Download honors earth science - Grosse Pointe Public School System

HONORS EARTH SCIENCE
MIDTERM REVIEW 2017
NAME _______________________
You may use a 3x5 card (both sides) – HAND WRITTEN ONLY – no diagrams/drawings
Items highlighted in red are VERY IMPORTANT
Intro
1. Explain the difference between a theory, law and hypothesis
2. Convert metric to metric measurements
3. Visualize metric measurements
4. Recognize parts of a lab report
5. Determine proper positions of variables on a graph (independent vs. dependent)
Origin of Modern Astronomy- chapter 20
1. Describe how the motions of Earth determine the basis of time (day, month, year)
2. Explain what causes retrograde motion.
3. Recognize moon phases from photos and diagrams (earth-moon-sun).
Predict moon phases from dates
4. Compare and contrast solar and lunar eclipses.
5. Explain the cause of tides.
6. Relate tides to moon phases (spring, neap, normal)
7. Explain why we do not see the “far side” of the moon from earth
8. Explain the difference between a solar and sidereal day. Why does this difference exist?
Touring our Solar System- chapter 21
1.Recognize objects in our solar system
2. Describe characteristics of Terrestrial planets.
3. Explain the formation of planets in our solar system
4. Explain the cause of a meteor shower
5. Describe what causes a comet’s tail to change
6. Define a planet. Use this to explain why Pluto is not a planet
7. Explain why we see planets in retrograde
8. Describe how exoplanets are being discovered (radial velocity and transit methods)
9. Compare a light year and an AU. When would each be used?
10. Calculate space travel problems.
Light, Astronomical Observations and the Sun- chapter 22
1. Know the sunspot cycle.
2. Determine the direction of star movement from a spectrograph (Doppler shift)
3. Describe each layer of the sun
4. Describe fusion in the sun
5. Describe: sunspots, solar flares, auroras. Explain the effect each may have on Earth.
Which can cause electrical interruptions?
6. What is the sun made of? (%’s)
7. Describe how various instruments help astronomers study space. (reflecting telescopes,
refracting telescopes, radio telescopes, spectroscopes)
Beyond our Solar System- chapter 23
1. Determine a stars classification according to luminosity and temperature (HR diagram)
2. Explain the progression of a normal star through its life cycle.
3. Compare the life cycle of a normal star with a massive star
4. Relate star color to temperature
5. Describe black holes
6. Locate Our solar system within the Milky Way
7. What is the age of the universe?
8. Explain Hubble's Law. What is the most likely fate of the universe based on Hubble’s Law?
9. What does a light year measure?
11. Describe the organization of galaxies in the universe
12. Describe the support for the Big Bang Theory (Doppler shift, cosmic microwaves, light
elements)
13. Describe some misconceptions about the Big Bang Theory
The Atmosphere- chapter 15
1. List the major gases of the Earth’s atmosphere
2. Describe each layer of the atmosphere (troposphere, stratosphere, mesosphere, thermosphere)
3. Describe the heating of each layer of the atmosphere.
4. Explain what causes the seasons (dates and lines of latitude too)
5. Determine the season based on diagrams
6. Predict the hours of daylight during the 4 seasons for the poles and Michigan.
7. Give examples of heat transfer (convection, conduction, radiation)
8. compare climate vs. weather
9.Describe how stratospheric ozone is destroyed and the effects this has on people
10. Describe the difference between stratospheric and tropospheric ozone
11. How would a coastal city’s temperature differ from an inland city’s temperature of the same
latitude? (St. Louis vs. San Francisco)
12. Describe the major contributors in the nitrogen cycle. (plants, soil, atmosphere, bacteria)
Moisture, clouds and Precipitation- chapter 16
1. Describe if latent heat is released or absorbed during water changes of state (evaporation,
condensation, sublimation, deposition)
Describe the phase change in each of the processes listed above
2. Calculate relative humidity using the psychrometer method (table provided)
Calculate relative humidity using air temp and dew point temp (table provided)
3. Define relative humidity. Why is it important to know relative humidity?
4. Relate relative humidity to temperature
5. Explain why dew or frost forms
6. Describe how a cloud forms (3 things needed) and conditions needed
7. Recognize the 5 major cloud types and the weather associated with them
8. Most clouds are made of which state of matter?
Air pressure/wind- chapter 17
1.Determine general wind speed from isobars
2. Determine wind direction from isobars around pressure systems
3. Describe weather around pressure systems and their causes
5. Describe land and sea breezes
6. What global wind belt is the US in? What does this mean?
7. Compare the weather on a windward side of a mountain with the leeward side of a mountain
(adiabatic cooling). Be able to explain why this occurs.
8. Calculate the temperature of air using adiabatic rates and determine cloud height
9. Describe the cause of Lake Effect snow.
Continued….
Weather patterns and storms- chapter 18
1. Describe the 4 major air masses (weather associated with each)
2. Describe the weather (temperature and sky conditions) before, after and during a warm and
cold front
3. Explain the formation of lightning and thunder
4. Describe the conditions needed to form a tornado (3 steps)
5. Compare tornadoes and hurricanes
6. Describe when tornado season occurs.
7. Explain how Doppler radar works. How does this help forecast tornadoes?
7. Describe severe weather safety (tornado, hurricanes, thunderstorms)
8. Describe why hurricanes move the opposite direction of most US weather systems.
Climate Change
1. Define a Greenhouse Gas. Give 3 examples.
2. Explain affects of Global warming.
3. Explain why carbon dioxide considered to be the most influential GHG.
4. Use the 18O/16O ratio to determine paleoclimates
5. Describe natural causes of climate change
6.Describe man-made causes of climate change
7.Explain various ways scientist study paleoclimates
8. Describe producers of GHGs (carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide)
Tips for studying:
Start with your lowest test score and study that chapter first!
Use your review sheets for each test
Use your composition books to see what methods work the best for you and to find out your most
difficult learning targets!