Mid-Term Earth Science Fun Facts PDF

Mid- Term Earth Science Fun Facts Adapted from http://www.longwood.k12.ny.us/lhs/science/earthsci/117ways.html See Ms. Palombo’s “ Need to Know” sheets for more detail. The same substance always has the same density Density = mass/ volume unit g/ml As pressure increases, density i...

Mid- Term Earth Science Fun Facts Adapted from http://www.longwood.k12.ny.us/lhs/science/earthsci/117ways.html See Ms. Palombo’s “ Need to Know” sheets for more detail. The same substance always has the same density Density = mass/ volume unit g/ml As pressure increases, density increases As temperature increases, density decreases Water expands when it freezes-and breaks rock Water is most dense at 4oC, when it is a liquid Observations can be sensed, measured- The cat is meowing. Inferences are based on observations- The cat is hungry. The accepted value is the correct answer. The measured value is the guess. Percent Error= difference between Accepted and Measured. Divided by Accepted. Times 100. Most earth patterns are cyclic and predictable The true shape of the Earth is an Oblate Spheroid, but from space it looks like a sphere. The best model of the Earth is a sphere The altitude of Polaris equals your latitude Latitude lines go east-west, just like the equator, but measure distances north or south. Longitude lines go north-south, but measure distances east or west. USA is in Western hemisphere, Asia in eastern. Prime meridian is starting longitude line 0, International date line 180* There are 60 ‘minutes’ in each degree of Lat/Long Longitude is based on observations of the sun. The earth rotates from west to east (24 hours) 15 degrees per hour. WEGEL Ocean crust is thin and made of basalt- dense –sinks into mantle Continental crust is thick and made of granite Tectonic plates move because the mantle is convecting Mid-ocean ridge - new earth being created-seafloor spreading Trenches - earth being destroyed-subduction zone Mountains form by uplift- continental plates converge and crush land upward- bedrock tilted Plateau-uplifted – bedrock horizontal Plain- low elevation-bedrock horizontal Arid landscape: steep slopes with sharp angles Humid landscape: smooth with rounded slopes Chemical weathering occurs mostly in warm, humid climates Physical weathering occurs mostly in cold, humid climates (good for frost wedging) Soil is weathered rock + humus Transported soil does Not match underlying bedrock- Residual does match Study the chart we made with characteristics of the 4 agents of erosion Streams are the number one agent of erosion- sorted, rounded sediments Deposition occurs when the agent –wind, stream etc- slows down Stream velocity depends on slope and discharge Velocity is fastest on the outside of meander bend Heavy, round and dense particle settle out first Bedding (vertical sorting): biggest sentiments are on bottom Glacial sentiments are unsorted, scratched, U shaped valley..go study everything about glaciers Sedimentary rocks- compress and cement sediments strata - flat layers - most likely to have fossils Igneous rock- melt and solidify cools fast: small crystals; cools slow: large crystals Metamorphic- heat and pressure banded-distorted structure Mineral properties depend on internal atomic arrangement Silicon + oxygen = tetrahedron Study mineral vocabulary terms P waves are faster than S waves Always subtract the S wave from the P wave P waves - solids & liquids can pass through -- S waves solids only If you can determine the difference in arrival time, you can determine the distance to the epicenter You need 3 seismometer stations to plot earthquake The closer the isolines (contour-isobar-isotherms-) are the steeper the slope or gradient Each contour line shows a specific elevation. Any point along that line has an equal elevation. Intervals are the spaces between the lines. This helps you determine height. Each map has its own interval. The highest elevations are recognized as the smallest circles. Maximum elevation is often marked. It can also be estimated as the maximum elevation possible before the next interval. To determine horizontal distance be sure to use the map scale. Contour lines never touch- this is because one point on Earth’s surface cannot have two different elevations. When the lines are close together the gradient is steep. Streams often create valleys which cause the contour lines to bend into a V shape. The >> points to the source (top) of the stream. The ocean (sea level ) is always 0 elevation. Lakes can be at higher elevations. Hatch marks //// indicate a depression. Draw diagrams to help you visualize the questions asked - where possible Read introductory paragraphs and study diagrams before looking at questions. Underline key words. When in doubt, see if the reference tables will help Not on our test: The half-life of a radioactive element can't be changed Uranium 235 dates old rocks Carbon 14 dates recent living objects Index fossils are good time markers (widely spread, lived a short time) Undisturbed strata - bottom layer is oldest Intrusion and faults are younger than the rock they are in Unconformity means erosion Porosity does not depend on particle size As particle size increases, permeability increases Capillarity increases when particle size decreases