Reading...
Play button
Play button
Use LEFT and RIGHT arrow keys to navigate between flashcards;
Use UP and DOWN arrow keys to flip the card;
H to show hint;
A reads text to speech;
111 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
|
CHAPTER 1
|
CHAPTER 1
|
|
|
astronomy
|
the study of objects beyond Earth's atmosphere
|
|
|
meteorology
|
the study of the air that surrounds our planet
|
|
|
geology
|
the study of materials that make up Earth and the processes that form and change these materials
|
|
|
oceanography
|
the study of Earth's oceans
|
|
|
lithosphere
|
the rigid outer shell of the planet and includes the crust and the mantle
|
|
|
asthenosphere
|
partially molten, plasticlike, flowing layer located below the solid part of Earth's mantle
|
|
|
hydrosphere
|
the water in Earth's oceans, seas, lakes, rivers and glaciers, and the water in the atmosphere
|
|
|
atmosphere
|
the blanket of gases that surrounds our planet
|
|
|
biosphere
|
all organisms on Earth as well as the environments in which they live
|
|
|
independent variable
|
the factor that is manipulated by the experimenter
|
|
|
dependent variable
|
a factor that can change if the independent variable is changed
|
|
|
control
|
used in an experiment to show that the results of an experiment are actually a result of the condition being tested
|
|
|
Le Systeme International d'Unites (SI)
|
a system that is a modern version of the metric system
|
|
|
law
|
a basic fact that describes the behavior of a natural phenomenon
|
|
|
scientific notation
|
a type of shorthand used to express the number as a multiplier and a power of ten
|
|
|
theory
|
an explanation based on many observations during the repeated experiments
|
|
|
CHAPTER 2
|
CHAPTER 2
|
|
|
cartography
|
the science of mapmaking
|
|
|
equator
|
that imaginary line that lies at 0 degrees latitude and circles Earth midway between the north and south poles
|
|
|
latitude
|
the distance in degrees north or south of the equator
|
|
|
longitude
|
the distance in degrees east or west of the prime meridian
|
|
|
prime meridian
|
imaginary line representing 0 degrees longitude, running from the north pole, through Greenwich, ENgland, to the south pole
|
|
|
International Date Line
|
180 degress meridian and serves as the transition line for calendar days
|
|
|
topographic maps
|
show changes in elevation of Earth's surface
|
|
|
contour line
|
connect points of equal elevation
|
|
|
contour interval
|
the difference in elevation between two side-by-side contour lines
|
|
|
map legend
|
explains what the symbols represent on a map
|
|
|
map scale
|
the ration between distances on a map and actual distances on the surface of Earth
|
|
|
remote sensing
|
the process of collecting data about Earth from far above Earth's surface
|
|
|
electromagnetic spectrum
|
the arrangement of electromagnetic radiation according to wavelengths
|
|
|
frequency
|
the number of waves that pass a particular point each second
|
|
|
Landsat satellite
|
information-gathering satellite that uses visible light and infrared radiation to map Earth's surface
|
|
|
Topex/Poseidon satellite
|
data-gathering satellite that uses radar to map features on the ocean floor
|
|
|
Global Positioning System (GPS)
|
Satellite-based navigation system that permits a user to pinpoint his or her exact location on Earth
|
|
|
sonar
|
the use of sound waves to detect and measure objects underwater
|
|
|
CHAPTER 3
|
CHAPTER 3
|
|
|
element
|
a substance that cannot be broken down into simpler substances by physical or chemical means
|
|
|
atom
|
the smallest particle of an element that has all of the characteristics of that element
|
|
|
nucleus
|
made up of protons and neutrons
|
|
|
protron
|
a tiny particle that has mass and a positive electrical charge
|
|
|
neutron
|
a particle with about the same mass as a protron, but it is electrically neutral, has no electrical charge
|
|
|
atomic number
|
the number of protons in an atom's nucleus
|
|
|
mass number
|
the combined number of protons and neutrons
|
|
|
electron
|
has little mass, but has a negative electrical charge that is exactly the same magnitude as the positive charge of a proton
|
|
|
energy level
|
represents the area in an atom where an electron is most likely to be found
|
|
|
valence electrons
|
electrons in the outermost energy level
|
|
|
isotopes
|
atoms of the same element have different mass numbers
|
|
|
atomic mass
|
average of the mass numbers of the isotopes of an element
|
|
|
radioactivity
|
the spontaneous process through which unstable nuclei emit radiation
|
|
|
compound
|
a substance that is composed of atoms of two or more different elements that are chemically combined
|
|
|
chemical bonds
|
the forces that hold the elements together in a compound
|
|
|
covalent bond
|
the attraction of two atoms for a shared pair of electrons that holds the atoms together
|
|
|
molecule
|
two or more atoms held together by covalent bonds
|
|
|
ion
|
an atom that gains or loses an electron and is charged
|
|
|
ionic bond
