Science - Earth And Space Flashcards
a hot glowing ball of hydrogen and helium
Sun
star that provides energy to sustain life on Earth
Sun
Sun age
4.5 billon years old
center of the solar system
Sun
The 4 Activities of the Sun
Solar Wind
Prominences
Solar Flares
Sunspots
Elements of Sun and Its Percentage
92% Hydrogen and 8% Helium
stream of high-energy particles sent into space
Solar wind
causes the light displays auroras (Activity of the Sun)
Solar wind
aurora seen from the Northern Hemisphere
aurora borealis
aurora seen from the Southern Hemisphere
aurora australis
storms in the Sun that look like huge arches; may last several days (Activity of the Sun)
Prominences
more intense than prominences; only last about 15 mins (Activity of the Sun)
Solar flares
cool black storm areas of the Sun (Activity of the Sun)
Sunspots
the layer of the sun that is upper most part of the atmosphere, millions of miles thick
Corona
an orange red layer of atmosphere; thousands of miles thick (Layer of the Sun)
Chromosphere
the lower atmosphere and what we see (Layer of the Sun)
Photosphere
the layer of the Sun where nuclear fusion occurs
Core
Layers of the Sun (outermost to innermost)
Corona
Chromosphere
Photosphere
Convection Zone
Radiation Zone
Core
smallest and closest planet to the sun, has no atmosphere
Mercury
has a core of molten iron, hottest planet in the solar system, rotates slowest among the planets
Venus
the only planet in the universe known to harbor life
Earth
the Red Planet, covered with iron-rich dust
Mars
biggest planet, has the Great Red Spot
Jupiter
planet that has prominent rings
Saturn
ice giant, orbits on its side unlike other planets
Uranus
the windiest planet
Neptune
the galaxy that includes our solar system
Milky Way
“dirty snowballs”; with tails of dust and gases, forced from the head by solar radiation; tail always points away from the sun
Comets
a meteoroid as it burns up in the atmosphere; “shooting star”
Meteor
a meteoroid that does not completely burn up
Meteorite
Earth’s only natural satellite
Moon
collapsed stars that resulted to huge gravitational forces where even light cannot escape
Black Holes
massive, remote celestial objects emitting remarkably large amounts of energy
Quasars
intermittent radio signals emitted by dying stars
Radio Pulsars
“dying stars”
neutron stars
it is found between Mars and Jupiter
Asteroid Belt
TRUE OR FALSE. The moon generates life itself.
FALSE
TRUE OR FALSE. The moon is lit up by the Sun.
TRUE
Why does the portion of the illuminated moon that we see changes? (Phases of the Moon)
Moon orbits the Earth
PHASES OF THE MOON. The moon is between the Earth and the sunlight. (360°)
New Moon
PHASES OF THE MOON. The moon is 45° below the Earth and the sunlight.
Waning Crescent
PHASES OF THE MOON. The moon is 90° below the Earth and the sunlight.
Last Quarter
PHASES OF THE MOON. The moon is 135° below the Earth and the sunlight.
Waning Gibbous
PHASES OF THE MOON. The moon is behind the Earth and the sunlight. (180°)
Full Moon
PHASES OF THE MOON. The moon is 225° above the Earth and the sunlight.
Waxing Gibbous
PHASES OF THE MOON. The moon is 270° above the Earth and the sunlight.
First Quarter
PHASES OF THE MOON. The moon is 315° above the Earth and the sunlight.
