Gravity & Motion in Space 🌌
What force keeps planets in orbit around the Sun?
Gravity
What is the largest planet in our solar system?
Jupiter
What is the most important gas for life on Earth?
Oxygen
Who proposed the theory of continental drift?
Alfred Wegener
What process creates new oceanic crust at mid-ocean ridges?
Seafloor spreading
What does the law of superposition state?
Older rock layers are beneath younger rock layers
What two factors determine the strength of gravitational attraction between two objects?
Mass and distance
What is the name of the belt between Mars and Jupiter that contains many asteroids?
Asteroid Belt
What is the "Goldilocks Zone"?
The habitable zone where liquid water can exist
What evidence supports continental drift?
Fossil, geological, and climatic evidence
How does seafloor spreading support the theory of plate tectonics?
It shows that the ocean floor is constantly moving.
What is a fossil?
Preserved remains or traces of ancient organisms
What is the difference between mass and weight?
Mass is the amount of matter; weight is the force of gravity on an object.
What is the difference between a comet and an asteroid?
A comet is made of ice and dust, while an asteroid is made of rock and metal.
Name two essential conditions for life to exist.
Water, atmosphere, energy source, or stable temperature
What is the rigid outer layer of Earth that is divided into tectonic plates?
Lithosphere
What happens during a magnetic reversal?
Earth’s magnetic poles switch places
What type of rock are fossils most commonly found in?
Sedimentary rock
What law states that every mass in the universe attracts every other mass?
Law of Universal Gravitation
What is the term for the path an object takes as it moves around another object in space?
Orbit
What protects Earth from harmful radiation from the Sun?
The atmosphere, specifically the ozone layer.
What type of plate boundary forms when two plates move apart?
Divergent boundary
What underwater feature is created by seafloor spreading?
Mid-ocean ridge
How can scientists determine the relative age of rock layers?
By using superposition and fossil evidence
What two forces work together to keep planets in orbit?
Gravity and inertia
What is the difference between a planet’s period of rotation and period of revolution?
Rotation is the time it takes to spin once on its axis; revolution is the time it takes to orbit the Sun.
How does Earth’s magnetic field contribute to sustaining life?
It shields the planet from solar radiation and charged particles.
What is the name of the hot, slowly flowing layer beneath the lithosphere?
Asthenosphere
How do magnetic stripes on the ocean floor provide evidence for seafloor spreading?
They show a record of Earth's magnetic field reversals
Why are fossils important for understanding Earth’s history?
They provide evidence of past life, climates, and environmental changes