Download Earth Science Sem 1 Study Guide

Earth Science Semester 1 Study Guide
1. Define Earth Science and what its purpose is.
2. Know the steps of the scientific method. Define theory, law.
3. Why might a scientific theory change?
4. What is the name of the measuring system do scientists use? Why do they use it? What is it based
on?
5. Explain what a topographic map is and what contour lines indicate.
6. Explain latitude, longitude, Prime Meridian, equator
7. What did planet Earth form from?
8. How old is Earth?
9. How did the early oceans get their salt?
10. How did the early atmosphere develop and where did the oxygen come from?
11. List and describe the layers of the earth, asthenosphere, and lithosphere.
12. Define the Law of Superposition and Uniformitarianism.
13. Define relative and absolute age and how we determine them.
14. Define geologic time scale, geologic column, Precambrian, Paleozoic, Mesozoic, Cenozoic, mass
extinction.
15. Why can’t we study Precambrian rocks?
16. Define index fossil. Why is it important? What kind of rocks have fossils?
17. Why did the dinosaurs become extinct?
18. Define evolution.
19. What is a fracture in rocks? A fault? A fold?
20. Where do we find rocks that are regularly under stress?
21. Describe the three forces acting on rocks.
22. Describe the three types of earthquake waves. Which way do they move? What order do they
arrive in?
23. Which does the most damage to humans and why?
24. What is the focus of an earthquake? The epicenter?
25. What is the difference between a shallow and deep focus earthquake in terms of damage.
26. What do frequent earthquakes in an area indicate?
27. Describe the rock cycle and different classes and subclasses of rock.
28. Define renewable and nonrenewable resource.
29. Define the following and if they are renewable or nonrenewable: fossil fuels, nuclear energy,
geothermal energy, solar energy, hydroelectric energy, biomass
30. How did fossil fuels form and why aren’t they being made now? Describe the three types.
31. What is the ultimate source of all energy on Earth?
32. What is the first step in energy transfer through an ecosystem? What kind of organism does this?
33. How does respiration affect the carbon cycle? What kind of organism does this?
34. What is the difference between a closed and an open system?
35. What is an ecosystem’s response to environmental change?
36. Define recycling and conservation.
37. Define ecosystem, consumer, producer, decomposer, carrying capacity.
38. Describe how heat moves inside the earth.
ES Sem 1 Final Study Guide 1