Brainscape's Knowledge GenomeTM

Browse over 1 million classes created by top students, professors, publishers, and experts.


See full index

Entrance Exam Review > Earth Science > Flashcards

Earth Science Flashcards

1
Q

consisting of the crust and the solid outermost layer of the upper mantle.

A

Lithosphere

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

The term lithosphere is derived from the Greek words

A

“lithos,” meaning stone, and “sphaira,” meaning globe or ball

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

The lithosphere can be divided into two varieties:

A

oceanic and continental.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

This crust is relatively thin and dense.

A

Oceanic crust

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

The Oceanic Crust is mainly made out of

A

Basalt rock rich in silica and magnesium

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

Earth’s lithosphere is divided into?

A

Tectonic Plates

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

float on the semi-fluid asthenosphere beneath

A

Tectonic Plates

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

acts as a lubricant for the slabs of lithospheric plates, allowing them to slide along, bump into and rub past each other — resulting in geological events such as volcanic eruptions and earthquakes.

A

Asthenosphere

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

is the theory that Earth’s land masses are in constant motion

A

Plate tectonics

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

Who proposed the continental drift theory

A

Alfred Wegener

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

from ancient Greek, meaning “all lands” or “all the Earth”).

A

Pangea

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

Earth’s crust is broken into roughly 20 sections called tectonic plates on which the continents ride.

A

Plate Tectonic Theory

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

explains the stripes of rock on the seafloor with alternating magnetic properties:

A

Plate Tectonic Theory

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

occurs when two tectonic plates move away from each other.

A

Divergent Boundary

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

Example of a Divergent Boundary

A

Mid-Atlantic Ridge

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

When two plates come together, it is known as a/an

A

Convergent Boundary

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
17
Q

Two plates sliding past each other forms

A

Transform Plate Boundary

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
18
Q

crust is cracked and broken at these margins, but is not created or destroyed.

A

Transform Plate Boundary

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
19
Q

Molten rock beneath Earth’s surface.

A

Magma

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
20
Q

A small cone-shaped volcano formed by an accumulation of volcanic debris.

A

Parasitic Cone

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
21
Q

A flat piece of rock formed when magma hardens in a crack in a volcano.

A

Sill

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
22
Q

An opening in Earth’s surface through which volcanic materials escape.

A

Vent

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
23
Q

The side of a volcano.

A

Flank

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
24
Q

Molten rock that erupts from a volcano that solidifies as it cools.

A

Lava

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
25
Q

Mouth of a volcano - surrounds a volcanic vent.

A

Crater

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
26
Q

An underground passage magma travels through.

A

Conduit

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
27
Q

Highest point; apex of a volcano

A

Summit

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
28
Q

Entrance of a volcano. The part of the conduit that ejects lava and volcanic ash.

A

Throat

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
29
Q

Are the simplest and most common type of volcano. They form as a single eruption vent expels volcanic debris, including ash, cinders, and volcanic rocks. The accumulation of debris forms the cone shape.

A

Cinder Cones

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
30
Q

Smallest type, steep sides built from loose volcanic debris from single eruption vent.

A

Cinder Cone

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
31
Q

have the classic “volcano” shape. They are tall, symmetrical cones.

A

Composite Volcanoes

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
32
Q

Large, symmetrical, steep-sided mountains formed by layers of lava, ash, and volcanic rocks.

A

Composite Volcanoes (Stratovolcanoes)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
33
Q

Large, broad, gentle slopes formed by fluid basaltic lava flows.

A

Shield Volcanoes

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
34
Q

form by the slow oozing of highly viscous lava. They are smaller formations, with steep sides, and often form within the craters of larger volcanoes.

A

Lava domes

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
35
Q

Formed by bulging of the volcanic edifice rather than eruptions.

A

Cryptodomes

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
36
Q

Extremely large volcanic systems.

A

Supervolcanoes

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
37
Q

Volcanoes located beneath the ocean

A

Submarine Volcanoes

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
38
Q

Volcanoes Found under ice caps.

