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Mineral Elements A naturally formed, inorganic solid that has definite chemical structure A substance that cannot be separated or broken down into simpler substances by chemical means Compound A substance made up of atoms of two or more different elements joined by chemical bonds Crystals A solid whose atoms, ions, or molecules are arranged in a definite pattern Silicate minerals (1 of 2 types of minerals) A mineral that contains a combination of silicon, oxygen, and one or more metals Nonsilicate A mineral that does not contain minerals (2 of 2 compounds of silicon and types of oxygen minerals) Streak Cleavage Fracture Hardness Density Ways to Identify Minerals ROCK AND MINERALS Luster Reclamation Ore Rock The way in which a mineral reflects light The color of the powder of a mineral The splitting of a mineral along smooth, flat surfaces The manner in which a mineral breaks along either curved or irregular surfaces A measure of the ability of a mineral to resist scratching The ratio of the mass of a substance to the volume of a substance D=M/V The process of returning land to its original condition after mining is completed A natural material whose concentration of economically valuable minerals is high enough for the material to be mined profitably A naturally occurring solid mixture of one or more minerals or organic matter Rock Cycle The series of processes in which a rock forms, changes from one type to another, is destroyed, and forms again by geological processes Weathering The process in which water, wind, ice and heat break down rock Erosion The process by which wind, water, ice or gravity transports soil and sediment from one location to another The process in which material is laid down The chemical makeup of a rock; describes either the minerals or other materials in the rock The quality of a rock that is based on the sizes, shapes, and positions of the rock’s grains Rocks formed when magma cools Deposition Composition Texture Igneous rock Rock formed from the cooling and Intrusive Igneous Rock solidification of magma beneath the Earth’s surface; cools slowly; large crystals Rock that forms as a result of volcanic activity at or near the Extrusive Igneous Rock Earth’s surface; cools fast; small or no crystals Sedimentary Rock Formed through erosion; 3 types: clastic, chemical, organic Strata Clastic Layers of rock Forms when rock or mineral fragments are cemented together Chemical Forms when minerals crystallize out of a solution such as sea water to become rock Organic Forms from the remains of once living plants and animals Stratification The process in which sedimentary rocks are arranged in layers Metamorphic rock Result of a change in structure, texture, or composition; can be changed by heat and/or pressure Foliated Metamorphic rock Describes the texture of metamorphic rock in which he mineral grains are arranged in planes or bands Nonfoliated metamorphic rock Describes the texture of metamorphic rock in which the mineral grains are not arranged in planes or bands Mohs Hardness Scale 1 is the softest and 10 is hardest A mineral can scratch any other minerals that are softer than itself. 1 Talc 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Gypsum Calcite Fluorite Apatite Orthoclase Quartz Topaz Corundum Diamond Color Ways to Identify Minerals Density -D=M/V Hardness -Mohs Hardness Scale Streak (more reliable than color) Cleavage & Fracture Special Properties Vitreous -glass, brilliant -radioactivity -optical -taste -magnetism -fluorescence -chemical reaction Earth’s Resources Natural Resource Renewable Resources Nonrenewable Resources Fossil Fuels Mining Deforestation Any natural material that is used by humans, such as water, petroleum, minerals, forests and animals A natural resource that can be replaced at the same rate at which the resource is consumed Examples: trees, fresh water, wind, sunlight A resource that forms at a rate that is much slower than the rate at which it is consumed A nonrenewable energy resource formed from the remains of organisms that lived long ago; examples include oil, coal, and natural gas The removal process of resources through one of two processes; surface or subsurface mining The process of removing trees Reclamation The process of returning land to its original condition after mining is completed Ore A natural material whose concentration of economically valuable minerals is high enough for the material to be mined profitably Energy Conservation The act of saving energy: ex. Turning off lights when you leave the room Water Conversation The act of saving water: ex. Taking shorter showers, turning off the water when brushing teeth Air Conservation The act of saving air by not polluting: ex. Walking, riding bikes instead of driving cars Soil Conservation The act of saving soil: ex: not polluting (throwing trash on side of road) sedimentary clastic extrusive rocks metamorphic nonfoliated igneous intrusive Weathering and Erosion Weathering The process by which rock materials are broken down by the action of physical and chemical processes Chemical Weathering The