Earth Science Vocab
any water-bearing underground region that groundwater can flow through
aquifer
when the moon's shadow falls on Earth
solar eclipse
hardness, streak, color, luster, cleavage, fracture
What color star has the highest surface temperature?
blue
Where do most earthquakes occur?
Where lithospheric plates meet
longitudinal; compress and expand the rock as they move thorugh it; move in all directions; fastest of all seismic waves; can travel through any type of material
primary waves
an event where a white dwarf suddenly brightens and appears as a "new" star
nova
What are the 4 layers of Earth in order from inside to outside?
inner core, outer core, mantle, crust
How was Earth's moon formed?
collision between orbiting object and Earth sent debris flying that compressed together over time
Which era saw woolly mammoths?
Cenozoic
the degree to which a porous material permits fluid to flow
permeability
the sun's surface (sphere of light)
photosphere
Describe the process of an earthquake.
stress between plates builds until it exceeds the strength of the fault and the rock snaps, sending out energy waves in all directions
How was the sun formed?
a large nebula exploded and ignited
What type of orbit does Earth move in?
elliptical
the vertical drop in the elevation of the stream channel divided by the horizontal distance for that drop
gradient
located beyond Neptune, occupied by many rocky, ice-covered objects
Kuiper Belt
List the 4 vertical layers of the atmosphere in order of closest to the surface to farthest from the surface.
troposphere, stratosphere, mesosphere, thermosphere
What are the 3 types of galaxies?
spiral, elliptical, irregular
How do thunderstorms begin?
humid, unstable air rises and cools
chilled air that is colder and denser than the air around it
downdraft
asteroid fragments that frequently find their way to Earth where they are heated white-hot by frictions with the atmosphere
meteoroids
normal fault
reverse fault
strike-slip fault
Donna will check
What is the name of the diagram that measures surface temperature vs luminosity of stars?
Hertzsprung-Russell Diagram
What are the 3 types of atmospheric lifting?
convectional, orographic, frontal