A

Subglacial Volcanoes

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
39
Q

Volcanoes that Eject mud, water, and gases.

A

Mud Volcano

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
40
Q

Erupt volatile materials like water or ammonia.

A

Cryovolcano

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
41
Q

is erupting or has a history of recent activity. Earthquake swarms, ground inflation, and carbon dioxide/sulfur dioxide release are indications of activity.

A

Active Volcano

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
42
Q

shows no signs of recent activity, but has potential for erupting in the future.

A

Dormant

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
43
Q

A volcano that no longer has a magma suppl

A

Extinct

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
44
Q

Involves the eruption of magma, mainly from decompression of gases.

A

Magmatic Eruptions

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
45
Q

Fluid lava flows, effusive.

A

Hawaiian Eruption

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
46
Q

Mildly explosive, lava fountains and gas bursts.

A

Strombolian Eruption

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
47
Q

Explosive eruptions producing ash and volcanic bombs.

A

Vulcanian Eruption

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
48
Q

Eruption with pyroclastic flows.

A

Peléan Eruption

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
49
Q

Extremely explosive, large amounts of ash and gas.

A

Plinian Eruption

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
50
Q

Interaction of magma with water, explosive.

A

Phreatomagmatic Eruption

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
51
Q

Steam-driven eruptions or rock without magma.

A

Phreatic Eruption

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
52
Q

is a naturally occurring substance with distinctive chemical and physical properties, composition and atomic structure.

A

Mineral

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
53
Q

are generally made up of two of more minerals, mixed up through geological processes.

A

Rocks

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
54
Q

This rock type mainly comprises coal and limestones, which are formed due to the accumulation and deposition of dead plants and animals in rock layers.

A

Organic Sedimentary Rocks

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
55
Q

This type of rock is formed when rock layers are formed due to the mechanical weathering of different rock types.
Clastic Sedimentary Rocks

A
56
Q

This type of rock is created when minerals that are present in rock forms undergo a chemical reaction that causes them to cool as precipitates over time before changing back to rock form.

A

Chemical Sedimentary Rocks

57
Q

Sedimentary rocks are the product of

A

1) weathering of preexisting rocks, 2) transport of the weathering products, 3) deposition of the material, followed by 4) compaction, and 5) cementation of the sediment to form a rock. The latter two steps are called lithification.

58
Q

are rocks that crystallize below the earth’s surface, resulting in large crystals as the cooling takes place slowly

A

Intrusive Igneous Rock

59
Q

are rocks that erupt onto the surface, resulting in small crystals as the cooling takes place quickly.

A

Extrusive Igneous Rock

60
Q

are formed when rock changes over a period of time due to a lot of physical changes like pressure, heat and different chemical activity.

A

Metamorphic

61
Q

When rocks come in contact with hot intruding magma and lava, the rock recrystallize under high temperatures.

A

Contact metamorphism

62
Q

Recrystallization of rocks takes place because of deformation created by tectonic shearing together with high temperature or pressure or both.

A

Regional metamorphism

63
Q

On these rocks, one can witness the arrangement of certain mineral grains appearing like parallel stripes.

A

Foliated Metamorphic Rocks

64
Q

occurs when pressure forces compress minerals within a rock to align in an elongate or flat way. These rocks form a sheet-like structure which reflects pressure applied direction.

A

Foliation

65
Q

These types of rocks are formed of minerals that are not flat or elongated. Here, the grains will not be aligned when pressure is applied. Layered or banded appearances are not see

A

Non-Foliated Metamorphic Rocks

66
Q

occurs along with the tectonic plate faults where the rocks get rubbed with each other which results in the grain size reduction.

A

Cataclastic metamorphism

67
Q

are a special kind of igneous rock characterized by large— occasionally enormous—interlocking crystals. They form where abundant water and certain chemical elements are present in a crystal.