|
the attractive force between two ions of opposite charge
|
|
|
chemical reaction
|
the change of one or more substances into other substances
|
|
|
solution
|
homogeneous mixture whose components cannot be distinguished and can be classified as liquid, gaseous, solid or a combination
|
|
|
acid
|
a solution containing a substance that produces hydrogen ions in water
|
|
|
crystalline structure
|
when particles in a solid are arranged in regular geometric patterns
|
|
|
glasses
|
solids that consist of densely packed atoms arranged at random
|
|
|
evaporation
|
the process of change from a liquid to a gas
|
|
|
sublimation
|
the change of state from a solid to a gas without an intermediate liquid state
|
|
|
plasmas
|
hot, highly ionized, electrically conducting gases
|
|
|
condensation
|
the change from a gas to a liquid
|
|
|
CHAPTER 4
|
CHAPTER 4
|
|
|
mineral
|
a naturally occurring, inorganic solid with a specific chemical composition and a definite crystalline structure
|
|
|
crystal
|
a solid in which the atoms are arranged in repeating patterns
|
|
|
magma
|
molten material found beneath Earth's surface
|
|
|
silicates
|
minerals that contain silicon and oxygen and usually one or more other elements
|
|
|
luster
|
the way that a mineral reflect light from its surface
|
|
|
streak
|
the color of a mineral when it is broken up and powdered
|
|
|
hardness
|
a measure of how easily a mineral can be scratched
|
|
|
cleavage
|
a mineral that splits relatively easily and evenly along one or more flat planes
|
|
|
fracture
|
minerals that break with rough or jagged edges
|
|
|
specific gravity
|
the ratio of the weight of a substance to the weight of an equal volume of water at 4 degrees Celsius
|
|
|
ore
|
a mineral that contains a useful substance that can be mined at a profit
|
|
|
gems
|
valuable minerals that are prized for their rarity and beauty
|
|
|
CHAPTER 5
|
CHAPTER 5
|
|
|
igneous rocks
|
intrusive or extrusive rock formed from the cooling and crystallization of magma; can be classified as felsic, mafic, intermediate, and ultramafic, according to its mineral composition
|
|
|
lava
|
magma that flows out onto Earth's surface
|
|
|
extrusive
|
fine-grained igneous rocks that cool quickly on Earth's surface
|
|
|
intrusive
|
coarse-grained igneous rocks that cool slowly beneath Earth's surface
|
|
|
partial melting
|
the process whereby some minerals melt at low temperatures while other minerals remain solid
|
|
|
fractional crystallization
|
the process wherein different minerals form at different temperatures
|
|
|
Bowen's reaction series
|
illustrates the relationship between cooling magma and mineral formation
|
|
|
felsic
|
light-colored, have high silica contents and contain quartz and the feldspars orthoclase and plagioclase
|
|
|
mafic
|
dark-colored, have lower silica contents and contain plagioclase, biotite, amphibole, pyroxene and olivine and are rich in iron and magnesium
|
|
|
ultramafic
|
have low silica contents and very high levels or iron and magnesium
|
|
|
porphyritic
|
characterized by large, well-formed crystals surrounded by finer-grained crystals of the same mineral or different minerals
|
|
|
pegmatites
|
veins of extremely large-grained minerals
|
|
|
kimberlites
|
rare, ultramafic rocks
|
|
|
CHAPTER 6
|
CHAPTER 6
|
|
|
sediments
|
pieces of solid material that have been deposited on Earth's surface by wind, water, ice, gravity or chemical precipitation
|
|
|
clastic
|
rock and mineral fragments produced by weathering
|
|
|
deposition
|
when sediments are laid down on the ground or sink to the bottoms of bodies of water
|
|
|
lithification
|
the physical and chemical processes that transform sediments into sedimentary rocks
|
|
|
cementation
|
when mineral growth cements sediment grains together into solid rock
|
|
|
bedding
|
horiztonal layering
|
|
|
graded bedding
|
bedding in which the particle sizes become progressively heavier and coarser towards the bottome layers
|
|
|
cross-bedding
|
formed as inclined layers of sediment more foward across a horizontal surface
|
|
|
clastic sedimentary rocks
|
the most common type of sedimentary rocks and are formed from the abundant deposits of loose sediments found on Earth's surface
|
|
|
porosity
|
the percentage of open spaces between grains in a rock
|
|
|
evaporites
|
the layers of chemical sedimentary rocks that oform as a resultregional metamorphism
|
|
|
regional metamorphism
|
when high teperature and pressure affect large regions of Earth's curst, they form large belts of this
|
|
|
contact metamorphism
|
when molten rocks come in contact with solid rock
|
|
|
hydrothermal metamorphism
|
when very hot water reacts with rock and alters its chemistry and mineralogy
|
|
|
foliated
|
wavy layers and bands of minerals
|
|
|
nonfoliated
|
lack mineral grains with long axes in one direction
|
|
|
porphyroblasts
|
large crystals that form in solid rock by the reorganization of atoms during metamorphism
|
|
|
rock cycle
|
the continuous changing and remaking of rocks
|
