Introduction to Earth Science

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Questions and Answers

What is Earth science defined as?

The study of the oceans

The study of the universe

The study of weather and climate

The study of earth and neighboring planets (correct)

What is the term for the study of the Earth formed from?

Greek roots only

Greek and Latin roots (correct)

French and Spanish roots

Latin roots only

What do oceanographers provide vital information on?

Tides, waves, and climate change (correct)

Weather forecasting and climate change

Seismology and volcanology

Earthquakes and volcanoes

What are the two main branches of geology?

Physical and historical geology Signup and view all the answers

Why are Greek and Latin languages used in scientific vocabulary?

Because most scientists and researchers were Greek and Latin Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary unit of a word in scientific terminology?

Root Signup and view all the answers

What is the purpose of conducting background research in the scientific method?

To gather information from previous tests and journals Signup and view all the answers

What is the term for a hypothesis that is widely supported by empirical research?

Scientific Theory Signup and view all the answers

What is the system of measurement based on a factor of 10 or a decimalized system?

International System of Units (SI) Signup and view all the answers

What is the largest division of the geologic time scale?

Eon Signup and view all the answers

What is the process by which an unstable atomic nucleus loses energy by releasing radiation?

Radioactive decay Signup and view all the answers

What type of radioactive decay involves the emission of a beta particle?

Beta decay Signup and view all the answers

What is the term for the nuclide that results from radioactive decay?

Daughter nuclide Signup and view all the answers

What is the main reason why large animal species are more likely to be found in the fossil record?

They are more likely to be buried rapidly Signup and view all the answers

What is the basis for the organization of the periodic table?

Number of protons Signup and view all the answers

What is the largest unit of time in the geologic time scale?

Eons Signup and view all the answers

What is the process of studying layers of rock to learn more about the history of the Earth?

Stratigraphy Signup and view all the answers

What is the era characterized by the dominance of dinosaurs?

Mesozoic Era Signup and view all the answers

What is the method used to determine the age of rocks based on the known decay rate of radioactive isotopes?

Radiometric dating Signup and view all the answers

What is the age of the Earth, according to scientific estimates?

4.6 billion years Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary characteristic that distinguishes a mixture from a pure substance?

The composition of two or more compounds that do not form chemical bonds Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is an example of a physical property of matter?

Color Signup and view all the answers

What is the term for the process by which a substance changes from a solid to a liquid?

Melting Signup and view all the answers

What type of chemical reaction involves a single reactant breaking down to form two or more products?

Decomposition reaction Signup and view all the answers

What is the state of matter characterized by low energy, high density, definite volume, and definite shape?

Solid Signup and view all the answers

What occurs when two plates move towards each other at a convergent boundary?

Subduction or collision Signup and view all the answers

What is the main feature of the transform boundary?

The creation of a fault line Signup and view all the answers

What was the research vessel equipped with a drilling platform that extracted the samples for the Deep Sea Drilling Project?

Glomar Challenger Signup and view all the answers

What is the result of a combustion reaction?

Production of carbon dioxide and water Signup and view all the answers

What was the conclusion drawn from the alternating magnetic polarity of the ocean floor rocks?

The Earth's magnetic field has flip-flopped over the years Signup and view all the answers

What is the process that occurs at the Mid-Ocean Ridge, resulting in the formation of new oceanic crust?

Sea floor spreading Signup and view all the answers

What is the charge of a neutron?

Zero Signup and view all the answers

What is the term for the weighted average of the mass numbers of the isotopes in a given element?

Atomic mass Signup and view all the answers

What is the biosphere composed of?

All the living organisms on Earth Signup and view all the answers

What are the four main layers of Earth?

Inner core, Outer core, Mantle, Crust Signup and view all the answers

What is the composition of the Earth's crust?

Granitic composition Signup and view all the answers

What is the purpose of studying seismic waves?

To learn about the Earth's interior Signup and view all the answers

What drives the movement of tectonic plates?

Convection currents caused by heat from the Earth's core Signup and view all the answers

What is the name of the supercontinent that scientists believe existed in the past?

Pangea Signup and view all the answers

What is the Mid-Atlantic Ridge?

A long mountain range that forms the boundary of many of the major plates Signup and view all the answers

What is the main focus of the field of Meteorology?

Study of weather, high sky, and climate Signup and view all the answers

What is the study of the oceans?

