Midterms Flashcards
(48 cards)
What are the 4 branches of Science
Geology, Meteorology, Astronomy, Oceanography
What is the scientific method
the process of objectively establishing facts through testing and experimentation. The basic process involves making an observation, forming a hypothesis, making a prediction, conducting an experiment and finally analyzing the results.
Layers of the Earth
the inner core, the outer core, the mantle and the crust.
Compositional layer of earth
Core, mantle, and crust
Structural layers of the earth
lithosphere, asthenosphere, mantle outer core, and inner core
what are the 4 spheres of earth
lithosphere” (land), “hydrosphere” (water), “biosphere” (living things), and “atmosphere” (air)
what is ecology
the branch of biology that deals with the relations of organisms to one another and to their physical surroundings.
what is a topographic map
use of elevation contour lines to show the shape of the Earth’s surface.
what is the structure of an Atom
Atoms consist of an extremely small, positively charged nucleus surrounded by a cloud of negatively charged electrons.
characteristics of minerals
Cleavage, color, streak, density, crystal, hardness, luster, specific gravity, mineral
properties of minerals
luster, specific gravity, crystal shape, streak, cleavage and fracture, magnetism
rock cycle
he sequence of processes in which rock changes from one form to another and destroys and again formed by various geological processes is called the rock cycle. All this process takes millions of years. The processes included in the rock cycle are melting, cooling, heating, weathering, erosion, heat, and pressure
form when hot, molten rock crystallizes and solidifies.
Igneous Rock
formed from pre-existing rocks or pieces of once-living organisms.
Sedimentary Rock
started out as some other type of rock, but have been substantially changed from their original igneous, sedimentary, or earlier metamorphic form.
Metamorphic
Properties of Rocks
hardness, streak, crystal, luster, color, fracture, cleavage, relative, density, magnetism
How are minerals and rocks connected?
rocks are made of minerals
Mineral Resources
iron, clay, lead, crushed stone, coal, gold, nickel
Energy resources
solar, geothermal, nuclear, wind, hydropower, coal, biomass, natural gas, oil
renewable and nonrenewable resources
renewable resource can replenish itself at the rate it is used, while a nonrenewable resource has a limited supply.
Examples:
renewable- solar energy, trees, soil, grass
non renewable- oil steel aluminum coal
Conservation/Environmentalism
The environment is something we use, so we have to conserve it and take care of it, so that others can use it in the future.
what are plate tectonics
a theory explaining the structure of the earth’s crust and many associated phenomena as resulting from the interaction of rigid lithospheric plates which move slowly over the underlying mantle.
the formation of new areas of oceanic crust, which occurs through the upwelling of magma at midocean ridges and its subsequent outward movement on either side.
sea floor spreading
mechanisms of Sea floor spreading
The seafloor spreading definition is the geologic process that occurs at the boundary between 2 plates where molten material within the earth pushes its way up, causing the plates to move away from each other. At these divergent boundaries molten material cools and hardens, creating new oceanic crust or seafloor.