Download Fall Semester Final: Earth Science 2010

Fall Semester Final: Earth Science 2010-2011
Mrs. Greenberg, Room 97
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Four branches of earth science, what sphere of earth each studies, examples of each science’s
natural phenomena.
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How earth was formed: the nebular hypothesis.
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Ecology, biosphere.
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Steps of the Scientific Method – in order!
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Hypothesis vs Theory vs Law

Properties of Stars: Size, Color, Temperature, Age,

Binary Star Systems

What is a light year?
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Absolute vs Apparent Magnitude
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Hertzprung-Russell Diagram (HR Diagram). Main Sequence Star. White Dwarf. Red Giant.
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The differences between a star and a planet.
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Nebula. Protostar. Planetary Nebula. Black and White Dwarfs.
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Novas. Neutron Star. Super Novas. Black Holes. Quasars.
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Plasma. Nuclear Fusion. Radiant Energy. Hydrogen fuses into Helium.
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Galaxies: Spiral/ Barred Spiral/ Elliptical/ Irregular.
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The Big Bang. The Doppler Effect. Red Shift. Blue Shift.
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Hubble’s Law. Size and Age of the Universe. Cosmic Microwave Background.

Dark Matter.
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What did these people contribute to astronomy:
Aristotle; Erosthenes; Aristarchus; Ptolemy; Tycho Brahe; Nicholas Copernicus; Galilleo;
Johannes Keppler; Isaac Newton

Kepple’s Three Laws of Planetary Motion – what are they?

Circle vs. Ellipse

What did Galileo see with his telescope to prove that the Sun is the center of the Solar System?
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Heliocentric Solar System vs Geocentric Solar System
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Newton’s Three Laws of Universal Gravitation
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Motions of Earth: Rotation; Revolution; Precession

Perihelion; Aphelion
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How are Seasons caused?
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Spring and Autumn Equinox; Summer and Winter Solstice.
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Polaris – the North Star.
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Lunar Phases. New moon, full moon, quarter, gibbous, crescent. Waxing vs Waning.
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Perigee vs Apogee.

The Earth-Moon planetary-satellite system. How does the moon effect the earth’s movements?

What is the moon’s gravity compared to earth’s?

What doesn’t the moon have that the earth does?
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Surface Features of the Moon: Maria; Lunar Highlands; Craters; Rilles; Regolith.
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Solar Eclipse; Lunar Eclipse. Umbra vs Penumbra. Why doesn’t earth have a solar eclipse every
month?
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High Tide; Low Tide; Spring Tide; Neap Tide; Tidal Range; Tidal Bulge.

How many high and low tides are there each day? How many Spring Tides and Neap Tides are
there each month?

Where are the most extreme tides found – equator or poles?