process by which rocks break down as a result of chemical reactions -weathering is faster in warm, humid climates Mechanical Weathering --agents: Acid Precipitation Water, weak acids, air Rain, sleet, or snow that contains a high concentration of acids Oxidation A chemical reaction in which an element, such as iron, combines with oxygen to form an oxide Gravity -affects weathering -the steepness of the slope of a mountain will cause the rainwater to run quicker Erosion The process by which wind, water, ice or gravity transports soil and sediment from one location to another Deposition The process in which material is laid -agents: Water, wind, ice, gravity --agents: Ice Wedging Abrasion The breakdown of rock into smaller pieces by physical means -extreme temperature changes and water increases rate of weathering Ice, abrasion, wind, water, gravity, plants, animals Result of water seeping into cracks during warm weather, then freezing and expanding during cold weather. This process continues and the crack widens. The grinding and wearing away of rock surfaces through the mechanical action of other rock or sand particles Soil Soil Sand A loose mixture of rock fragments, organic material, water, and air that can support the growth of vegetation Bedrock The layer of rock beneath the soil Top soil The upper, outer most layer of soil that is richest in organic material; usually 2-8 inches deep The soil laying directly under the top soil Sub soil Soil Texture The soil quality that is based on the proportions of soil particles; sand, silt, clay Silt Clay Humus Loam A particle in soil that is .05-2mm in size A particle in soil that is .002-.05mm in size A particle in soil that is less than .002mm in size The dark, organic material formed in soil from the decayed remains of plants and animals Soil that contains almost equal amounts of sand, silt and clay. Soil is rich with nutrients and best suited for gardening. Soil horizons Series of layers of soil with humus-rich soil on top (top soil), sediment below that and bedrock on the bottom Parent Rock Chemical weathering oxidation soil Mechanical weathering Rock Ice wedging Layers of the Earth Crust The thin and solid outermost layer of the Earth above the mantle Mantle The layer of rock between the earth’s crust and core Core The central part of the earth below the mantle Outer Core The liquid layer of the Earth’s core that lies beneath the mantle and surrounds the inner core Inner Core The solid, dense center of the planet that extends from the bottom of the outer core to the center of the Earth Lithosphere The outermost, rigid layer of the Earth. Made of two parts-the crust and rigid upper part of the mantle. The lithosphere is divided into pieces called tectonic plates Asthenosphere Mesosphere Seismic Waves The plastic layer of the mantle on which pieces of the lithosphere move. It is made of solid rock that flows very slowly The strong, lower part of the mantle, beneath the asthenosphere. It extends from the bottom of the asthenosphere to the core. A wave of energy that travels through the Earth and away from an earthquake in all directions. Their speed depends on the density and composition of material that they pass through. A seismic wave traveling through a solid (inner core) will go faster than a seismic wave traveling through a liquid (outer core). Layer Crust Temperature Composition 01000OC Oxygen, silicon, aluminum Other -Thinnest layer (5100km) -Oceanic and continental crust Mantle 10003700OC More magnesium , less aluminum and silicon than crust -Thicker than crust -Contains more of Earth’s mass Core Iron, small amounts of nickel -Roughly 1/3 of the earth’s mass 37007000OC The core is denser than the mantle because it contains materials that are denser. The crust is the least dense of the layers because it contains materials that are less dense. Plate Tectonics Tectonic A block of lithosphere that Plates consists of the crust and the rigid, outermost part of the mantle Continental The hypothesis that states that Drift the continents once formed a single landmass, broke up, and drifted to their present locations Pangaea The single, large continent that existed 245 million years ago, before the continents drifted to their current location Divergent Boundary The boundary between two tectonic plates that are moving away from each other Transform Boundary The boundary between tectonic plates that are sliding past each other horizontally Fault A break in a body of rock along which one block slides relative to another ex: normal, reverse, strike-slip Sea-floor Spreading As a result of plate tectonics: -mountain building -uplift (rising of regions of crust) -subsidence (sinking of regions of crust) -earthquake Fossils Fossils are used to show the age of the Earth and how it has/it changed Plate Tectonics Convergent Boundary The process by which new oceanic lithosphere forms as magma rises toward the surface and solidifies The theory that explains how large pieces of the Earth’s outermost layer, called tectonic plates, move and change shape The boundary formed by the collision of two lithospheric plates Continental-Continental