Cosmology Concepts and Theories

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Questions and Answers

What occurs as a result of tensional stress in rocks?

Rocks are compressed together.

Rocks are pulled apart. (correct)

Rocks break at the edges.

Rocks become compact.

Which type of stress can lead to the size reduction of tectonic plates?

Elastic stress

Tensional stress

Confining stress

Shear stress (correct)

What evidence supports Wegner's Continental Drift Theory with regard to tillites?

Tillites provide absolute dating of rock strata.

Finding tillites in tropical areas suggests continental movement. (correct)

Tillites are exclusively found in desert regions.

Tillites found in polar climates indicate past glacial activity.

What type of plate boundary is characterized by plates moving toward each other?

Convergent boundaries Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is an example of relative dating?

Analyzing the succession of rock layers to establish a sequence of events. Signup and view all the answers

What is a key feature of sedimentary rock?

Often contains fossils Signup and view all the answers

Which type of weathering involves chemical reactions that alter the composition of rocks?

Chemical weathering Signup and view all the answers

What geological feature is formed at divergent boundaries?

Ridges Signup and view all the answers

Which mountain ranges are believed to have been part of a single mountain range during Pangaea?

Appalachian and Caledonian Mountains Signup and view all the answers

What primarily drives the processes of metamorphism in rocks?

Heat and pressure Signup and view all the answers

What type of metamorphism occurs over a larger area due to significant heat and pressure?

Regional metamorphism Signup and view all the answers

What happens at transform boundaries?

Plates slide past each other without subduction. Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is not an agent of metamorphism?

Organic activity Signup and view all the answers

What is the main characteristic of compressional stress on rocks?

Pushes or squeezes rocks toward one another Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary effect of acid rain on rocks during chemical weathering?

Corrodes or deteriorates certain minerals Signup and view all the answers

What distinguishes physical weathering from other forms of weathering?

Occurs without chemical changes Signup and view all the answers

What process describes the ability of living things to maintain a stable internal environment?

Homeostasis Signup and view all the answers

Which level of organization includes all other levels and represents the zones of life on Earth?

Biosphere Signup and view all the answers

What is the basic unit of structure and function in all living things?

Cell Signup and view all the answers

What did Louis Pasteur disprove through his experiment on sterilization?

Spontaneous generation Signup and view all the answers

In biological organization, a group of similar cells performing specific functions is referred to as what?

Tissue Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following best explains the relationship between an organism and its organ systems?

An organism is a single living entity composed of multiple organ systems that work together. Signup and view all the answers

What is a community in terms of biological organization?

A collection of different populations living in the same area Signup and view all the answers

What do the biological levels of organization consist of in the correct order from simplest to most complex?

Atoms, molecules, cells, tissues, organs, organ systems, organisms, populations, communities, ecosystems, biosphere Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary difference between the Big Bang and Big Crunch theories?

The Big Bang suggests continuous expansion, whereas Big Crunch suggests continuous contraction. Signup and view all the answers

What does the Steady State Theory propose about the universe?

The universe expands with constant average density over time. Signup and view all the answers

What is meant by Cosmic Inflation Theory?

It describes a rapid expansion of space-time in the early universe. Signup and view all the answers

Which statement is true regarding the formation of the Solar System based on the Nebular Hypothesis?

The Solar System began as a large cloud of gas that contracted under self-gravity. Signup and view all the answers

What prompted the reclassification of Pluto by the International Astronomical Union (IAU)?

Pluto was determined to orbit within the Kuiper belt. Signup and view all the answers

What characteristic of Earth is critical for supporting life?

The presence of liquid water is essential for life. Signup and view all the answers

Which layer of Earth does the term Geosphere refer to?

The layer that includes the solid part of Earth up to its core. Signup and view all the answers

What role does radiogenic heat play in Earth's characteristics?

It contributes to tectonic movement and volcanism. Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary function of the shoot system in vascular plants?

Performing photosynthesis Signup and view all the answers

Which statement about plant cell organelles is accurate?

Only plant and bacterial cells have cell walls. Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is NOT one of the three principles of Cell Theory?

Cells perform all functions of living things. Signup and view all the answers

What are the end products of glycolysis?

Two molecules of pyruvate and two molecules of ATP Signup and view all the answers

Which type of respiration occurs in the presence of oxygen?

Aerobic respiration Signup and view all the answers

What is the role of the root system in vascular plants?

