Earth and Physical Science Final Study Guide 2012 – B3
Atmosphere
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Layers of gases and tiny particles surround the earth
Gravity pulls gases to earth
Troposphere,
o closest to Earths surface
o Temp gets colder as altitude increases
o weather
Stratosphere extends upward from the troposphere and the air gets warmer as altitude rises
Mesosphere above stratosphere-coldest layer –temp decreases as altitude increases
Thermosphere/exosphere temp increases steadily with altitude
Atmosphere/ozone protects from UV
Maintains temp where h2o is liquid and holds h2o
Nitrogen most abundant element in the atmosphere, oxygen second
Global Climate Change –
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ozone, being destroyed over time. Cfc’s =cause. UV break through=causes skin cancer
greenhouse effect caused by burning of fossil fuels. Global temp increases, deserts increase,
coral reef destruction, sea level rise
sea level rise=LAND ICE. melting ice from global increase temp. destroy ocean front houses,
docks, roads, salt marshes, water heated up from air around which causes it to spread out
Layers of the Earth
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Layers…
o inner core: pressure, solid metal contains iron&nickel.
o Outer core responsible for the magnetic field.
o Lower mantel=earths volume and very rocky. Plate tectonics
o Upper mantel inside is made up of hot weak deformed rock…
o crust is highest layer
Plate Tectonics
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Alfred Wegner* =came up with continental drift theory=plates together
Named this pangea
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Old evidence, puzzle pieces, all land masses fit together, 2 fossils of same organism found on
opposite land masses, mountains continue on opposite continents, Antarctic fossils found,
paleomagnetism=new evidence. Rock age at divergent boundaries ad mid atlantic ridge moving,
3 types of boundaries.
Transformation of Energy
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A total amount of energy never changes in a closed system
At a highest point the KE is 0
Friction is not applied
potential energy is converted into kinetic energy
Energy cannot be created or destroyed it only changes form
Kinetic energy is based on velocity&mass
(m)(g)(h)
Velocity is SPEED
Joules are the unit of energy
Energy is lost due to friction (form of heat)
Energy comes from the sun (heat,light&radiation)
Waves
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A transverse wave oscillation is perpendicular to the direction the wave moves
Longitudinal wave has vibrations the same direction as the wave moves
Crest is the high point of a wave
Trough is the low point of the wave
Wavelength is the distance from any point on a wave to the same point on the next cycle
The speed of the wave is the speed in which the wave oscillation travel through material
Plane wave moves perpendicular to the wave fronts
Circular waves form a circular wave front
Reflection is when wave bounces in a new direction
Refraction is when a wave passes through an object and bends in a different direction
Diffraction=a wave bends around an object
Constructive interference when two waves interact the amplitude goes ^^^
Destructive interference= crest & trough meet=cancel each other out
Standing wave STUFFFFF=]
During absorption waves bounce and loses amplitude until you don’t have a wave anymore
Earthquakes
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3 waves
Pwaves=fast=pass through core
Swave=slow, more damaging than pwaves=side to side movement
Surface wave=most damaged
Intensity is measured in mercalli scale
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Magnitude=size of earthquake=measured by richter scale
Intensity is how much damage an earthquake causes
Caused by plate movement+tension builds up ….can also cause tsunami
How depth effects intensity
Told us about layers of the earth
Fault, epicenter, focus
Volcanoes
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3 types of volcano, shield, composite, cinder cone
Shield=flat with thin mafic lava=not explosive
Composite= most dangerous(layers of ash and lava -solid rock- from formed lava, lava is viscous)
Cinder cone=shape of a cone(ash rained down from older volcano)
Volcano occur in subduction zones, hot spots, divergent boundaries(the WORST)
Bad for atmosphere, release toxins(co2)
Difference between lava and magma =lava above the ground and magma is still UNDER ground
Mafic(dark, hot&thin) vs felsic(light, cold, thick, very explosive, oceanic, continental)
Erosion/Deposition
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Deposition = beach made with fine sand, with small rocks, flat wide land
Erosion = beach made of corse sand, rocks, and boulders, STEEEEEEP.
Erosion=3 waves be formed, gravity, water, and land.
Deposition formed =Glaciers wind&water
Longshores transport=movement of water and sediment parallel to the shoreline from the
water. Moving in direction because of wave currents
GLACIER SHTUFFFF=]
Sand bar is deposited sand parallel to the beach
Split/tembolo
Tembolo is a ridge of sand deposit connecting islands to mainlands (both are long skinny deposit
of land)