Waxing Crescent
The regular rise and fall of sea levels
Tides
The gravitational pull of the Sun and Moon causes the _______
tides
strongest tides
Spring tides
the kind of tide when the sun, Earth, and moon are on a straight line
Spring tides
the kind of tide when the sun’s and the moon’s gravities add up
Spring tides
weakest tides
Neap tides
the kind of tide when the sun, Earth, and moon form a right angle
Neap tides
the kind of tide when the sun’s and the moon’s gravities cancel out one another
Neap tides
North Star
Polaris
tip of Little Dipper’s “handle”
Polaris
brightest star in the night sky
Sirius
“Dog Star”
Sirius
closest star to Earth but is too small to be seen in the night sky
Proxima Centauri
closest star to Earth that is visible in the night sky
Alpha Centauri
Big Bear; contains the Big Dipper
Ursa Major
Little Bear; contains the Little Dipper
Ursa Minor
Big Dog; contains Sirius
Canis Major
“Little Dog”
Canis Minor
“The Hunter”
Orion
“The Winged Horse”
Pegasus
Layer of the Earth - from the crust down to the rigid upper mantle
Lithosphere
Layer of the Earth - the plastic-like upper mantle where rock can easily move
Asthenosphere
Layers of the Earth (outermost to innermost)
Lithosphere - Crust; Mantle
Asthenosphere
Mantle
Outer Core
Inner Core
Solid or Liquid? Outer Core.
Solid
Solid or Liquid? Inner Core.
Liquid
lowest layer of the atmosphere, where nearly all weather occurs and clouds appear
Troposphere
the layer of the atmosphere where ozone layer is located
Stratosphere
layer of the atmosphere where most meteors burn up
Mesosphere
the layer of the atmosphere where high-energy X-rays and UV radiation from the Sun are absorbed
Thermosphere
series of regions in parts of the mesosphere and thermosphere (layer of the atmosphere)
Ionosphere
the “final frontier” of Earth’s gaseous envelope (layer of the atmosphere)
Exosphere
weather instrument - air pressure
Barometer
weather instrument - wind speed
Anemometer
weather instrument - humidity
Hygrometer
weather instrument - wind direction
Wind Vane
weather instrument - amount of rainfall
Rain Gauge
kind of storm - clouds become electrically charged, producing lightning and thunder
Thunderstorms
kind of storm - up to 63 km/hr winds
Tropical depression
kind of storm - 63-117 km/hr winds
Tropical storm
kind of storm - Pacific Ocean origin (120-350 km/hr winds
Typhoons
kind of storm - Atlantic Ocean origin (120-350 km/hr winds)
Hurricane
kind of storm - Indian Ocean origin (120-350 km/hr winds)
Cyclone
kind of storm - small but about 500 km/hr
Tornadoes
Water Cycle - the movement of water through the soil itself
Percolation
Water Cycle - the process that changes liquid water to gaseous water (water vapor)
Evaporation
Water Cycle - water vapor turning back into liquid water
Condensation
Water Cycle - all liquid and solid water particles that fall from clouds and reach the ground
Precipitation
Water Cycle - water vapor being released from plants and soil
Transpiration
An essential biogeochemical cycle to maintain the concentration and level of oxygen in the atmosphere.
Oxygen Cycle
Oxygen is used up in four processes which are…
Respiration
Decomposing
Rusting
Combustion
Oxygen Cycle - process that releases energy in the presence of oxygen
Respiration
Oxygen Cycle - When plants and animals die, they decay. This process uses up oxygen and releases carbon dioxide into the air.
Decomposing
Oxygen Cycle - Also called oxidation, this process causes metals to rust. A process which uses up oxygen.
Rusting
Oxygen Cycle - The process by which fire is generated also requires oxygen, along with heat and fuel. This process also used up oxygen and releases carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.