Anchoring the plant and absorbing water Signup and view all the answers

Which organisms are classified as photoautotrophs?

Plants and certain bacteria that conduct photosynthesis Signup and view all the answers

What distinguishes animal cells from plant cells?

Animal cells contain centrosomes. Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Universe Theories

The universe undergoes a cyclical process of expansion and contraction, influenced by its curvature and gravitational pull, often referred to as the big bang and big crunch.
Steady State Theory proposes that the universe expands while maintaining a constant average density.
Cosmic Inflation Theory describes a rapid expansion of space-time in the early universe as a bubble of pure vacuum energy.

Solar System Formation Theories

Nebular Hypothesis: Suggests the Solar System formed from a large cloud of gas that contracted due to self-gravity.
Planetesimal Theory and Tidal Theories: Involves gravitational interactions with passing stars, leading to the creation of planetesimals that formed solid bodies in orbits around the sun.

Significant Discoveries in the Solar System

Pluto was reclassified as a dwarf planet in 2006 by the International Astronomical Union (IAU) and is part of the Kuiper Belt, a region filled with frozen volatiles, comets, and asteroids.

Earth's Characteristics Supporting Life

Water's presence allowed early photosynthetic life to flourish.
Earth resides in the habitable zone, where liquid water can exist.
Internal heat arises from radioactive decay and geological activities such as volcanism and tectonic movements.
An atmosphere provides greenhouse effects crucial for photosynthesis.

Earth's System Components

Geosphere: Encompasses all solid parts of Earth, including rocks, minerals, landforms, and physical processes that shape the Earth's surface.
Sedimentary Rock: Formed from particles like sand and shells, notable for containing fossils, distinct layers, and a variety of colors.
Metamorphic Rock: Created under high pressure and temperature, undergoing metamorphosis of its components.

Weathering Processes

Exogenic Process: Weathering disintegrates rocks and soil; can be physical (mechanical forces breaking rocks) or chemical (rocks reacting with chemicals).
Physical Weathering: Processes like waves eroding rocks without changing their chemical makeup.
Chemical Weathering: Involves reactions like oxidation, hydrolysis, and degradation from acid rain.

Endogenic Processes

Metamorphism: Changing rock materials due to heat and pressure; includes contact metamorphism (local heat effects) and regional metamorphism (widespread heat and pressure).
Geological Stress Types:
- Compressional Stress: Rocks are pushed together, contributing to mountain formation.
- Tensional Stress: Rocks are pulled apart, moving in opposite directions.
- Shear Stress: Rocks at plate edges break away in different directions.
- Confining Stress: Compresses the crust, making it appear smaller.

Evidence for Continental Drift

Tillites: Found in climates that were once polar, indicating past continental movements.
Rock layer similarities among mountains across oceans, suggesting past connections (e.g., Appalachian and Caledonian Mountains).

Tectonic Plate Boundaries

Convergent Boundaries: Where plates collide, forming trenches or mountains.
Divergent Boundaries: Plates move apart due to upward magma flow, creating new crust.
Transform Boundaries: Plates slide past each other without subduction.

Geological Dating Methods

Relative Dating: Establishes the sequence of geological events through rock stratification without providing specific numerical dates.

Characteristics of Life

Living organisms maintain a stable internal environment (homeostasis) despite external changes.
All life forms consist of cells, the basic units of structure and function.
Pasteur's Test: Disproved spontaneous generation through sterilization and pasteurization processes.

Levels of Organization in Living Things

Arranged from atoms to biosphere, including molecules, organelles, cells, tissues, and ecosystems.
Plant organ systems: Vascular plants have shoot and root systems, both of which perform essential functions.

Cell Theory

Fundamental principles: all living organisms are made of at least one cell, cells are the basic unit of life, and all cells arise from preexisting cells.
Key distinctions: Plant cells have cell walls, while animal cells contain centrosomes and lysosomes.

Photosynthesis and Glycolysis

Plants and select bacteria perform photosynthesis, using light for food production (photoautotrophs).
Glycolysis occurs in the cytosol, marking the initial stage of cellular respiration, producing pyruvate, ATP, and NADH.

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Description

Explore key theories in cosmology including the Big Bang, Steady State Theory, and Cosmic Inflation. This quiz covers the expansion and contraction of the universe, as well as the formation of the solar system, with a focus on their fundamental principles.