Download 2nd Semester Exam Study Guide

Second Semester Exam Study Guide
8th Grade Earth & Space Science
Earth Science Objectives
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Explain how scientists infer that the Earth has internal layers with discernible properties using patterns of primary
and secondary seismic wave arrivals.
Describe how the sizes of earthquakes and volcanoes are measured or characterized.
Describe the effects of earthquakes and volcanic eruptions on humans.
Explain why fences are offset after an earthquake using the elastic rebound theory.
Distinguish plate boundaries by the pattern of depth and magnitude of earthquakes.
Use the distribution of earthquakes and volcanoes to locate and determine the types of plate boundaries.
Describe the major causes for the ocean’s surface and deep water currents, including the prevailing winds, the
Coriolis effect, unequal heating of the Earth, and thermohaline currents.
Explain the dynamics of the El Nino Southern Oscillation and its effect on continental climate.
Identify factors affecting seawater density and salinity and describe how density affects oceanic layering and
currents (thermohaline currents)
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Explain the differences between maritime and continental climates with regard to oceanic currents.
Explain how the Coriolis Effect controls oceanic circulation.
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Explain how carbon moves through the Earth System
Explain the natural mechanism of the greenhouse effect
Describe natural mechanisms that could result in significant changes in climate.
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Based on evidence from historical climate research and climate change models, explain how the current melting of
polar ice caps can impact the climate system.
Describe geologic evidence that implies climates were significantly colder at times in the geologic record.
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Describe the position and motion of our solar system in our galaxy and the overall scale, structure, and age of the
universe
Explain how the solar system formed from a nebula of dust and gas in a spiral arm of the Milky Way Galaxy about
4.6 Ga (billion years ago)
Identify patterns in solar activities (sunspot cycle, solar flares, solar wind)
Relate events on the Sun to phenomena such as auroras, disruption of radio and satellite communications, and
power disturbances
Describe how nuclear fusion produces energy in the Sun
Describe how nuclear fusion and other processes in stars have led to the formation of all the other chemical
elements
Explain how you can infer the temperature, life span, and mass of a star from its color. Use the H-R diagram to
explain the life cycle of stars
Explain how the balance between fusion and gravity controls the evolution of a star (equilibrium)
Compare the evolution paths of low, moderate and high mass stars using the H-R diagram
Differentiate between Doppler Effect and Red Shift Blue Shift.
Describe how the big bang theory accounts for the formation of the universe.
Second Semester Exam Study Guide
8th Grade Earth & Space Science
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Study Tips: Review textbook, section review and chapter questions, create flash cards with definitions
and pictures, and define or concept map tough vocabulary. Create flash cards and review games at
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Key Vocabulary
Chapter 8 & 9: Earthquakes & Volcanoes (194-239)
Deformation
Elastic Rebound Theory
Surface Waves
Fault
Volcanoes
Transform
Tiltmeter
Volcanology
*Primary Waves
Richter Scale
Seismology
Composite
Pressure (Trapped Gases)
Divergent
Gap Hypothesis
Silica & Water
*Moho/Shadow Zones
*Secondary Waves
Earthquakes
Shield
Earthquakes
Magnitude
Seismic Waves
Seismograph
Convergent
*P-Waves
*S-Waves
Oceans & Climate: Chapters 13-1, 14.1 & 17.1
Surface Currents
Thermohaline Circulation
Coriolis Effect
Deep Ocean Currents
Heat transfer
Maritime Climates
Precipitation
Water Density
Continental Deflections
La Nina
El Nino
El Nino-Southern Oscillation
Continental Climates
Oceanology
Salinity
Climate
Global Winds
Salinity
Climate Change (466-471): Chapters 17-3
Atmosphere
Carbon
Carbon Cycle
Carbon Dioxide
Fossil Fuels Greenhouse
Effect Ice Core
Methane
Ice Age
Volcanic Eruptions Milankovich Theory
Slow/Fast Track C.C.
Organic Carbon
Inorganic Carbon
Eccentricity
Obliquity (tilt)
Precession (wobble) Paleoclimatology
Carbon Sink
Carbon Source
Chapters 18-2, 19-1, 19-2, 21-1, 21-2, 21-4
Expanding Universe
Dark Nebulas
Milky Way Galaxy
Planetary Nebula
Auroras
Hertzsprung-Russell (H-R) diagram
Nuclear fusion
Solar Energy
Solar Flares
Solar Wind, Solar Flares
Star Life Cycles
Sunspot Cycle
Ecliptic
Light Year
Solar System
Planetesimal
Neutron star
Groups & Supercluster
Cosmic Microwave Background Radiation
Doppler Effect
Astronomy
Light Year
Zenith
Big Bang Theory
Orion Spiral Arm
Main Sequence Stars
White dwarf
Red Giant
Super nova
Astronomical Unit (AU)
Sun spots & Magnetic Fields
Black hole
Red & Blue Shift
Cosmology