Collisions --When two tectonic plates with continental crust collide, they buckle and thicken, which pushes the continental crust upward. Continental-Oceanic Collisions --When a plate with oceanic crust collides with a plate with continental crust, the denser oceanic crust sinks into the asthenosphere. This convergent boundary has a special name: the subduction zone. Old ocean crust gets pushed into the asthenosphere, where it is remelted and recycled. Oceanic-Oceanic Collisions --When two tectonic plates with oceanic lithosphere collide, one of the plates with oceanic lithosphere is subducted, or sinks, under the other plate. Moving Apart --At a divergent boundary, two tectonic plates separate from each other. As they move apart, magma rises to fill the gap. At a mid-ocean ridge, the rising magma cools to form new sea floor. Sliding Past --At a transform boundary, two tectonic plates slide past one another. Because tectonic plates have irregular edges, they grind and jerk as they slide, which produces earthquakes. Normal Faults often form when rocks are pulled apart because of tension. Reverse Faults often form when rocks are pushed together by compression. Strike-Slip Faults are often formed when rocks are moved horizontally by opposing forces. Transform boundary collide separate Divergent boundary Tectonic plates Currents, Waves, Tides Ocean Current Surface Current Deep Current Waves A movement of ocean water that follows a regular pattern A horizontal movement of ocean water that is caused by wind and that occurs at or near the ocean’s surface A streamline movement of ocean water far below the surface How they form: (pg. 420) -Decreasing Temperatures -Increasing Salinity Through Freezing -Increasing Salinity Through Evaporation crest Movement of water formed by wind, earthquakes, or other factors top of the wave trough bottom of the wave Tides The periodic rise and fall of the water level in the oceans and other large bodies of water Caused: By rotation of Earth and moon’s revolution Spring Tide A tide of increased range that occurs two times a month, at the new and full moon Neap Tide A tide of minimum range that occurs during the first and third quarters of the moon Moon Phases and Eclipses Phases The change in the sunlit area of one celestial body (moon) as seen from another celestial body (Earth). Waxing The sunlit fraction that we can see is from Earth is getting larger Waning The sunlit fraction that we can see from Earth is getting smaller Eclipse An event in which the shadow on one celestial body falls on another Solar Eclipse Occurs when the sun, moon and Earth are in line where the moon is between the sun and Earth. The moon seems to block out the sun. Lunar Eclipse Occurs when the sun, Earth and moon are in line where the Earth is between the sun and moon. The Earth blocks most of the sun and the reflecting light gives the moon a reddish tint. Earth’s Water—The Water Cycle Water in the 97% Salt Water (Oceans) World 3% Fresh Water (Ice Caps, Underground, Rivers, Lakes) Salinity A measure of the amount of dissolved salts in a given amount of liquid Composition of ~55% chlorine (Cl) Ocean Water ~30% Sodium (Na) NaCl (salt) Desalination The process of removing salt from ocean water Water Cycle The continuous movement of water from the ocean to the atmosphere to the land and back to the ocean Condensation A change from a gas to a liquid. As water vapor rises into the atmosphere, it cools and interacts with dust particles. Eventually, the water vapor turns to liquid water Precipitation Solid or liquid water that falls to Earth. When water droplets become heavy enough, they fall back to Earth’s surface as precipitation. Most precipitation falls directly back to the ocean Evaporation The physical change from a liquid to a gas. The sun heats liquid water, causing it to rise into the atmosphere as water vapor. Water evaporates directly from oceans, lakes, rivers, falling rain, plants, animals, and other sources Transpiratio The process by which n moisture is carried through plants from roots to small pores on the underside of leaves, where it changes to vapor and is released to the atmosphere Infiltration The movement of water (percolation) through the ground Runoff The water flow that occurs when the soil is infiltrated to full capacity and excess water from rain or other sources flows over the land Subsurface Topography Subsurface Topography The features of the ocean floor Seamount A submerged mountain on the ocean floor that is at least 1,000 m high and that has a volcanic origin Continental Shelf The gently sloping section of the continental margin located between the shoreline and the continental slope Continental Slope The steeply inclined section of the continental margin located between the continental rise and continental shelf Continental Rise The gently sloping section of the continental margin located between the continental slope and abyssal plain Abyssal Plain Mid-Ocean Ridge Ocean Trenches Rift Valley A large, flat, almost level area of the deep-ocean basin A long, undersea mountain chain that forms along the floor of the major oceans A