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Earth Science
Semester 1 Final
50
Science
12th Grade
12/17/2011

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Cards

Term
Describe the Milky Way Galaxy
Definition
A large spiral galaxy that is a rotating system of stars
Term
What do spectral lines toward the red and blue ends of the spectrum mean about objects?
Definition

Red means moving away

Blue means moving toward

Term
Our solar system belongs to which galaxy?
Definition
Milky Way
Term
How was the universe formed?
Definition
Big Bang Theory
Term
Life of a medium mass star?
Definition
Nebula, protostar, main sequence star, red giant, planetary nebula, white dwarf
Term
Most important factor of a star?
Definition
MASS
Term
Main fuel for a star?
Definition
Hydrogen
Term
What is nuclear fusion?
Definition
Less massive nuclei combine into more massive nuclei
Term
How does a star produce energy?
Definition
Nuclear Fusion
Term
Why is using a parallax method to measure nearby stars?
Definition
Distant stars have parallax angles too small to be measured
Term
What is the Nebular Theory?
Definition
Formation of the solar system came from a huge cloud of dust and gases
Term
What is an Astronomical Unit (A.U)?
Definition
Average distance from the Earth to the Sun
Term
Explain Kepler's 3rd Law
Definition
The revolution of a planet is related to the planet's distnace to the sun
Term
Explain Kepler's first law
Definition
A planet travels in an ellipse path
Term
Describe terrestrial planets
Definition
Small, rockey crust, slow rotation
Term
Describe the Gas Giants
Definition
Thick atmosphere, low density
Term
Describe differences between low mass and a greater mass star
Definition

Less mass: Less quick and less violent

More Mass: Quicker life cycle and more violent

Term
What is the heaviest element found in the core of a star?
Definition
Iron
Term
What does the Greenhouse effect cause on Venus?
Definition
Extremly High Surface Temps
Term
What is special about Saturn's density?
Definition
Extremley low, allowing it to float on water
Term
What is a shooting star?
Definition
Meteroid
Term
How much of the Earth is covered by land and water?
Definition
30% land, 70% water
Term

Name features on the moon.

Which are dark?

Which are light?

Definition

Maria, Highlands, craters, rilles.

Maria is dark

Highlands are light

Term
W
Definition
Term
What causes the tides on earth?
Definition
Pull of gravity from the sun and the moon
Term
Explain lunar Eclipse
Definition
When the earth passes between the moon and the sun
Term
Explan a solar eclipse
Definition
When the moon passes between the sun and the earth
Term
Who made a telescope to support the work that copernicus did?
Definition
Galileo
Term
How did foucault prove the earth rotated?
Definition
By using a pendulum
Term

What astronomer was Polish?

What did he believe?

Definition

Copernicus

The sun is the center of the solar system and the plannets move around them

Term
What astronomer created the laws of gravitation?
Definition
Newton
Term
What astronomer believed that the Earth was teh center of the solar system?
Definition
Ptolemy
Term
What causes the seasons on Earth?
Definition
The revolution of Earth around the sun and the tilt of the Earth's axis
Term
Compare the number of daylight hours for the summer and winter solstice in the northern hemisphere
Definition

Greatest number of daylight hours during the summer solstice.

The least number of daylight hours during the winter solstice

Term
During the equonixes, where are the rays of the sun most directed?
Definition
At the equator
Term
Explain layers of the Atmosphere
Definition

Thermosphere- Absorbs solar radiation

Mesosphere- nothing really

Stratosphere- ozone is concentrated

Troposhere-  where weather occurs

Term
What is humidity?
Definition
Amount of water vapor in the air
Term
What is dew point?
Definition
the temerature at which air is saturated
Term
Name 3 mechanisms of heat transfer
Definition

Convection

Conduction

Radiation

Term
How do clouds form?
Definition
Water vapor condenses in tiny drops that are suspended in air. When millions of the drops collect together a could forms
Term
Indentify the following clouds
Definition

Nimbostratus- "Rainy Cloud"

Fog- Near the ground

Cirrus- High, White and thin

Stratus- Sheets or layers that cover the sky

Term
What type of weath is expected with:
Definition

Low Pressure: stormy or cold

High Pressure: fair weather

Term
What is a front?
Definition
A boundary separating two masses of air of different densities
Term
What does the Saffir-Simpsom scale measure?
Definition
Hurricane classification
Term
What does Fujita intensity scale measure?
Definition
Tornado intensity
Term
What does air do in the center of a hurricane?
Definition
It decends
Term
What is the definition of climate?
Definition
weather conditions regarding a place or region over an extrended period of time
Term
Cold Front:
Definition
Cold air moves in, cold air pushes the warm up, heaving precipitation at the front
Term
Occulated front
Definition
Cold front moves toward a warm front, forcing air aloft
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