Rock Cycle
Name the three main rock types formed in the rock cycle
Sedimentary, Igneous, Metamorphic
What is the name of the upper part of the mantle and the lower part of the crust that is broken into plates?
Lithosphere
The boundary between two air masses
Front
What causes day and night on Earth?
Earth's rotation
Explain how angle of insolation affects the intensity of solar radiation received at Earth’s surface
As angle of insolation increases, intensity of solar radiation increases
Which process converts sediment into sedimentary rock?
Compaction and/or Cementation
At what type of plate boundary do two plates move apart and new crust form?
Divergent Boundaries
Describe the change in weather if a warm front moves through an area
Long, gentle periods of precipitation followed by warmer temperatures
What is a lunar eclipse and when does it occur?
When the shadow of Earth (created by the sun) falls across the moon, blocking it from view
Occurs when the sun, earth, and moon are in perfect alignment and the moon is in the full moon position
Define albedo AND give an example of high vs low albedo
Albedo: the amount of light reflected off of earth's surface
High albedo: Lots of ice/snowball earth
Low albedo: Lots of dark surface exposure (forests/oceans)
Explain how metamorphic rock can become igneous rock (name the process)
Melting, becoming magma or lava
Explain how subduction leads to volcanic arcs at convergent ocean–continental boundaries
The subducting plate "pierces" the mantle, leading to magma rising to the surface and breaking through the crust, forming volcanoes
Describe weather changes as a cold front moves through an area
Short periods of severe precipitation (such as thunderstorms) followed by cooler temperatures
Why does Earth experience seasons?
Earth's revolution and its axial tilt of 23.5 degrees
Name the events of March 21st and September 21st along with relative hours of daylight vs darkness
The spring (vernal) and fall (autumnal) equinoxes- 12 hours of daylight and 12 hours of darkness
Identify two ways that magma composition affects the type of igneous rock that forms
Composition and Cooling Rate
Describe how transform boundaries can produce earthquakes but typically not volcanoes
The plates spread past each other causing stress & friction, making earthquakes. There are typically no volcanoes because there is no subduction or spreading.
Describe the movement of air in a hurricane in the NORTHERN hemisphere
Counter-clockwise and inward
Why don't we experience eclipses every month?
Name the events of June 21st and December 23rd, including relative hours of daylight and darkness
The summer solstice and the winter solstice
Summer: 9 hours of daylight, 15 hours of darkness
Winter: 15 hours of daylight 9 hours of darkness
Compare and contrast felsic and mafic rocks. Include density, composition, and color.
Mafic: higher density, more iron & magnesium, darker colors
Felsic: lower density, more silica & aluminum, lighter colors
Use evidence from rock ages and seafloor features to explain support for the theory of plate tectonics.
Older seafloor farther from ridges, magnetic striping symmetric about mid-ocean ridges, and matching fossil/geologic records across continents support plate motions.
Describe the movement of air in a hurricane in the SOUTHERN hemisphere
Clockwise and inward
Explain how tidal ranges change during spring and neap tides and what alignments of Sun–Earth–Moon cause each.
Spring tides: Higher high tides and lower low tides, occur when the sun, earth, and moon are in alignment (full or new moon phases)
Neap tides: Lower high tides and higher low tides, occur when the sun, earth, and moon are at a right angle (first and third quarter moon positions)
Describe how the angle of insolation in the Northern hemisphere would change in summer vs winter if Earth was tilted at 45 degrees
Hotter summers and colder winters