steep, long depression in the deep-sea floor that runs parallel to a chain of volcanic islands or a continental margin A long, narrow valley that forms as tectonic plates separate Pacific Ocean Location: West of North America Largest ocean Atlantic Ocean Location: East of North America 2nd largest ocean Indian Ocean Location: Between Africa, Asia, and Australia 3rd largest ocean Artic Ocean Location: North of Europe Smallest ocean Abyssal plain Continental slope Mid-ocean ridge Continental shelf trench Waves wavelength crest Wave height Wave speed Atmosphere and Weather Atmosphere A mixture of gases that surrounds a planet or moon Composition: 78% Nitrogen 21% Oxygen 1% Other (argon, carbon dioxide, water vapor, other gases) Air pressure The measure of the force with which are molecules push on a surface. Air pressure increases closer to the Earth’s surface. Layers of the Troposphere, Stratosphere, atmosphere mesosphere, Thermosphere Troposphere The lowest layer of the atmosphere, in which temperature decreases at a constant rate as altitude increases. ‘tropo-‘ meaning turning or change ‘-sphere’ meaning ball (surrounding) Stratosphere The layer of the atmosphere that is above the troposphere and in which temperature increases as altitude increases. In this layer the gases are layered and do not mix much. ‘strata-‘ meaning layer ‘-sphere’ meaning ball Mesosphere The layer of the atmosphere between the stratosphere and the thermosphere and in which temperature decreases as altitude increases. ‘meso-‘ meaning middle ‘-sphere’ meaning ball Thermosphere The uppermost layer of the atmosphere, in which temperature increases at altitude increases. In this layer the temperatures are the highest. ‘thermo-‘ meaning heat ‘-sphere’ meaning ball Atmospheric Heating The Earth and its atmosphere are heated by processes of radiation, thermal conduction, and convection. Radiation That transfer of energy as electromagnetic waves. Energy from the sun is absorbed by the atmosphere, land, and water and changed into thermal energy. 50% is absorbed by Earth’s surface, 25% is reflected by clouds and air, 20% is absorbed by ozone, clouds, and atmospheric gases, and 5% is reflected by Earth’s surface. Thermal Conduction The transfer of energy as heat through a material Convection The movement of matter due to differences in density; the transfer of energy due to the movement of matter; circulation Greenhouse Effect Global Warming The warming of the surface and lower atmosphere of Earth that occurs when water vapor, carbon dioxide, and other gases absorb and reradiate thermal energy. A gradual increase in average global temperature Wind The movement of air caused by differences in air pressure Coriolis Effect The apparent curving of the path of a moving object from an otherwise straight path due to the Earth’s rotation Global Winds: Polar easterlies-prevailing winds that blow from east to west between 60o and 90o latitude in both hemispheres Westerliesprevailing winds that blow from weat to east between 30o and 60o latitude in both hemispheres Trade winds-prevailing winds that blow northeast from 30o north latitude to the equator and that blow southeast from 30o south latitude to the equator Doldrums-area between Northern and Southern hemispheres where there is very little wind because the warm, rising air created an area of low pressure Horse latitudes-area of weak winds with sinking dry air that is about 30o to 60o south latitude. Jet streams-a narrow belt of strong winds that blow in the upper troposphere Local Winds: Sea and land breezes: Mountain breezes, valley breezes radiation pressure mesosphere atmosphere nitrogen troposphere oxygen thermosphere Air Masses Air Mass A large body of air where temperature and moisture content are constant throughout Maritime Forms over water; wet (m) Continent Forms over land; dry al (c) Polar (P) Forms over the polar regions; cold Tropical Develops over the (T) Tropics; warm Cold Air Masses affecting North America: Continental polar (cP) Maritime polar (mP) Warm Air Masses affecting North America: Maritime tropical (mT) Continental tropical (cT) Fronts Cold Front The boundary between air masses of different densities and usually different temperatures Forms where cold air moves under warm air, which is less dense, and pushes the warm air up. Usually move quickly and cause thunderstorms, heavy rain or snow. Cooler air usually follows. Warm Front Forms where warm air moves over cold, denser air. The warm air gradually replaces the cold air. Generally brings drizzly rain followed by clear and warm weather. Occluded Front Forms when a warm air mass is caught between two colder air masses. The coldest air mass pushes up the warm up air mass and moves forward and meets the other cold air mass. Has cool temperatures and large amount of rain and snow. Stationary Front Forms when a cold air mass meets a warm air mass but does not have enough force to lift it. They remain separated and brings many days of cloudy, wet weather. Clouds Humidity The amount of water vapor in the air Relative Humidity The ratio of the amount of water vapor in the air to the amount of water