Geology Test 1 Part 1

Front 1

The scientific method

Back 1

1. Observation (develop a question)
2. Preliminary research
3. Develop TESTABLE hypothesis
4. Test hypothesis
5. Interpretation (support = more test = theory) (Does not = revise hypothesis)

Front 2

How and when the universe formed.

Back 2

Big Bang Theory - all matter and energy was packed into a small point. The point exploded about 13.7 billion years ago. since then the universe has continually expanded

Front 3

The basics of the Atom.
-atomic #
-atomic mass

Back 3

-atomic # = # of protons
-atomic mass = protons + neutrons
-# of protons=# of neutrons

The Universe was so dense, small and hot that no atoms existed but within a few seconds after the big bang -- it had cooled sufficiently for the smallest atoms (hydrogen atoms) to form -- by the time the Universe reached 3 minutes it cooled more and more hydrogen batoms formed, "big bang nucleosynthesis" began to happen. The hydrogen atoms began to collide and fuse and small atoms (such as helium) were formed. The big bang nucleosis stopped after the Universe existed for 5 minutes because the Universe expanded so much that the atoms rarely collided.

Front 4

When the solar system (and Earth formed)

Back 4

-nebulae --> accretion disk---> protostar --> supernova

-dust/ice --> planetesimals ---> protoplanets

Hint 4

Universe formed at about 4.57 Ga or billion years ago.

After a few hundred thousand years, temperature dropped atoms began to form chemical bonds and turned to molecules. These accumulated into nebulae (patchy clouds of gas) (mostly made of hydrogen and helium). Because of gravity, nebulae began to pull in surrounding gases ("rich getting richer") and they grew in mass and therefore density. The initial swirl movement of gas turned transformed into a rotation around an axis (accretion disk). The gravitational pull of the accretion disk pulled in surrounding nebula, making the accretion disk a denser ball. Eventually the central ball of the accretion disk became hot enough to glow and it becomes a protostar. The protostar continues to grow by puling in mass and it gets very and hotter. Then fusion reactions begin - hydrogen forms to helium-- produces a lot of energy. The star gets ignited and the star is formed. This happened again and again. Around the star "ice" material that is concentrates in the outer rings around the star, and “dust” is towards the inside (hotter). These materials clump together to form planetesimals. Planetesimals attract other objects as well as smaller planetesimals and they grow larger. Eventually they grow into protoplanets (size of today’s planets).


When the star eventually dies it burns hotter to run out of fuel. It then blows up to form a supernova

Front 5

When was the universe formed

Back 5

Universe formed at about 4.57 Ga or billion years ago.

Front 6

big bang nucleosynthesis

Back 6

After the big bang when the universe started to cool (within the first 3 min) hydrogen atoms began to form. The hydrogen atoms would then collide and stick and form helium. After the first 5 minutes, the universe expanded so much that this process stopped because the atoms rarely collided

Front 7

Nebulae

Back 7

After a few hundred thousand years the temperature continued to drop, and chemical bonds began to bind atoms. The atoms started to accumulate into nebulae -- patchy clouds of gas

Front 8

Accretion disk

Back 8

Nebulae began to pull in surrounded gases and they grew in mass and therefore density. The gas began to swirl, turning into a accretion disk. The disk pulled in surrounding nebula, making the inner portion of the accretion disk a dense ball

Front 9

Protostar

Back 9

Eventually the central ball of the accretion disk became hot enough to glow forming a protostar. The protostar pulls in more mass and fusion reactions begin to take place and the protostar get "ignited" and forms a star

Front 10

Stars ---> Supernova

Back 10

The larger the star (as a result of more nucleosynthesis), the hotter it burns and the faster it runs out of fuel and "dies" by violently exploding to form a supernova

Front 11

Formation of planets

Back 11

Around the star "ice" material in the outer rings around the star and “dust” is towards the inner rings (hotter) begin to collide and concentrate. These materials clump together to form planetesimals. Planetesimals attract other objects as well as smaller planetesimals and they grow larger. Eventually they grow into protoplanets (size of today’s planets).

Front 12

Stellar wind

Back 12

The stream of atoms emitted from a star during its lifetime -- these atoms form new nebulae or mix into exisitin nebulae

Front 13

expanding Universe theory

Back 13

It was discovered that all galaxies were moving rapidly away from us. Then it became known that the entire universe was actually expanding

Front 14

Nebular theory

Back 14

The process of nebulae-->accretion disk--->protostar /// formation of planets

Front 15

Why is the Earth round?

Back 15

When protoplanets are big enough, gravity can change its shape. Inside the protoplanet, it becomes hot and soft enough to shape in response to gravity. Gravity is exerted evenly throughout so it is a sphere

Front 16

how early astronomers determined the circumference?

Back 16

Eratosthenes in 200 BC worked at a library in Alexandria, Egypt. He learned that at noon on the first day of summer in Syene Egypt the Sun lit the base of a well precisely at noon. The suns ray's at noon must then be exactly perpendicular to the Earth's surface in this spot. And if the Earth was spherical then the Sun's ray's could not be simultaneously perpendicular to the Earth's surface at Alexandria. He measured the shadow in Alexandria at noon -- the angle between the tower and the Sun's Ray's was 7.2 degrees. He then measured that Alexandria to Syene was 5,000 stadia he then calculated the circumference was 39,300 km

Front 17

How to set-up (and solve) a unit conversion problem.

Back 17

4ft/1 * 12inches/1ft

Front 18

The four elements that make-up the majority of the Earth

Back 18

Iron, Oxygen, Silicon, Magnesium

Front 19

-Rock
-Mineral

Back 19

Rock - Consists of an aggregate of minerals, naturally formed

Mineral - Naturally formed, solid, definable chemical composition, crystallized, inorganic

Front 20

The most common type of minerals on Earth (and name a few)

Back 20

olivine, garnet, pyroxenes, amphibole, micas, feldspar, quartz

Front 21

The three types of rock classifications and how they are classified.

Back 21

-Igneus - cooling of molten rock (completely liquid then solidified)

-Sedimentary - Formed by aggregation of grains or precipitate

-Metamorphic - High temperature and pressure, deforming a rock

Front 22

galaxies

Back 22

Gravity pulls stars together to form immense groups called galaxies

Front 23

organic chemicals

Back 23

carbon containing compound that occurs in living organisms or resemble molecules in living organisms (oil, protein, plastic, rubber)

Front 24

glass

Back 24

solid, where atoms are not arranged in an orderly pattern

Front 25

metals

Back 25

solid, composed of metallic atoms

Front 26

melts

Back 26

Form when solid materials become hot and transform into liqued

Front 27

volatiles

Back 27

gases, in gaseous state at the surface of Earth

Front 28

silicates (rock forming minerals)

Back 28

Minerals composed of silicon and 4 oxygen -- they are 3D shaped