WEEK 1 - Earth Science Intro Flashcards
Three Ways Geology Influences Art
- Materials - Natural mineral substances from the Earth used by artists (stone, clay, pigments, etc.)
- Aesthetics - Earth’s materials and physical features inspire artistic expression
- Unusual Environment Circumstances - Rare geologic events have influenced artists on a subconscious level
Geology
The science of understanding Earth, from Greek geo (Earth) and logos (discourse)
Two Areas of Geology
- Physical Geology - Studies Earth’s materials and the processes acting on and beneath its surface
- Historical Geology - Examines Earth’s origin and its development over time
Creation of the Universe Stories
- Hopi Creation Story – Taiowa (Creator) existed in endless space; Sotuknang created worlds with land, sea, and air.
- Chinese Creation Story – Universe was an egg; Pan Gu grew for 18,000 years, broke the egg, and formed sky & earth.
- Pan Gu Grows – Held sky and earth apart for 18,000 years until stable.
Pan Gu Dies – His body transformed into Earth’s features (mountains, rivers, winds, sun, moon, etc.).
- Shinto Creation Story – Chaos mass like an egg; heaven formed easily, earth formed later with difficulty.
- Judeo-Christian Creation – God created heavens, earth, sky, land, and seas in stages.
The Beginning of the Universe Beliefs - Before the “Big Bang”
Singularity – A point with infinite mass, density, and no volume
Before the Big Bang – Universe was a “tiny something” in “infinite nothingness.”
Most scientists agree the universe started with a singularity explosion (Big Bang)
The Big Bang
Big Bang Event – Explosion of singularity ~13-15 billion years ago.
Cooling & Expansion – Universe expanded and cooled over time.
Formation of Matter – Photons became fundamental particles (electrons, protons, neutrons).
Einstein’s Equation – E=mc² (energy = mass × speed of light²).
Evidence for Big Bang
Red Shift – Light from distant galaxies stretches, showing the universe is expanding.
Cosmic Background Radiation – 1978 discovery of extra energy across the universe.
Abundance of Light Elements – Hydrogen, helium, and oxygen match Big Bang predictions.
Why “Red Shift”? – As galaxies move away, their light waves stretch, shifting toward the red end of the spectrum (longer wavelengths).
Formation of First Elements
First Elements – Hydrogen formed first, followed by helium through hydrogen fusion
Lithium - Small amounts of lithium appeared later
Galaxies
Galaxy Formation – Galaxies formed where spaghetti-like strands of light gases intersected
Star Formation – Stars began forming inside these gas clouds, creating the first galaxies
Formation of Milky Way Galaxy
The Milky Way was one of the galaxies formed known as our HOME galaxy
Nebulae
What Are Nebulae? – Huge clouds of gas and dust where stars are born (“stellar nurseries”)
Nebulae in the Milky Way – “Knot-like” gas clouds scattered throughout our galaxy
Star Formation – Gravity pulls gas together inside nebulae, forming new stars
Still Happening Today – We can observe this process, like in the Orion Nebula (seen by Hubble Telescope)
Stars
What Are Stars? – Giant “pressure cookers” fusing light elements into heavier ones
Formation – Born in nebulae, where gravity pulls gas together until fusion starts
Element Production – Small stars fuse hydrogen into helium; massive stars create heavier elements
Supernovae – Exploding stars scatter both light (hydrogen, helium) and heavy elements into space
Supernovae
A powerful and luminous explosion of a star
Occurs during the last evolutionary stages of a massive star
Interstellar Dust Bunnies
Supernova Cycles – At least two supernovae exploded, releasing dust and gas into space
Nebula Formation – This scattered material gathered into a nebula (a giant gas and dust cloud)
Solar System Birth – Gravity pulled parts of the nebula together, forming the Sun, planets, and everything in our solar system
REFERS TO: leftover cosmic debris from dead stars that helps form new stars, planets, and solar systems over time!
Birth of Our Sun
The sun is a third-generation star
Formed after at least two cycles of star births and deaths (supernova)
SUN FORMATION: Gas and dust in a spinning nebula gathered at the center, heating up until the Sun ignited
Birth of Planetary Bodies
Leftover dust and gas around the newly developing Sun clumped together into larger solid bodies (planets)
Period of Heavy Bombardment
Early Earth – Violent impacts as solid bodies kept colliding and growing
Earth’s First Atmosphere – Jupiter-like, full of hydrogen & helium
Early Atmosphere Loss – Solar wind from the young Sun burned it away
Late Heavy Bombardment
Earth’s Age – ~4.5 billion years ago
Moon Formation – Mars-sized object hit Earth, flinging off debris
Earth’s Tilt – Caused by major impact
Continued Impacts – Large debris hit Earth until ~4 billion years ago
Common Collisions – Impacts up to 100 km wide
Cooling Begins – Earth started to cool after this chaotic period
New Atmosphere and Seas
Settling Begins – Earth stabilized around 4 billion years ago
Early Earth Atmosphere - Volcanic gases (CO₂, water vapor) made it Venus-like
Oceans Form – Water vapor cooled and condensed into the first oceans
Connections Between Myths and Science
Science vs Tradition - We often accept science at face value and overlook cultural traditions
Common Ground - Many creation stories share themes with scientific accounts of Earth’s origins
Creation Story vs Scientific Account
- Creation Story – Chaos ruled, or the universe was trapped in an “egg” or capsule
Science – The universe started as a singularity—a formless point of infinite mass.
