Planet Earth Flashcards
During which era was the earth pale orange and why?
During the Archean era
Micro-organisms in the atmosphere might have made it appear pale orange instead of pale blue
What did the Earth look like 360 million years ago?
It might have been completely covered in ice with the exception of a couple slushy oceanic openings near the equator
What’s the main difference between the Dinosaur era and now?
The continents and oceans had a very different shape (252-66 million years ago)
Which era came between the dinosaur era and now?
The Pleistocene era / The last ice age
What is Earth’s current era?
The Holocene era
Where is the earth in relation to the sun?
Earth is the third planet from the sun
What causes the four seasons?
The earth is at a slight tilt meaning the different areas are closer to the sun at different times
How much of the total surface of the planet is water?
Over 70%
What are the layers of the earth?
Hot metal core
Liquid metal outer core
Mantle of molten rock
Rocky crust
Earth is split into different sections. What are these sections called?
Tectonic plates
How much do the sections move per year?
5-10cm
What is the atmosphere made up of?
78% nitrogen
21% oxygen
1% other gasses (carbon dioxide, argon, neon)
What does the atmosphere do?
Affects the climate
Burns up some harmful radiation from the sun and some meteoroids
Where did Earth get it’s name?
Old English eorthe and German erde meaning ground
What is the name of Earth’s moon?
It is largely known as the moon but is also known as Luna
