Earth Science
Name______________________________
Chapters 2 & 4
Period______________________________
Review
Date_______________________________
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The Earth in the Universe and Plate Tectonics
OBJECTIVES
Section 2.0 – Cosmology
1) Define cosmology and cosmogony.
2) Evaluate the different theories surrounding the creation of the universe and the solar system.
3) Summarize the theories surrounding the formation of the Earth’s atmosphere, lithosphere, and
hydrosphere.
Section 2.1 – Earth: A Unique Planet
1) List the characteristics of the earth’s three major zones.
2) Explain how studies of seismic waves have provided information about the earth’s interior.
3) Define magnetosphere and identify the possible source of the earth’s magnetism.
4) Summarize Newton’s law of gravitation.
Section 2.2 – Movements of the Earth
1) Describe the earth’s revolution and rotation.
2) Tell why the seasons change.
3) Explain how the sun is used as a basis for measuring time.
VOCABULARY
Aphelion
Core
Geosynchronous Orbit
Law of Gravitation
Moho
Precession
Satellite
Standard Time Zone
Winter Solstice
Autumnal Equinox
Crust
Gravity
Magnetosphere
Perihelion
Revolution
Seismic Wave
Summer Solstice
Axis
Daylight Savings Time
International Date Line
Mantle
Polar Orbit
Rotation
Shadow Zone
Vernal Equinox
OBJECTIVES
Section 4.1 – Continental Drift
1) Explain Wegener’s hypothesis of continental drift.
2) List evidence for Wegener’s hypothesis of continental drift.
3) Describe seafloor spreading.
Section 4.2 – The Theory of Plate Tectonics
1) Summarize the theory of plate tectonics.
2) Compare the characteristic geologic activities that occur along the three types of plate boundaries.
3) Explain the possible role of convection currents in plate movement.
VOCABULARY
Asthenosphere
Convection
Divergent Boundary
Mid-Atlantic Ridge
Oceanic Crust
Plate Tectonics
Subduction Zone
Transform Fault Boundary
Continental Crust
Convection Current
Island Arc
Mid-Ocean Ridges
Pangea
Rift Valley
Terrane
Continental Drift
Convergent Boundary
Lithosphere
Ocean Trench
Panthalassa
Seafloor Spreading
Theory of Suspect Terranes
REVIEW QUESTIONS
The Earth in the Universe
Match the list of items below with the term(s) associated with each.
The Big Bang Plate Tectonics
Continental Drift
Formation of the Solar System
Paleomagnetism
Lithosphere Hydrosphere
Atmosphere
Ionosphere Thermosphere
1. Subduction zones
2. Iron grains in rocks freeze in the same direction
3. Mountain Building
4. Formation of the Earth, the Moon, and the planets
5. Formation of all matter, space, and energy as we know it
6. Africa is moving away from South America
7. Evidence suggesting the Earth’s magnetic field has switched several times throughout Earth’s history
8. Volcanoes in the Andes
9. Earthquakes in California
10. Fossils in North America match those in Europe
11. Currently made of N2 (78%), O2 (21%), and Others (Ar, CO2, etc.)
12. Source materials include water from comets, vapor from volcanoes, and chemical weathering of rocks
13. Is greatly influenced by the photosynthesis of plants
14. Originally one homogeneous mass of hot rock and metal
15. Originally contained mostly H2 and He
16. Made from molten rock hardening at Earth’s surface
17. Made up of about 3.5% NaCl
Origin of the Universe
18. What is cosmology?
19. What is the difference between a heliocentric and a geocentric model of the solar system?
20. What galaxy do you live in? About how many stars are in our galaxy?
21. What is the big bang? When do scientists think it occurred?
22. What were (and are) most stars made mostly of?
23. Why do scientists think the universe is expanding?
24. What is the Doppler effect? Give an example.
25. How did scientists get the number of about 15 billion years old for how old the universe is?
26. About how many years will pass until our Sun dies (burns out)?
27. What will eventually happen to the universe if it keeps expanding?
28. What will eventually happen to the universe if it stops expanding and begins contracting?
Origin of the Solar System
29. What is cosmogony?
30. List and describe the 3 stages in the development of a new solar system.
31. What is a protosun? What are planetesimals?
32. Why don’t the inner planets have a lot of Hydrogen and Helium, while the outer planets have a lot of these
elements?
Origin of the Earth’s Atmosphere, Hydrosphere, and Lithosphere
33. What was our initial atmosphere made of (elements and percentages)?
34. What is our current atmosphere made of (elements and percentages)?
35. How did we get from our initial atmosphere to our current one?
36. What role did plants have in forming our current atmosphere?
37. What is the composition of the Earth’s oceans? Where did those materials come from?
38. About how long ago did the oceans on Earth reach their current state?
39. What was the original Earth composed of? Why was it so hot?
40. Describe what happened to the Earth during its first 10 – 15 million years.
41. How long ago did the Earth begin forming continents like we see today?
Earth in Orbit
42. What is the difference between a revolution and a rotation of the Earth?
43. How long does it take for the Earth to complete 1 revolution?
44. What is the difference between perihelion and aphelion? When is the Earth at perihelion? How far away is
the Earth at perihelion? When is the Earth at aphelion? How far away is the Earth at aphelion?
45. List the specific name for each of the four seasons and also list when each occurs.
46. What is precession?
47. How long does it take for the Earth to complete one complete “wobble”?
48. What star will be the North Star in 13,000 years from now?
49. What is going to happen to the seasons over the course of the next 13,000 years?
50. What is apparent local noon?
51. How many time zones are there? How many degrees of longitude are within each time zone?
52. Why did we need the international date line? Why was it placed where it is today?
53. What time zone do you live in?
Layers of the Earth
54. Draw a diagram of the Earth and point out where the Earth’s crust would be.
55. Describe the two kinds of crust, tell how thick each is, and list what each is made of.
56. Draw a diagram of the Earth and point out where the Earth’s mantle would be.
57. Describe what the mantle is made of, how it behaves, and how thick it is.
58. Compare and contrast the lithosphere with the asthenosphere.
59. Draw a diagram of the upper mantle that shows the lithosphere, the asthenosphere, and the Mohorovicic
Discontinuity.
60. What is Moho?
61. Compare and contrast the outer and inner core.
62. Why does the Earth have a magnetic field?
63. Compare the Earth’s layers to the layers of an egg.
64. How do we know what the layers of the Earth look like?
Continental Drift
65. Who proposed the Continental Drift Theory? When was it proposed? What exactly does it say?
66. List the lines of evidence that support the theory of Continental Drift.
67. What is pangaea?
68. What is sea-floor spreading? What makes it happen?
69. Where are the oldest rocks on the ocean floor located? Where are the youngest rocks?
70. What is paleomagnetism and how is it used to study the ocean floor?
Plate Tectonics
71. How many major plates make up the surface of the Earth? Describe the force that makes the plates move.
72. Where are most of the changes (volcanoes, earthquakes, etc.) on the Earth’s surface occurring?
73. Describe and diagram a divergent plate boundary. In your diagram, label the asthenosphere, the lithosphere,
the rift valley, and the direction of plate movement.
74. Where is the youngest crust on Earth found? Where are the older rocks found near a mid ocean ridge?
75. Compare, contrast, and diagram the three types of convergent plate boundaries. Give a real world example
for each.
76. What is a subduction zone?
77. How does a deep sea trench form?
78. What is a transform plate boundary? Draw a diagram to aid in your explanation. Give an example of a
transform plate boundary.
79. What are hot spots? Give a real world example of a hot spot. Do hot spots occur along plate boundaries?