- Creation Story – Energy (often seen as a spirit) shaped the physical world
Science – Energy transformed into matter, creating the universe
- Creation Story – The universe split into distinct realms, like sky and Earth
Science – After the Big Bang, energy and matter separated, forming elements and planets
- Creation Story – Land was created to separate the waters
Science – Continents formed, dividing the oceans
The Earth: OUR HOME
Earth’s Place – A tiny part of the universe, but it’s our home
Taken for Granted – We often overlook its importance
Goldilocks Planet – Earth has the perfect conditions for life
Geology’s Role – Helps us understand how Earth works and how we interact with it
Earth: The Goldilocks Planet
Unique Planet – Earth is the only known place with complex life
Why So Lucky? – The perfect distance from the Sun allows life to thrive, perfect conditions for life (not too cold or hot)
Comparison Needed – To understand this, we must compare Earth to other planets
Two Types of Planets
Jovian Planets – Large, gas giants with thick atmospheres, far from the Sun (Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune)
Terrestrial Planets – Small, rocky planets with thin atmospheres, close to the Sun (Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars)
The Nine Planets
Pluto = “Odd Man Out” – Doesn’t fit into Jovian or Terrestrial planet categories
Jovian Planets – Retain light gases like hydrogen & helium
Earth Among the Rocky Planets
More Like Venus & Mars – Earth is rocky, not a gas giant
Still Special – Only planet with complex life in our solar system
Fragile Balance – Venus & Mars don’t have life, showing Earth’s perfect conditions are rare
Why Erath’s Distance from the Sun Matters
If Earth moved to Venus or Mars’s orbit, life wouldn’t survive
Earth’s Perfect Spot – Just the right distance for liquid water, stable climate, and life
What If Earth Moved to Venus’s Orbit?
Too Close to the Sun – Extra heat would raise global temperatures
Runaway Greenhouse Effect – More water vapor traps heat, making it even hotter
No Life Possible – Plants wouldn’t survive, and carbon dioxide would build up
Harsh, Deadly Surface – Earth would become dry, boiling, and lifeless, like Venus
What If Earth Moved to Mars’s Orbit?
Colder Temperatures – Less solar energy = cooler oceans and expanding polar ice caps
Less Water Vapor – Less heat = less water in the atmosphere, making the planet drier
More Ice – Increased reflectivity would trap even less heat, possibly covering Earth in ice
The Earth System
A complex network of interacting components
The Four Domains / “Spheres” of Earth
- Geosphere - The solid Earth, including land, rocks, and Earth’s interior layers
- Atmosphere - The layer of gases surrounding Earth, separating it from space
- Hydrosphere - All water on Earth, including oceans, rivers, lakes, and groundwater
- Biosphere - The zone of life, including all living things and organic matter that has NOT yet decomposed
THEY ARE ALL A CONNECTED SYTEM AND WORK AS “ONE”
Why is Earth a Closed System?
Energy Exchange – Earth receives energy from the Sun but matter does not leave or enter
Why It Matters – Resources on Earth are limited and must be recycled within the system
Is Matter a Closed System?
NO
How Art and Spheres Comes into Play
Landscapes & Spheres – Paintings and photos often depict Earth’s four spheres (geosphere, atmosphere, hydrosphere, biosphere)
Example: Algonquin Lake – Shows land (geosphere), water (hydrosphere), sky (atmosphere), and trees/life (biosphere)
Isolated System
Isolated System – No exchange of energy or matter with surroundings
Example: A thermos keeps heat inside without losing or gaining energy
Earth? Not isolated—it receives energy from the Sun
Closed System
Closed System – Energy can enter and leave, but matter stays inside
Example: Earth is a closed system—it gets sunlight but doesn’t lose or gain matter
Open System
Open System – Both energy and matter can enter and leave freely
Example: A boiling pot—heat enters, steam (matter) escapes
Earth’s Systems? The ocean is an open system—water evaporates, comes back as rain
The “Hell Below”
Concept of Hell – Many cultures imagine a fiery underworld deep inside Earth
The Underworld Myth
Hollow Earth Theory – Many people once believed Earth was hollow, with hidden worlds inside
Example: Jules Verne – His book A Journey to the Centre of the Earth (1864) described subterranean tunnels and prehistoric creatures
The Scientific View of Earth’s Interior
Seismic waves and geological evidence show Earth is solid, not hollow
Structure of the Solid Earth
Layered Like a Gobstopper – Earth has layers (“shells”) with different properties
Classification – Layers can be sorted by chemical composition or physical properties
OVERALL Structure of the Earth
Crust – Thin, solid outer layer, made of lighter metals
Mantle – Thicker layer below the crust, made of silica, magnesium, and iron
Core – Mostly iron and nickel; divided into:
- Outer Core – Liquid
- Inner Core – Solid
Earth’s Three Physical Layers
- Lithosphere – Rigid, brittle layer (includes the crust + upper mantle)
- Asthenosphere – Partially molten, flows slowly over time
- Mesosphere – Solid but moves like fluid over long periods
How Earth’s Layers Formed and Melted
Layer Formation – Core, mantle, and crust formed early in Earth’s history when it was semi-molten
Heat Sources – Earth’s interior melted due to:
- Meteorite impacts
- Radioactive decay
- Heavy elements (iron & nickel) sinking to form the core
Importance of the Lithosphere
Tectonic Plates – The lithosphere is broken into moving plates
Plates Create Earth’s Features – Spreading, colliding, and sliding plates cause mountains, earthquakes, and volcanoes
What is Earth’s Crust (The Outer Layer)?
The outermost layer of Earth, part of the lithosphere
The crust is the part of the geosphere we reside on
Two Types of Crust
Oceanic Crust – Thinner, denser crust found under oceans
Continental Crust – Thicker, less dense crust found under continents
