Earth Science Final Exam Study Guide
Geological Time
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Superposition
Uniformitarianism
Principal of cross-cutting relationships
Original horizontality
Faunal succession
Hutton
Isotope
Relative age
Absolute age
Label the parent and daughter lines
Half Lives- be able to calculate from the
examples we used in class.
Sample Problems:
Half lives of: carbon 14 – 5730 years, U235 700 million years
1. If a fossil has ½ of its C14 left, how old is it?
2. If a rock has 1/4th of its U 235 left, how old is it?
3. If a fossil has 200 grams of C14 and 600 grams of N14, how old is it?
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Age of fossils – how is this used
The Stars
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Using Hubble’s observations, astronomers have been able to determine that the
universe is expanding. Example: Raisin Bread
Be able to label main sequence, Red Giants, Red Supergiant’s, white dwarfs and the sun
on an HR diagram
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Nebula
Giant
Supergiant’s
Planetary Nebula
White Dwarfs
Nova
Supernova
Neutron star
Pulsar
Black Hole
Astronomy
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Asteroid Belt
Asteroids
Meteoroids
Meteorites
Comets
75% of sun’s mass is hydrogen
25% of sun’s mass is helium
1% other
Nuclear Fusion
The energy released in the three steps of nuclear fusion causes the sun to shine and
gives the sun its high temperature
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Layers of the Sun:
o The Center of the Sun is the Core
o Radiative Zone
o The Convective Zone
o Convection
o Photosphere
o Chromosphere
o Corona
Sunspot
Prominences
Solar Flares
Coronal Mass Ejection
Auroras
Atmosphere
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Atmosphere
Elements in the air and their percentages
o Nitrogen
o Oxygen
o Argon
Photosynthesis
Ozone
Ozone Layer
Particulates
Atmosphere pressure decreases as altitude increases
As temperature increases, atmospheric pressure at sea level decreases
Layers of the Atmosphere
o Troposphere
o Tropopause
o Stratosphere
o Mesosphere
o Mesopause
o Ionosphere
o Thermosphere
Temperature Invasion
Scattering
Albedo
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Greenhouse Effect
The absorption of thermal energy from the ground heats the lower atmosphere and
keeps Earth’s surface much warmer than it would be if there were no atmosphere
Continuous cycle
Prevailing Winds
Coriolis Effect
Trade Winds
Westerlies
Polar Easterlies
Front
Jet Streams
Doldrums
Breeze
Sea Breeze
Land Breeze
Valley Breeze
Mountain Breeze
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Atmospheric Pressure
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Latent Heat
When liquid evaporates, the water….
Evaporation
Sublimation
Humidity
Dew point
Absolute humidity
Mixing ratio
Equation used to measure absolute humidity
Why do meteorologists prefer to describe humidity using mixing ratio of air
Relative Humidity
Psychrometer
What is the difference between the two thermometers of a psychrometer
What happens to the wet bulb thermometer when the psychrometer is whirled around
Clouds and Fog
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Cloud
Evaporation
Fog
What must be available for water vapor to condense and form a cloud
What is present in troposphere that is essential for cloud formation
What condition must the air be for a cloud to form
Adiabatic cooling
Adiabatic Lapse Rate
Condensation level
Results of air being forced upwards
How do large clouds associated with storm systems form
What two features classify clouds
Three basic forms of clouds
Stratus clouds
Nimbus mean?
Cumulus
Cirrus and cirro
Compare and contrast fog and clouds
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Precipitation
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Rain
Drizzle
Snow
Sleet
Glaze Ice
Ice Storm
Hail
What two processes cause cloud droplets to fall to Earth
Coalescence
What happens during supercooling
What creates supercooling
Rain Gauge
Measuring stick
Doppler Radar
Three things meteorologists can determine with a Doppler Radar
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