A

Pegmatites

68
Q

form when water, heated by magma, circulates through cracks in rock. The water transports dissolved minerals, which crystallize into minerals in the cracks and small cavities as the water cools.

A

Hydrothermal minerals

69
Q

are the remains or traces of ancient life that have been preserved by natural processes, from spectacular skeletons to tiny seashells.

A

Fossils

70
Q

A fossilized impression made in the substrate; a negative image of the organism

A

Mold fossils

71
Q

Formed when a mold is filled in.

A

Cast fossils

72
Q

Fossilized nests, gastroliths, burrows, footprints, etc.

A

Ichnofossils

73
Q

Fossils of the actual animal or animal part.

A

True form fossils

74
Q

Like insects or plant parts trapped in amber, a hardened form of tree sap

A

Unaltered preservation

75
Q

In which rock-like minerals seep in slowly and replace the original organic tissues with silica, calcite or pyrite, forming a rock-like fossil

A

Permineralization or petrification

76
Q

An organism’s hard parts dissolve and are replaced by other minerals.

A

Replacement

77
Q

In which only the carbon remains in the specimen.

A

Carbonization, coalification

78
Q

Hard parts either revert to more stable minerals or small crystals turn into larger crystals.

A

RecrystallizationMolds and casts of organisms that have been destroyed or dissolved.

79
Q

Molds and casts of organisms that have been destroyed or dissolved.

A

Authigenic preservation

80
Q

Earth’s atmosphere is composed of abou

A

78 percent nitrogen, 21 percent oxygen, 0.9 percent argon, and 0.1 percent other gases.

81
Q

A change in temperature with distance is called a

A

temperature gradient.

82
Q

What are the layers of the atmosphere

A

TROPOSPHERE, STRATOSPHERE, MESOSPHERE, THERMOSPHERE

83
Q

Altitude and pressure in the atmosphere are

A

indirectly proportional with one another

84
Q

lies above the troposphere and extends up to a height of 50 km

A

Stratosphere

85
Q

This layer is free of clouds and devoid of any weather-related phenomenon.

A

Stratosphere

86
Q

also houses the ozone layer that protects us from the harmful effect of the sun’s rays.

A

Stratosphere

87
Q

The aurora, the Northern Lights and Southern Lights, occur in the Earth’s _______

A

Ionosphere

88
Q

is the final frontier of the Earth’s gaseous envelope. There is no clear-cut distinction between the Earth’s atmosphere layers and outer space.

A

Exosphere

89
Q

refers to the temporary conditions of the atmosphere, the layer of air that surrounds the Earth.

A

weather

90
Q

six main components, or parts, of weather

A

temperature, atmospheric pressure, wind, humidity, precipitation, and cloudiness

91
Q

scientists who study weathe

A

meteorologists

92
Q

Is the weight of the atmosphere overhead.

A

Atmospheric Pressure

93
Q

usually brings cool temperatures and clear skies

A

high-pressure system

94
Q

can bring warmer weather, storms, and rain.

A

low-pressure system

95
Q

Meteorologists express atmospheric pressure in a unit of measurement called

A

atmosphere

96
Q

refers to air that rotates in a circle, like a wheel

A

cyclone

97
Q

Is the movement of air.

A

Wind

98
Q

forms because of differences in temperature and atmospheric pressure between nearby regions.

A

Wind

99
Q

Winds tend to blow from areas of

A

of high pressure, where it’s colder, to areas of low pressure, where it’s warmer.

100
Q

refers to the amount of water vapor in the air.

A

Humidity

101
Q

Percentage of water that cover’s earth’s surface

A

71%

102
Q

percentage of oceans

A

97%

103
Q

Percentage of accessible fresh water

A

1%

104
Q

Percentage of water from ice caps and glaciers

A

70%

105
Q

percentage of groundwater

A

29%

106
Q

Solid ice and snow can turn directly into gas

A

Sublimation

107
Q

The best-supported theory of our universe’s origin centers on an event known as

A

the big bang

108
Q

are giant balls of hot gas – mostly hydrogen, with some helium and small amounts of other elements

A

stars

109
Q

has about the same mass as our Sun and is fusing hydrogen into helium at its core.