vapor needed to reach saturation at a given temperature Factors affecting relative humidity: -Amount of water vapor -Temperature Measuring relative humidity: Psychrometer which consists of a wet and dry bulb. Use a chart that shows differences in bulb readings to find relative humidity. Condensation The change of state from a gas to a liquid Cloud A collection of small water droplets or ice crystals suspended in the air, which forms when the air is cooled and condensation occurs Cumulus Cloud A fluffy white cloud with a flat bottom that is formed with warm air rises. This type of cloud generally indicates fair weather but when large in size, cause thunderstorms (cumulonimbus cloud). Stratus Clouds A type of cloud that forms in layers that cover large areas and often block out sun. Fog is a type of status cloud that forms near the ground. Cirrus Clouds Thin, feathery, white clouds found at high altitudes that are formed when the wind is strong. water hail cumulus humidity weather Air masses cirrus clouds front Ocean currents seasons latitude climate Prevailing winds curved mountains Large bodies of water Severe Weather Thunderstor A usually brief, heavy storm m that consists of rain, strong winds, lightning, and thunder Lightning An electric discharge that takes place between two oppositely charged surfaces, such as between a cloud and the ground, between two clouds, or between two parts of the same cloud. Thunder The sound caused by the rapid expansion of air along an electric strike Tornadoes A destructive, rotating column of air that has very high wind speeds, is visible as a funnel-shaped could, and touches the ground. Caused when wind moving in two directions causes a layer of air in the middle and begins to spin. Hurricane A severe storm that develops over tropical oceans and whose strong winds of more than 120 km/h spiral in toward the intensely low-pressure storm center. Caused when a group of thunderstorms is moving over the water and wind in different directions meet and spin. Eye El Nino Center of a hurricane A change in the surface water temperature in the Pacific Ocean that produces a warm current La Nina A change in the eastern Pacific Ocean in which the surface water temperature becomes unusually cool Tilt of the Earth Weather The short-term state of the atmosphere, including temperature, humidity, precipitation, wind and visibility Climate Sun’s rays… Seasons The average weather condition in an area over a long period of time Strike the earth’s surface at different angles because the surface of the earth is curved. More direct angle near equator and less at the poles Differing weather during different times of the year due to the fact that the earth is tilted on its axis at 23.5o angle. The tilt affects how much solar energy an area receives at the Earth moves around the sun. Locations near the equator have less seasonal change. Rotation The spin of a body on its axis. As the Earth rotates, only ½ of the Earth faces the sun. The half facing the sun is day and the half facing away is night. Revolution The motion of a body that travels around another body in space. Earth’s revolution around the Sun is about 365.25 days. Orbit The path that a body follows as it travels around another body in space The force that pulls two objects together. The gravity between the Earth and the moon allow for the moon to orbit the earth. Gravity Planets Satellites Moon Inner Planets A natural or artificial body that revolves around a planet Revolves planets and has not atmosphere. All planets except Mercury and Venus have moons. Earth’s moon is called Luna Consisting of Mercury, Venus, Earth and Mars. These inner planets are closets to the sun and are more closely spaced. Terrestrial Planets Also known as the inner planets because their surfaces are dense and rocky. Outer Planets Consisting of Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune. These outer planets are large and composed mostly of gases. Dwarf Planet Any object that orbits the sun, is round because of its own gravity, but has not cleared its orbital path -Pluto: demoted to dwarf planet in 2006, less than half the size of Mercury, made of ice and rock, moon named Charon Comet A small body of ice, rock, and cosmic dust that follows an elliptical orbit around the sun and that gives off gas and dust in the form of a tail as it passes close to the sun Asteroid A small, rocky object that orbits the sun, usually in a band between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter Asteroid Belt The region of the solar system that is between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter (between the inner and outer planets) in which asteroids orbit Meteors A bright streak of light that results when a meteoroid burns up in the Earth’s atmosphere PLANETS Mercury -Closest to the sun -Takes 88 Earth days to revolve one time around sun -One day on Mercury is 59 Earth Days -Distance from the sun: 3.2 light-minutes (35, 983, 095 miles) -Surface features: Large craters, diverse temperatures (279 to 801*F) but no atmosphere to trap the heat so it cools rapidly -Size: Diameter 3,032 miles (4,879 km), smaller