Combustion
TRUE OR FALSE. One Oxygen Cycle: Organic Molecule (C6H12O6) > Respiration > Carbon Dioxide (CO2) > Photosynthesis
TRUE
TRUE OR FALSE. One Oxygen Cycle: Carbon Dioxide (CO2) > Respiration > Organic Molecule (C6H12O6) > Photosynthesis
FALSE
TRUE OR FALSE. One Oxygen Cycle: Atmospheric Oxygen (O2) > Respiration > Water (H2O) > Photosynthesis
TRUE
TRUE OR FALSE. One Oxygen Cycle: Water (H2O) > Photosynthesis > Atmospheric Oxygen (O2) > Respiration
TRUE
TRUE OR FALSE. One Oxygen Cycle: Water (H2O) > Respiration > Atmospheric Oxygen (O2) > Photosynthesis
FALSE
TRUE OR FALSE. One Oxygen Cycle: Carbon Dioxide (CO2) > Photosynthesis > Organic Molecule (C6H12O6) > Respiration
TRUE
The six main processes in the carbon cycle
Photosynthesis
Respiration
Exchange
Sedimentation
Extraction
Combustion
It is the basis of all life on Earth
Carbon
We are made of it, we consume it, and our economies, hones, and modes of transport are built of it
Carbon
Without it, the Earth will be frozen
Carbon Cycle
This is how carbon transfers between different ‘carbon reservoirs’ (or carbon sinks) located on Earth.
Carbon Cycle
It is vital for maintaining a stable climate and carbon balance on our planet.
Carbon Cycle
It was developed by Alfred Wegener in 1912; the theory of the movement of the continents relative to each other
Continental Drift Theory
Who developed the Continental Drift Theory?
Alfred Wegener
When was the Continental Drift Theory developed?
1912
The Four Evidences on Continental Drift Theory
Fossils in Africa and South America
Positions of mountain ranges
Glacial striations
Tillites
these are scratches in rock caused by movement of glaciers (evidence on Continental Drift Theory)
Glacial striations
glacial sediments buried in rock (evidence on Continental Drift Theory)
Tillites
It is the theory that ___________________ move; explains continental drift
Theory of Plate Tectonics
The “supercontinent” that existed during the Paleozoic and Mesozoic eras
Pangea
During the Mesozoic era, the “supercontinent” broke up into ______________ in the north and ______________________ in the south
Laurasia ; Gondwanaland
During the Mesozoic Era, it started breaking up into Africa, Australia, Antarctica, and South America
Laurasia
The three types of Plate Boundaries
Convergent
Transform
Divergent
What plate boundary looks like this? ➡️⬅️
Convergent Plate Boundary
What plate boundary looks like this? ⬅️➡️
Divergent Plate Boundary
What plate boundary looks like this? ⬆️⬇️
Transform Plate Boundary
plates slide side-by-side against one another, causing earthquakes (plate boundary)
Transform Plate Boundary
plates move away from each another, forming mid-ocean ridges, creating young crust on the ocean floor (plate boundary)
Divergent Plate Boundary
plates move toward each other (plate boundary)
Convergent Plate Boundary
What types of convergent plates?
one of the plates is subducted into the mantle, magma rises, forming volcanoes; also creates trenches
Oceanic-Oceanic
What types of convergent plates?
the oceanic plate is subducted into the mantle, magma rises, forming mountain ranges usually containing volcanoes
Oceanic-Continental
What types of convergent plates?
neither plate is subducted; the plates are forced to one another, forming tall mountains
Continental-Continental
the “size” or the energy released by an earthquake
Magnitude
measured using the Richter scale (1 to 10, wherein 2 is ten times stronger than magnitude 1, and so on)
Magnitude
measured using Moment _________ scale (now more commonly used because of higher precision)
Magnitude
amount of damage dealt by an earthquake
Intensity
measured using the Mercalli scale (1 to 12)
Intensity
an earthquake’s point of origin
Focus
the point on the earth’s surface directly above the focus
Epicenter
Three types of Rocks
Igneous
Metamorphic
Sedimenrary
Type of Rock - from lava
Igneous Rocks
Type of Rock - from other rocks that were changed due to intense heat and pressure
Metamorphic Rocks
Type of Rock - e.g. granite, basalt, magma
Igneous Rocks
Type of Rock - e.g. marble, slate
Metamorphic Rocks
Type of Rock - from sediments which were eroded to lower places
Sedimentary Rocks
Type of Rock - forms fossils
Sedimentary Rocks
Type of Rock - e.g. sandstone, shale, calcite
Sedimentary Rocks