Oceanography Signup and view all the answers

What does the word root 'geo' mean?

Earth Signup and view all the answers

What are the two main branches of Geology?

Physical Geology and Historical Geology Signup and view all the answers

Why are Greek and Latin languages used in scientific vocabulary?

Most of the first scientists and researchers were Greek, and Latin is universal Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary goal of breaking down scientific terminology into smaller parts?

To gain a better understanding of the material Signup and view all the answers

What is the role of a hypothesis in the scientific method?

To provide a potential answer to a question that can be tested Signup and view all the answers

What is the purpose of peer review in the scientific method?

To evaluate the work and determine validity Signup and view all the answers

What is the basis of the International System of Units (SI)?

A factor of 10 Signup and view all the answers

What is the purpose of the geologic time scale?

To show the history of the Earth divided into units of time Signup and view all the answers

What is the significance of extinction events in the geologic time scale?

They mark the end of one time and the start of another Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary advantage of using relative dating in combination with radiometric dating?

It provides a ballpark estimate of age, which can be refined with radiometric dating Signup and view all the answers

What is the main reason why scientists use a combination of relative and numerical dating to establish the ages of rocks and fossils?

It is more efficient and cost-effective to use both methods Signup and view all the answers

What is the term for the process of studying layers of rock to learn more about the history of the Earth?

Stratigraphy Signup and view all the answers

What is the age of the Earth, according to scientific estimates?

4.6 billion years Signup and view all the answers

What are the four common states of matter?

Solid, Liquid, Gas, and Plasma Signup and view all the answers

What type of chemical reaction involves a single reactant breaking down to form two or more products?

Decomposition reaction Signup and view all the answers

What is the characteristic of a pure substance?

It contains only one type of compound per element Signup and view all the answers

What is the term for the characteristics an object of matter has at the time of observance?

State of matter Signup and view all the answers

During a chemical reaction, what happens to matter (atoms)?

It is rearranged to create something different Signup and view all the answers

What occurs when two or more substances combine to form a new substance, and the reactants swap ions to form completely different products?

Ionic reaction Signup and view all the answers

What is the weighted average of the mass numbers of the isotopes in a given element?

Atomic mass Signup and view all the answers

What is the term for all living organisms on Earth, including plants, animals, and microorganisms?

Biosphere Signup and view all the answers

What is the layer of Earth's atmosphere that contains its own five layers, listed in order from the surface of Earth outward?

Atmosphere Signup and view all the answers

What is the term for the number of protons in the nucleus of a given atom?

Atomic number Signup and view all the answers

What is the composition of the Earth's crust?

Granitic composition Signup and view all the answers

What is the purpose of studying seismic waves?

To learn about the material inside Earth Signup and view all the answers

What is the name of the theory that unified all the puzzling data from early observations?

Plate Tectonics Signup and view all the answers

What is the result of the interaction between tectonic plates?

Creation of mountains, valleys, and plateaus Signup and view all the answers

What is the name of the supercontinent that scientists believe existed in the past?

Pangea Signup and view all the answers

What occurs when two plates move towards each other?

Convergent boundary Signup and view all the answers

What is the process that occurs at the Mid-Ocean Ridge?

Sea floor spreading Signup and view all the answers

What is the conclusion drawn from the alternating magnetic polarity of the ocean floor rocks?

The Earth's magnetic field has changed over time Signup and view all the answers

What type of boundary occurs when two plates slide past each other?

Transform boundary Signup and view all the answers

What is the purpose of the Deep Sea Drilling Project?

To analyze the ocean floor Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary reason why the fossil record is disproportionately stacked with large animal species?

Large bones are less likely to get scattered or crushed Signup and view all the answers

What is the result of beta decay in radioactive decay?

A neutron loses an electron, turning into a proton Signup and view all the answers

What is the purpose of the periodic table?

To organize elements based on the number of protons Signup and view all the answers

What is the main difference between alpha decay and gamma decay?

The release of a particle Signup and view all the answers

What are the three main conditions affecting fossil preservation?

Rapid burial, hard parts, and the elements Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Earth Science Branches

Earth science is the study of Earth and neighboring planets, including historical events and processes that formed Earth.
Four branches of Earth science: Geology, Meteorology, Astronomy, and Oceanography.
Geology is the study of the Earth, divided into Physical and Historical Geology.

