Geo Chapter 1

Front 1

Asthenosphere

Back 1

hot, weak, plates slide on it, in motion. When subjected to force, it flows as a moldable or ductile solid

Front 2

Climate System

Back 2

includes all the Earth system components that determine climate on a global scale and how climate changes with time
-Describes not only the behavior of the atmosphere but also how climate is influenced by the hydrosphere, cryosphere, biosphere, and lithosphere.

Front 3

Core

Back 3

surrounded by a shell of silicate-rich rocks (mantle)

Front 4

Crust

Back 4

composed of low-density silicates, which are rich in aluminum and potassium, from mantle silicates of higher density, which contain more magnesium and iron

Front 5

Earth System

Back 5

all the parts of our planet and all their interactions, taken together
- Atmospherehydrospherecryospherebiospherelithosphereasthenospheredeep mantleouter core inner core

Front 6

Fossil

Back 6

traces of organisms preserved in the geologic record. Have been found in rocks dated back 3.5 million years ago

Front 7

Geodynamo

Back 7

engine that produces electricity by rotation a coil of conducting wire through a magnetic field

Front 8

Geosystem

Back 8

specialized subsystems that describe specific types of terrestrial behavior, such as climate changes or mountain building

Front 9

Inner core

Back 9

solid metallic sphere with a radius of 1220 km (2/3 size of moon) – suspended within the liquid outer core

Front 10

Lithosphere

Back 10

strong outer shell, includes the crust and the top part of the mantle down to an avg depth of about 100km. when subjected to force, it tends to behave as a nearly rigid and brittle shell

Front 11

Magnetic Field

Back 11

3rd global geosystem. Deep inside the Earth’s outer core.
- Reaches so far into outer space, causing compass needles to point north and shielding the biosphere from the sun’s harmful radiation

Front 12

Mantle

Back 12

shell of silicate rocks, between the crust and the core
-crust(outermost) mantle  liquid iron outer core  solid iron inner core (innermost)

Front 13

Outer core

Back 13

composed of iron and nickel, lies above inner core and below mantle… outer boundary 5200 km beneath Earth’s surface

Front 14

Plate Tectonic System

Back 14

convecting mantle and its overlying mosaic of lisospheric plates

Front 15

Principle of Uniformitarianism

Back 15

“the present is the key to the past”

Front 16

Scientific Method

Back 16

general plan based on methodical observations and experiments

Front 17

Seismic Wave

Back 17

- illuminate the interior and can be recorded on seismometers, sensitive instruments that allow geologists to make pictures of Earth’s inner workings

Front 18

Topography

Back 18

changes in ground elevation, measured with respect to sea level, a smooth surface that conforms closely with the squashed spherical shape expected for the rotating Earth.