Earth Science Flashcards
Conduction
The transfer of heat through matter, such that areas of greater heat move to areas of less heat
Earth returns heat to the atmosphere through conduction
Radiation
Heat transfer via electromagnetic waves
Units of geological time
Shortest Epochs Periods Eras Longest
Groundwater
The source of Americas drinking water
The Doppler Effect
Why pitches change (like sirens moving away)
-the change in frequency for its observer moving relative to the source.
Aurora Borealis
A phenomenon caused by particles escaping from the sun. Includes a mixture of gases, electrons, and protons, and are sent out at a force that scientists call solar wind.
Spring Tides
Especially strong tides that occur when the earth, sun, and moon are in line (a new moon)
-allow the sun and moon to exert gravitational force on the earth and increase tidal bulge height
Neap Tides
Occur during quarter moons, especially weak tides
Star Magnitude
The star’s brightness
Reflecting Telescope
Common in laboratory settings. Images are produced via the reflection of waves off of s concave mirror
Refracting Telescope
Use lenses to bend light to focus the images
AU
Astronomical Unit
The average distance between the earth and sun
Accretion
Clumping together of small particles into large masses into the same planets of our solar system
Sun spot
A region on the suns surface that has a lower temp than its surroundings
Umbra
The central region of the shadow created during a solar eclipse
Precession
Change in axial direction of the earth
Comets
Small icy bodies that orbit the sun and produce a glowing tail of gas
Asteroids
Small rocky worlds that orbit the sun
Meteoroids
A meteor in space. Are often asteroid fragments but do not have a specific orbit. Can become meteors or meteorites.
Supernova
The thin cloud of gas and dust from which the sun and planets are formed
Hertzsprung-Russell Diagram
Shows the relationship between a stars color, temp and mass
Hot blue stars top left
Cool red stars bottom right
Supergiant stars
Massive and luminous 10 to 10000 times brighter than the sun
Dwarf Stars
Dying stars that have collapsed in size. Extremely dense.
Condensation Theory
Theory of star development that go through a specific sequence of stages of development.
