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| 3rd rock from the sun, supports life, approx 4.6 billion y/o |
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| span of time on Earth, grouped by the changes on Earth |
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| largest span of time on geologic time scale; Archean, Proterozoic, Hadean, Phanerozoic |
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| 2nd largest span of time; includes Paleozoic, Mesozoic, and Cenozoic |
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| 3rd largest span of time; divided from eras |
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| the eons Hadean, Archean, and Proterozoic ; first eons; starts 4.55 billion yrs ago |
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| Crust (in relation to Earth's layers) |
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Definition
| outermost layer of Earth; continental or oceanic; can fracture & lead to Earthquakes |
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| denser than other type; made of basalt (contains Fe and Mg); 3-6 mi thick |
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| high amount of granite (rich in Al); 22-44 mi thick |
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| makes up 80% of Earth's volume; has upper/lower level; 1,802 mi thick |
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| Earth's crust and upper mantle; rigid outer layer of Earth; broken into tectonic plates |
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| below lithosphere, above lower mantle; plastic-like substance that tends to flow |
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| semi-rigid, flows very slowly; part of mantle |
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| center of the Earth; inner/outer layers; made of Fe and Ni |
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| core layer; solid bc of extreme pressure from outer layers; 746 mi thick |
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| core layer; molten bc of extreme heat; 10,832F; 1,249 mi thick |
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| movement of the seafloor at the mid-ocean ridge |
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| location where magma rises to surface; as it rises, it pushes away existing seafloor to make it spread apart |
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| transform plate boundaries |
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Definition
| faults; at zone of transform plate boundaries, slide in sideways motion; when pressure releases, causes EQs. i.e. San Andreas Fault & Alpine Fault (New Zealand) |
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| Divergent plate boundaries |
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Definition
| 2+ plates pull away from each other; i.e. mid-ocean ridges or E. Africa Rift Valley |
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| Convergent Plate Boundaries |
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Definition
| 2 plates move toward each other and one goes under the other; i.e. Andres Mtns (S America), Cascade Mtns (USA), Marianas Trench (Pacific Ocean) |
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| oceanic and continental plates in collision, with denser oceanic plate pushed below continental plate; why continental crust older than oceanic |
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| pressure released from build up of transform plate boundaries being pushed together then released |
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| occur when plates slide past each other horizontally |
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| caused by tension from pulling apart motion |
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| openings in Earth's surface that allow magma, gas, ash, cinder, etc to escape from mantle |
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| large, broad sides, gradual slopes, usually have crater on top, typically erupt slowly. i.e., Mauna Loa (Hawaii), Mt Wrangwell (AL) |
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| Composite/Strato Volcanoes |
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| tall; symmetrical; steep; built from alt layers of ash, lava, cinders; explosions unpredictable. i,e, Mt Shasta (CA) & Mt. St. Helens (WA) |
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| made of lava that erupts in the form of cinders, which are blown into the air & settle around volcano opening; most common type. i.e. Crater Lake's ex-volcano |
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| Health Effects of Volcano Explosions |
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Definition
| poor air quality, respiration problems, bone degeneration(Hydrogen Flouride); suffocation (ash/CO2); acid rain (SO2/HCl, HF) |
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| ozone can be broken down (diminishes as gases reduce in atmos); global warming; contribute to smog; block out solar radiation/lower mean temps |
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| caused by tilt of Earth's axis to its orbital plane & rotation around the sun |
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| when Earth is closest to the sun (Jan) |
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| Earth farthest from sun (July) |
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| short-term events of temp, wind, percipitation |
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| avging daily weather for at least 30 yrs |
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| Hadley air circulation cell |
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Definition
| occur close to equator; air warmed by strong solar radiation & rises; cools as it rises and sinks (0 to +/-30F) |
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| Ferrel air circulation cells |
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Definition
| occur at mid-latitudes; sinking air from Hadley cells and rising air of Artic cells create westerly surface winds |
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| Polar air circulation cells |
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Definition
| northernmost cells; contain cold, dense air moving toward poles, where it inks and moves back to mid latitudes |
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| creates deflection of objects otherwise moving in a straight line bc of E's rotation; causes winds in N. Hemi to deflect right and S. Hemi to deflect left |
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| period of ocean warming in e. tropical Pacific Ocean; surface waters heat up bc of undercurrents; air surface pressure increseases, creating milder climates in n US & wetter conditions in e US/Peru & SE Asia drier |
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| surface water temps colder than usual; occurs in 3-7 yr cycles |
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| 2.5% of water; 21% of the 2.5% is in form of groundwater/water vapor/lakes/rivers |
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| 3.5% salt; most of the water on earth; main salts being NaCl, MgCl, & CaCl |
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| daily activities of organisms moving through/over souk |
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| physical (mechanical) weathering |
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| rock material broken down w/o chemical changes taking places (i.e. wind, water) |
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Definition
| chem rxns occur from H2O & atmos gases reacting w/ parent material |
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| O Horizon (organic litter) |
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Definition
| outermost layer of soil profile; composed of organic layer, inc. living organisms |
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| mix of organic matter w. inorganic materials; inc weathered parent material; essential in plant growth/productivity (2nd layer); contains most nutrients for plant growth |
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| 3rd layer deep; mainly mineral material |
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| contains many items leached from above soil layers (4th layer deep) |
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| C Horizon (minimally weathered) |
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| 2nd to deepest layer of soil profile; weathered from parent material; experienced minimal erosion; contains mainly larger fragments |
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| parent material; deepest layet |
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| amt of open space between each soil particle; ratio to void space to ttl volume |
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| ability for liquid to flow through soil |
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| fine particles; low permeability; particle diameter is less than .002 mm |
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| fine particles but larger thann clay. .002 to .05 mm |
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| larger than silt; high permeability; .05 to 2mm; not condusive to plant growth |
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| mixture of sand, silt, & clay; soils with pH clos to neutral are ideal for agriculture |
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