Download EARTH SCIENCE MIDTERM REVIEW SHEET

EARTH SCIENCE MIDTERM REVIEW SHEET
January 27, 2014 @ 12:30-2PM
Use the following review facts as a basis for studying. Use them when doing review assignments to look up
helpful facts. Memorizing the facts is not as important as understanding what they mean and why. To help you
be successful complete Castle Learning Midterm Pretest
Introduction
Indirect relationship: as one variable increases, the other variable decreases.
Direct relationship: as one variable increases, the other variable decreases.
Cyclic change - things that repeat in a predictable way; have been observed for a long time
Interface - boundary between two different things across which energy is exchanged
Dynamic Equilibrium - things change but there is an overall balance
Lithosphere - solid layer of the Earth that includes the crust (p. 1 ESRT)
Hydrosphere- liquid water layer of the Earth- 71% (P. 1 ESRT)
Atmosphere - gas layer; made up of several layers - See p. 1& 14 of the ESRT
Measuring Earth
Polaris –the North Star
The Altitude of Polaris = your latitude North- only visible in the northern hemisphere
Latitude lines are drawn east to west, but the angle is measured north or south of the equator.
Longitude lines are drawn north to south, but the angle is measured east or west of the prime meridian.
Be able to find latitude of NY Cities, Ocean Currents or Tectonic Plates ESRT pg 2, 3, 4 &5
Be able to identify NYS Landscape Regions using latitude and longitude coordinates.
Be able to identify the age and type of rock in NYS.
Time zones are based on Earth’s rotation rate- 15 per hour. 15degrees of longitude is a standard time zone.
Cities on same longitude have the same time zone.
Mapping Earth
Field- region of space where you can make measurements at every point.
Isolines - connect points of equal value on a field map
Isobars connect points of equal pressure
Isotherms connect equal temperatures
Contour lines connect points of equal elevation or altitude above sea level
Be able to read contour maps- find the elevation of a point, find the contour interval, determine stream
direction, calculate gradient & construct a profile.
Gradient (slope) - equation ESRT pg 1 - the closer the lines the steeper the slope
Streams - always flow downhill, contour lines bend to form a V when they cross a stream. The V points
upstream.Stream flow is opposite the V’s.
Profile – Be able to draw a cross-section (side view ) of a landscape; what the land will do along a straight line,
the tops of the hills and the bottom of valleys always curve- there are no straight lines on a profile
Astronomy- Earth in the Universe and Earth, Sun & Moon’s Motions
Red shift (Doppler Effect)–indicates that objects are moving away and the Universe is expanding
Lines move to the red side of the spectrum
Luminosity chart, ESRT p. 15
Stars produce electromagnetic (EM) energy (ESRTp14) by nuclear fusion (squeeze hydrogen atoms together
to make helium). All types of EM energy travel at the same speed. They are different in wavelength.
Stars are classified based on temperature, color, luminosity and size.
Hotter stars are brighter and more blue. Cooler stars are dimmer and more red. Know ESRT pg 15 Star Graph
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We live on an arm of the Milky Way galaxy, a spiral galaxy. There are billions of stars in our galaxy held
together by gravity.
Increasing Size: Earth>Sun>Milky Way>Universe
Geocentric Model- everything revolves around the Earth and the Earth does not move
Heliocentric Model - All of the planets revolve around the sun in slightly eccentric ellipses; the
sun is at one of the focal points. Earth does rotate.
Eccentricity - ESRT formula p. 1; always between 0 and 1 and rounded to the nearest thousandth
Major axis – longest distance along an ellipse. This line passes through the foci.
Orbits are elliptical, with the sun at one of the focal points
A circle has an eccentricity of zero. A line has an eccentricity of 1. The larger the decimal, the greater the
eccentricity- the more elliptical the orbit is.
When the planet is at perihelion, it is moving the fastest (greatest orbital speed or kinetic energy).
When the planet is at perihelion, the Sun’s apparent diameter is the greatest (Sun appears bigger)
When the planet is at aphelion, it is moving the slowest (least orbital speed or kinetic energy).
When the planet is at aphelion, the Sun’s apparent diameter is the least(Sun appears smallest)
The farther a planet is from the sun the longer it takes to revolve.
A planet will cover an equal area of space in equal time periods.
Gravitational Force - gravity increases as distance decreases from the planet to Sun or moon to planet
Planets - apparent diameter is larger as distance decreases- Planet appears bigger as it is closer to Earth
ESRT p. 15 lists all of the planets properties
Terrestrial Planets (inner planets- Mercury, Venus, Earth & Mars)- small, rocky, thin atmospheres, rotate
slower, few or no moons
Jovian Planets (outer planets- Jupiter, Saturn Uranus Neptune)- large, gaseous, thick atmospheres, rotate
quickly, many moons and rings.