than Earth -Ability to support life: No, not much of atmosphere and high temps. Venus -Known as Earth’s twin/sister -Length of a year is 225 Earth days -Length of Year is 5,832 hours -Revolution is retrograde/clockwise (opposite of Earth) -Distance from the sun: 6 light-minutes (67, 237, 910 miles) -Surface features: Very high temperature of 864o*F or 462*C), Volcanoes on surface, reflective cloud cover -Size: Diameter 7,521 miles (12,104 km), similar to size of Earth -Ability to support life: No, atmosphere is mostly carbon dioxide and destructive acids Earth -Only known planet to support life -Length of day is 23 hours, 56 minutes -Length of year is 365 days, 6 hours, 16 minutes -Only has one natural satellite (Moon) that keeps our climate steady and is 238,855 miles from Earth -Distance from the sun: 8.3 light minutes (92,955,820 miles) -Surface features: Water, air, weather, land -Size: Diameter 7,926 miles (12,765 km) -Ability to support life: Yes, mostly covered in water and healthy air Mars -Known as the Red planet -Length of year is 687 Earth days (1 year, 322 days) -Length of day is 24 hours, 37 minutes -Two moons (Phobos and Deimos) -Distance from the sun: 12.7 light-minutes (141,633,260 miles) -Surface features: Rocky surface, volcanoes, shifting tectonic plates, dust storms, polar ice caps, temperature range from -125 to 23*F, low air pressure -Size: Diameter 4,222 miles (6,794 km), smaller than Earth -Ability to support life: No, temperature is too cold, low air pressure that water boils away Jupiter -Largest planet in our solar system -See beautiful colors due to small amounts of organic compounds -Length of year is 4,331 Earth days (11 years, 313 days) -Length of the days is 9 hours, 56 minutes -63 moons—4 largest are Europa, lo, Callisto, Ganymede -Distance from the sun: 43.3 light-minutes (483,682,810 miles) -Surface features: Made mostly of hydrogen and helium like the sun, average temperature -234*F -Size: Diameter 88,846 miles (142,984 km), larger than Earth -Ability to support life: No because of the atmosphere Saturn -Second largest planet -Most prominent rings (but all gas giants have rings) made of icy particles -Length of year is 10,759 Earth days (29 years, 155 days) -Length of the day is 10 hours, 39 minutes -52 moons—(Janus, Mimas, Enceladus, Tethys, Dione, Titan) -Distance from the sun: 1.3 light-hours -Surface features: Made of mostly hydrogen and helium, fast winds and rising heat cause yellow/gold banding, average temp -288*F -Size: Diameter 74,898 miles (120,536 km), larger than Earth, 764 times the volume of Earth and 95 times more massive -Ability to support life: No because of the atmosphere Uranus -Tilted on its axis maybe caused from being hit by massive object -Length of year is 30,687 Earth days (83 years, 273 days) -Length of day is 17 hours, 15 minutes - Revolution is retrograde/clockwise (opposite of Earth) -27 Moons—5 major moons (Miranda, Ariel, Umbriel, Oberon, Titania) -Distance from the sun: 2.7 light-hours (1,783,939,400 miles) -Surface features: Atmosphere made up of hydrogen and methane causing bright blue color, average temperature -357*F -Size: Diameter 31,764 miles (51,118 km), larger than Earth -Ability to support life: No because of the atmosphere Neptune -Outermost planet -Length of year is 60,190 Earth days (163 years, 263 days) -Length of day is 16 hours, 7 minutes -13 moons—(Nereid, Triton) -Distance from the sun: 4.2 light-hours (2,795,084,800 miles) -Surface features: Hurricane like storms, belts of clouds, blue in color from methane gas, average temperature -353*F -Size: Diameter 30,776 miles (49, 528 km), larger than Earth -Ability to support life: No because of atmosphere Universe and Solar System Heliocentric ‘sun-centered’ theory in which the sun is the center of the solar system and the Earth and other planets revolve around the sun Geocentric ‘Earth-centered’ theory in which the Earth is the center of the solar system and the sun and other planets revolve around the Earth (old theory) Big Bang Theory The theory that states that the universe began with a tremendous explosion (gases under pressure) 13.7 billion years ago Universe A vast area of loosely repeated structures. Contains our galaxy ‘The Milky Way’ Galaxy A collection of stars, dust, and gas bound together by gravity Milky Way The galaxy that contains out solar system which contains Earth Solar System The collection of planets, stars, etc. that contains our planet Earth. Hubble Telescope A large telescope in space that astronomers use to study the solar system. Star A collection of gases held together by gravity. The closest star to Earth is the sun. Inertia An objects resistance in speed or direction until outside force acts on the object. Gravity The force that attracts plants, stars, etc. and is responsible for keeping objects in orbit. Ex. Earth around the sun, moon around Earth, etc. Gravity is the force that governs the motion of the solar system. Elliptical The shape of an elongated circle/oval. The shape of our solar system Revolution The motion of a body that travels around another body in space; one complete trip along an orbit