A

Solar-type Stars

110
Q

The brightest Solar-type star in the sky is

A

Alpha Centauri

111
Q

Stars which are much more massive than our Sun burn hotter but for much less time, living and dying within a few million years.

A

Hot Blue Stars

112
Q

Stars which are much less massive than our Sun burn cooler, and live longer – potentially for hundreds of billions of years.

A

Red Dwarf Stars

113
Q

When a star runs out of hydrogen fuel in its core, it has to adjust and find alternate ways to power itself. One of the ways it does this is to start burning hydrogen outside the core, and this makes the star swell up.

A

Red Giant Stars

114
Q

Since these stars are so small and emit a lot of their light in the ultraviolet part of the spectrum they can be very hard to see in our skies.

A

White Dwarfs

115
Q

consist of stars, planets, and vast clouds of gas and dust, all bound together by gravity.

A

Galaxies

116
Q

These galaxies resemble giant rotating pinwheels with a pancake-like disk of stars and a central bulge or tight concentration of stars.

A

Spiral Galaxies

117
Q

have shapes that range from completely round to oval. They are less common than spiral galaxies.

A

Elliptical Galaxies

118
Q

a kind of cross between spirals and ellipticals. They have the central bulge and disk common to spiral galaxies but no arms.

A

Lenticular Galaxies

119
Q

have unusual shapes, like toothpicks, rings, or even little groupings of stars. They range from dwarf irregular galaxies with 100 million times the Sun’s mass to large ones weighing 10 billion solar masses.

A

Irregular Galaxies

120
Q

are the most common active galaxies and also exhibit the lowest energies.

A

Seyfert Galaxies

121
Q

are the most luminous type of active galaxy. They emit light across the electromagnetic spectrum, produce powerful particle jets, and can radiate thousands of times the energy emitted by a galaxy like the Milky Way

A

Quasars

122
Q

produce light across the electromagnetic spectrum

A

Blazars

123
Q

refers to an object’s spinning motion about its own axis

A

Rotation

124
Q

refers the object’s orbital motion around another object

A

Revolution

125
Q

The Earth rotates on its axis relative to the Sun every ________ mean solar time

A

24.0 hour

126
Q

The Earth rotates on its axis with an inclination of?

A

23.45 degrees

127
Q

What’s the shape of Earth’s orbit?

A

Eliptical

128
Q

is the point of the Earth’s orbit that is farthest away from the Sun. It always happens in early July, about two weeks after the June solstice,

A

Aphelion

129
Q

is the point of the Earth’s orbit that is nearest to the Sun. This always happens in early January, about two weeks after the December Solstice.

A

Perihelion

130
Q

is an event in which a planet’s poles are most extremely inclined toward or away from the star it orbits.

A

solstice

131
Q

is an event in which a planet’s subsolar point passes through its Equator. It is the only time when both the Northern and Southern Hemispheres experience roughly equal amounts of daytime and nighttime.

A

equinox

132
Q

Earth revolves in orbit around the Sun in

A

365 days, 6 hours, 9 minutes

133
Q

is a rocking, swaying, or nodding motion in the axis of rotation of a largely axially symmetric object

A

nutation

134
Q

is a rocky object that orbits the Sun.

A

asteroid

135
Q

are small icy dirtballs that orbit the Sun;

A

Comets

136
Q

is a space rock that enters Earth’s atmosphere,

A

meteor

136
Q

If a meteoroid survives its trip through Earth’s atmosphere and lands on the Earth’s surface, it is called a

A

meteorite

Entrance Exam Review (2 decks)

Brainscape helps you reach your goals faster, through stronger study habits.
© 2024 Bold Learning Solutions. Terms and Conditions