Stars - appear to move 15 degrees per hour because Earth rotates. They rise in the East and set in the west.
Polaris is located above the Earth’s axis. It doesn’t move. The altitude of Polaris is equal to your latitude!
The Coriolis Effect proves the Earth rotates.
Objects curve right in the Northern Hemisphere and left in the Southern Hemisphere. ESRT p4
The Foucault Pendulum proves Earth rotates.
Constellations change with the seasons because of the Earth’s revolution around the Sun.
Sun - appears to move 15 degrees per hour due to the Earth’s rotation
Sun is always highest at solar noon and due south of an observer in NYS. Shadows are in the north at solar
noon. A time zone = 15 degrees of longitude. Going east increase, Going west is less
The Sun is located at these locations on these dates:
Tropic of Cancer, 23.5 N on June 21 (Longest day, highest Sun in NYS, Sun rises N of east and sets N of west)
Tropic of Capricorn, 23.5 S on Dec. 21 (shortest day, lowest Sun in NYS, Sun rises S of east and sets S of west)
Equator, O degrees on March 21 and Sept. 23 (12 hours of daylight everywhere, Sun rises due E and sets due W)
- Shadows are shortest when the sun is highest
Moon - phases caused by the moon’s revolution around the Earth
New moon to New moon =29.5 days Full moon to full moon= 29.5 days
Rises ~ 1 hour later each day; Moon causes tides – highest tides during Full and New moon called spring tides
2 high tides and 2 low tides per day- Change of tide every 6 hours 13 minutes.
- Solar eclipse occurs during the new moon phase- Moon blocks the Sun
- Lunar Eclipse occurs during the Full moon phase- Earth blocks the Sun
Earth - rotates at 15 degrees per hour
- Rotation evidence is the Coriolis Effect and Foucault’s Pendulum
- Earth is closest to the sun in January (perihelion), farthest in July (aphelion)
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Insolation - energy from the sun, mostly visible light reaches the Earth
Angle of Insolation- greatest at 900; can only be between the Tropic of Capricorn and the Tropic of Cancer
- As latitude increases, the angle decreases
- Seasons - summer is the greatest angle, winter is the least
- Time of day - Sunrise and sunset have the lowest angle; solar noon is the highest angle
Duration of Insolation - length of time the sun is out- hours of daylight
- Latitude - changes least in the Tropics (always near 12 hours)
-changes the most at the Poles (0 hours at winter, 24 hours in summer)
- Seasons - Longest day June 21= 15 hours, shortest Dec 21=9 hours
The hottest day is not he first day of summer but in late July or early August
The coldest day is not the first day of winter but in late January or early February
Season – The seasons are opposite in the Southern Hemisphere
Seasons are caused by the tilt of the Earth and the revolution around the sun. This causes the Sun’s angle to
change which causes the temperatures to change.
Introduction to Meteorology
Greenhouse Effect – Short wave visible light is absorbed by the ground and re-radiated as longer wave infrared
energy. Carbon dioxide and Water vapor absorb infrared energy warming the Earth- without this the Earth would
be a ball of ice.
Electromagnetic energy (EME) - As temperature increases, the amount of EME given off increases
Spectrum - p. 14 ESRT; the shorter the wavelength the stronger and more frequent the radiation
Terrestrial Radiation – energy from the Earth, mostly infrared energy (heat)
Conduction - energy transfer - air heats when it contacts the heat from the surface
Refection - bounce off, clouds and snow reflect insolation
Refraction - bending of light causes rainbows
Absorption - to go into something; dark, rough surfaces absorb the best
- A good absorber is a good radiator
-A poor absorber is a good reflector (light & smooth surfaces)
Water vapor enters the water cycle by transpiration (plants) & evaporation. (surface water).
Know how much energy is gained and lost when water changes phase. ESRT p 1
When clouds form- air expands & cools to the dew point- condensation occurs (water vapor to liquid droplet)
At the dew point temperature air is full of water vapor. The relative humidity is 100% and clouds form.
The closer the air temperature and dew point, the more humid the air and greater chance of precipitation.
Know how to find dew point and relative humidity on ESRT p 12
Know how to convert air temperatures using p 13 of the ESRT
Know how to locate air temperature and dew point temperature on a station model ESRT p 13
BRING A PEN, PENCIL & CALCULATOR!
GOOD LUCK!!!
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