Scientific Method

Series of steps used by scientists to answer questions about the world.
Steps: Question, Background Research, Hypothesis, Experiment, Analyze Data, Conclusion.
Importance of Biases, Peer Review, and Scientific Theories.

International System of Units

Standard system of measurement based on a decimalized system.
Prefixes used to differentiate large from small numbers.
Units for length, mass, volume, density, and temperature: meter, kilogram, meter³, kg/m³, and kelvin.

Geologic Time Scale

Divided into eons, eras, periods, and epochs.
Relative and Absolute Age Dating methods.
Stratigraphy, Law of Superposition, and Radiometric Dating.

Fossil Record

Importance of Rapid Burial, Hard Parts, and Elements in fossil preservation.
Large animals with hard body parts more likely to be preserved.
Climate conditions affecting fossil preservation.

Periodic Table

Organizational model for elements based on the number of protons.
Arranged into periods and groups.
Elements classified as metals, nonmetals, or metalloids.

Elements, Compounds, and Mixtures

Elements: pure substances made up of one type of atom.
Compounds: made up of two or more elements bound chemically.
Mixtures: two or more substances that do not form chemical bonds.

Matter and Phases

Matter: anything with mass and takes up space.
Four common states of matter: solid, liquid, gas, and plasma.
Phases can transition through melting, freezing, condensation, evaporation, sublimation, deposition, ionization, and deionization.

Chemical Reactions

Five types: combination, decomposition, single-replacement, double-replacement, and combustion reactions.
Chemical change, no creation or destruction of matter, rearrangement of atoms.

Atomic Structure

Atoms contain subatomic particles: protons, neutrons, and electrons.
Protons and neutrons in the nucleus, electrons outside.
Atomic number (Z) and mass number (A) define an element.

Earth's Spheres

Interconnected spheres: atmosphere, biosphere, geosphere, and hydrosphere.
Atmosphere has five layers: troposphere, stratosphere, mesosphere, thermosphere, and exosphere.
Geosphere has four layers: inner core, outer core, mantle, and crust.
Hydrosphere is all water on Earth.### The Four Spheres of Earth
The biosphere consists of all living organisms, including plants, animals, and microscopic life.
The geosphere comprises Earth's crust, ranging from oceanic crust to mountain tops.
The hydrosphere contains all water on Earth, including rivers, streams, and oceans.
The atmosphere is composed of gases, water vapor, and clouds in the sky.

Geology

Geology is the study of Earth's structure and dynamics, divided into branches like geology, geochemistry, petrology, mineralogy, paleontology, and environmental geology.
Earth is composed of four main layers: crust, mantle, outer core, and inner core.

Earth's Layers

The crust is less dense, made of granite, and broken into tectonic plates that resemble jigsaw puzzle pieces.
The mantle is the thickest layer, composed mainly of iron, magnesium, and calcium-rich silicate minerals.
The outer core is liquid iron and nickel, creating Earth's magnetic field.
The inner core is a solid, dense ball made mostly of iron and nickel.

Seismology

Seismic waves are vibrations that travel underground, occurring due to sudden material movements.
P waves are compressional waves that can move through solids and liquids.
S waves are shear waves that shake the ground up and down, only able to move through solids.

Plate Tectonics

Plate tectonics is the theory that unifies observations about the movement of Earth's plates.
The theory states that plates move on top of the mantle, driven by convection currents caused by heat from the earth's core.
Plate tectonics explains how the face of Earth changes over time.

Tectonic Plates

The Earth's crust and solid upper part of the mantle form the lithosphere, broken into 7 major tectonic plates.
The 7 major plates, listed from largest to smallest, are the Pacific, North American, Eurasian, African, Antarctic, Indo-Australian, and South American Plates.
Tectonic plates move towards, away from, or past each other due to heat transfer from the core.

Plate Boundaries

Convergent boundaries occur when two plates move towards each other, creating areas of subduction or collision.
Divergent boundaries occur when two plates move apart, forming new crust and underwater mountain ranges or rift valleys.
Transform boundaries occur when two plates slide past each other, forming fault lines and causing earthquakes.

Deep Sea Drilling Project

The Deep Sea Drilling Project (DSDP) analyzed the ocean floor to support the theory of seafloor spreading and plate tectonics.
Samples from the Mid-Atlantic Ridge showed that new oceanic crust is constantly formed due to upwelling magma through diverging tectonic plates.