Scientific Method
What is the first step of the scientific method?
Observation
What is the atmosphere?
What are the horizontal lines for determining location on a globe?
latitude
Which part of the atom has a positive charge?
proton
Which property of the mineral describes how it reflects light?
Luster
What comes after the "experiment" step in the scientific method?
Analyze data
What is a topographic map?
A flat map that shows elevation with contour lines
What is the theory that explains how the continents move, and other things like volcanoes and earthquakes?
plate tectonics
What parts of the atom make up the nucleus?
protons and neutrons
What scale is used to measure a mineral's hardness?
Mohs scale
A variable that stays constant throughout a whole experiment is known as...
a controlled variable
Define renewable and non-renewable resources.
Renewable - resources that will replenish as they are used, ex. solar, wind
Nonrenewable - resources that do not replenish or take a very long time so they cannot replace as fast as they are used ex. coal, oil
What are the 3 layers of the geosphere?
core, mantle, crust
Which part of the atom is the smallest?
electron
What group of minerals only contain one element or type of atom?
What is a scientific theory?
a well-tested explanation that is widely accepted by the scientific community
Define a solid, liquid, and gas.
Solid - definite shape and volume
Liquid - indefinite shape, but definite volume
Gas - indefinite shape and volume
What are the two power sources for the Earth as a system?
Sun, inner core
What is the difference between an element and a compound?
What are the 4 processes by which minerals form?
crystallization from magma
precipitation (coming out of water)
pressure and temperature
hydrothermal solutions
Look at the following experiment:
One plant is given sunlight every day. Another plant is not given any sunlight. After 3 weeks, we measure how tall the plant is.
What are the independent and dependent variables?
independent - the amount of sunlight
dependent - the height of the plant
Define historical geology and physical geology.
Physical geology - the study of the materials that make up the Earth
Historical geology - using these findings to establish a timeline of Earth's history
Give an example of a constructive force and a destructive force.
Constructive - mountain building (anything that builds up the surface of the Earth)
Destructive - weathering/erosion (anything that breaks down the surface of the earth)
What are the 3 kinds of chemical bonds?
ionic, covalent, metallic
What are the 5 parts that make up with the definition of a mineral?
1. Naturally occurring
2. Solid
3. Orderly crystal structure
4. Definite chemical composition
5. Inorganic