Earth Science Semester 1 - Matter Era Quiz

Edwin Hubble and the Expansion of the Universe

• Hubble's observations in the 1920s concluded that the universe is expanding.
• The recession velocity of objects is proportional to their distance from the observer.
• He guided the Hooker telescope from 1923, located in Pasadena, California, atop Mt. Wilson.

Origin of the Universe and the Big Bang Theory

• The universe began approximately 13.7 billion years ago from a singularity.
• This event is akin to a supercharged black hole, creating all matter, energy, space, and time.

Radiation Era and Early Eons of the Universe

• Planck Epoch: Primarily energy with no matter; gravity separated from a superforce.
• Grand Unification Epoch: Three forces of nature were unified; strong nuclear force separated.
• Inflationary Epoch: Rapid expansion from atom-sized to grapefruit-sized filled with hot particles.
• Electroweak Epoch: Electromagnetic and weak forces separated.
• Quark Epoch: Quarks existed, but conditions were too hot for particle formation.
• Hadron Epoch: Quarks cooled and formed protons and neutrons.
• Lepton Epoch: Formation of electrons and other leptons.
• Nuclear Epoch: Protons and neutrons fused, creating helium.

Earth's Four Subsystems

• Atmosphere: Extends 560 km, comprised mainly of nitrogen, oxygen, carbon dioxide, and water vapor; it has five layers.

  • Troposphere: Closest layer, supports climate and life.
  • Stratosphere: Contains ozone, protects against UV radiation.
  • Mesosphere: Cold layer with significantly low temperatures.
  • Thermosphere: High temperatures, sparse atmospheric particles.
  • Exosphere: Outermost layer with extremely high temperatures.

• Hydrosphere: Encompasses all water, with freshwater constituting only 3%; 70% of this is frozen.

• Biosphere: Supports life and begins food chains with photosynthesis and respiration.

• Geosphere: Composed primarily of oxygen, silicon, and magnesium; minerals are extracted from this layer.

Interactions Among Subsystems

• Atmosphere and Hydrosphere: Exchanges gases through evaporation and precipitation.
• Biosphere and Hydrosphere: Hydrosphere facilitates nutrient transport for organisms.
• Geosphere and Hydrosphere: Water assists in chemical processes, mineral formation, and rock weathering.

Physical Properties of Minerals

• Color: Visual characteristic; can be unreliable due to impurities.
• Streak: Color of a mineral's powder is more reliable for identification.
• Luster: Reflective qualities; may be metallic, glassy, pearly, or dull.
• Hardness: Measured on Mohs scale (1 softest - talc; 10 hardest - diamond).
• Cleavage and Fracture: Cleavage breaks along flat planes; fracture indicates irregular breaks.
• Density: Weight ratio compared to equal water volume.
• Crystal Form: External shape determined by atomic structure.
• Tenacity: Mineral's resistance to deformation (brittle, malleable, flexible).
• Transparency: Degree of light passage categorized as transparent, translucent, or opaque.

Rock Types and Formation

• Igneous Rocks: Formed from cooling magma or lava.

  • Intrusive: Large crystals formed beneath the surface (e.g., granite).
  • Extrusive: Small or no crystals formed on the surface (e.g., basalt).

• Sedimentary Rocks: Formed from compacting and cementing sediments.

  • Clastic: Formed from rock fragments (e.g., sandstone).
  • Non-clastic: Precipitated from solutions or organic material (e.g., limestone).

• Metamorphic Rocks: Result from recrystallization under heat and pressure.

  • Contact Metamorphism: Occurs near magma.
  • Regional Metamorphism: Affects large areas during mountain-building.
  • Textures: Foliated (layered) vs. non-foliated (no layers).

Factors for Earth's Habitability

• Earth has essential ingredients for life, including water and carbon.
• Magnetic field protects against harmful solar radiation.
• Nutrients are available for building organisms.
• Steady energy supply, either from light or chemical sources, is vital for life processes.
• Atmosphere composed mainly of nitrogen (78%) and oxygen (21%) supports life.

Test your knowledge on the Matter Era in Earth's history with this quiz focused on the work of Edwin Hubble and the early universe. Explore concepts such as atomic formation, galaxy creation, and the expansion of space. Perfect for STEM 11 students studying Earth Science.