer 25

upper limit of our atmosphere

Question 26

Thermosphere

Answer 26

very thin. It’s where the space shuttle orbits.

Question 27

Mesosphere

Answer 27

Rock fragments from space burn up

Question 28

Stratosphere

Answer 28

Many airplanes fly in the Stratosphere because it is very stable. Also, the ozone layer is there. Temperature increase

Question 29

Troposphere

Answer 29

closest to the Earth where weather occurs.

Question 30

Cumulus clouds

Answer 30

puffy white or light gray clouds that look like floating cotton balls. Cumulus clouds have sharp outlines and a flat base.

Question 31

Cumulonimbus clouds

Answer 31

generally known as thunderstorm clouds. They form when warm, moist air rises quickly in the atmosphere.

Question 32

Stratus clouds

Answer 32

uniform gray in color and almost cover the entire sky. Light mist or drizzle is sometimes associated with them.

Question 33

Stratocumulus clouds

Answer 33

low, lumpy, gray, and but bring little or no precipitation.

Question 34

Nimbostratus clouds

Answer 34

dark gray with a ragged base and are associated with continuous light rain or snow.

Question 35

Altostratus clouds

Answer 35

cover the whole sky and have a gray or blue-gray appearance. They usually form ahead of storms. Sometimes rain will fall from altostratus clouds.

Question 36

Altocumulus clouds

Answer 36

grayish-white with one part of the cloud darker than the other. They usually form in groups. If you see Altocumulus clouds on a warm humid morning, then expect thunderstorms by late afternoon.

Question 37

Cirrus clouds

Answer 37

composed entirely of ice and consist of long, thin, wispy streamers. They are white and predict fair weather.

Question 38

Cirrostratus clouds

Answer 38

thin clouds that usually cover the entire sky. They often come 12-24 hours before a rain or snow storm.

Question 39

Cirrocumulus clouds

Answer 39

small rounded puffs that appear in long rows. They are usually white, but can appear gray and are usually seen in the winter time and indicate fair, but cold weather.