Steady state theory

neither a beginning nor an end to the universe (matter is constantly destroyed and remade)

Contraction-expansion theory

someday, the universe will contract and expand again

light year

the distance light travels in one year

stars are made of -

hydrogen and helium

stars have a -

finite life span

the mass of a star controls its -

evolution

hydrogen -

burns first

helium -

burns last

parallex

used to measure the distance of stars from earth

hydrogen to helium -

fusion

helium to hydrogen -

fission

polaris -

North star

alpha centaur -

closest star to Earth

Nebula -

dust and gases

bright stars -

top

dim stars -

bottom

red shift

stars moving away

blue shift

stars moving towards

sun -

main sequence star; 70% hydrogen, 28% helium

apparent magnitude -

brightness from earth

Absolute magnitude -

brightness if all stars were the same distance

star nebula theory

the solar system condensed from a cloud of dust and gas

asteroid belt is located between -

Mars and Jupiter

Comets

tail always pointed away from the sun

Kuiper belt

beyond Neptune where comets originate

Meteoroid

small, solid particle

Meteor

streaks of light produced by a solid particle

Meteorite

a meteoroid that passes through earth's atmosphere and hits earth's surface

Inner planets -

Mercury, Venus, Earth and Mars

Outer planets -

Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus ans Neptune

Trophosphere -

layer closest to the ground; temperature drops with altitude; contains all weather

Stratosphere -

three layer oxygen atoms bonded together; protect earth from ultra violet radiation

Mesosphere -

temperature decreases with altitude; meteors burn up

Thermosphere -

largest and outermost layer; contains isosphere( bounces radio waves back to earth

Stage 1 of the atmosphere -

mostly hydrogen and helium; earth's surface was molten; no oxygen present

Stage 2 of the atmosphere -

formation of moon occurs; volcanoes result in carbon; oceans form, carbon dioxide leaves the atmosphere

Photosynthesis -

cynobacteria consumed carbon dioxide and released oxygen

Modern atmosphere -

1% trace gas; 21% oxygen; 78% nitrogen

Insolation -

the amount of solar radiation reaching a given area

ITCZ -

inter-tropical convergence zone; influenced by the sun's radiation; warm air rises

STHP -

sub-tropical high pressure belt; influences the distribution of deserts; cold air sinking

SPLP

sub-polar low pressure belt; warm air rises

PH -

polar high; high to low always

Wind flow -

forces that drive surface winds

Coriolis force -

the influence of the earth's rotation

cP

dry and cold

mP

moist and cold

mT

moist and warm

cT

dry and warm

warm front -

warm air; low pressure system; brings rain

cold front -

cold air sinking; high pressure system; good weather

stationary front -

slow moving

occluded front -

balance each other out ( warm and cold front)

dry line -

dry air

cyclone -

low pressure; tropical storm; counter clockwise; warm air rises

anti-cyclone -

high pressure; clear weather; clockwise; cooling air

sling psychrometer -

measures relative humidity

anemometer -

wind speed

ocean uses -

fresh water. petroleum, minerals, food

sea ice formation -

needle-like crystals become slush

iceberg formation -

icebergs break off of glaciers

shelf ice -

plate-like icebergs

wind power -

uneven solar heating generates winds

surface currents -

wind driven; primarily horizontal

deep currents -

differences in density caused by differences in temperature and salinity

Eutrophication -

fertilizer carried by run-off causes algae blooms; causes dead zones in oceans

sedimentation -

too much sediment stops sunlight from reaching plants; carried from land to water through storm drains

ocean acidification

excess carbon dioxide dissolved into ocean by waves; animals' shells are thinner

carbonates -

organisms that make their own carbonate shells; build-up of material such as limestone and dolomite

estuary -

a semi-enclosed area where fresh water and salt water mix

salinity -

higher salinity closer to oceans; lower salinity in rivers

higher salinity during droughts; lower salinity after rainfall

Tsunami -

waves generated by sudden movements of the seafloor

tides -

waves generated by the gravitational pull of the moon

wind driven waves -

created by the transfer of wind energy to the ocean surface

density driven waves -

located at the pycnocline (area in which water density increases at a rapid pace

geologic driven waves -

created by sudden movements of the seafloor; mostly occur in the Pacific ocean

tidal range -

the difference in height between high tides and low tides

sonar -

works by transmitting sound waves towards the ocean bottom

continental margin -

the zone of transition between ocean basin floor

continental shelf -

the gently sloping submerged surface extending from the shoreline

continental slope -

the steep gradient that leads to the deep ocean floor

turbidity current -

the downslope movement of dense, sediment-laden water

continental rise -

the gently sloping surface at the base of the continental slope

ocean basin floor -

the area of the deep ocean floor between the continental margin and the oceanic ridge

abyssal plain -

the very level area of the deep ocean floor

seamount -

an isolated volcanic peak that rises at least 1000 meters above the deep ocean floor

seafloor spreading -

the process by which plate tectonics produces at new oceanic ridges

hydrothermal vents -

form along mid-ocean ridges; where mineral rich water escapes through cracks in the oceanic crust

terrigenous sediments -

consist primarily of mineral grains that were eroded from continental rocks

biogenous sediments

consists of shells and skeleton marine animals

calcareous ooze

a thick, common biogenous sediment produced by dissolving calcium carbonate shells

siliceous ooze

biogenous sediment composed of silica-based shells of single-celled animals

hydrogenous sediment -

consists of minerals that crystallize directly from ocean water through various chemical reactions

gas hydrates -

compact chemical structures made of water and natural gas

manganese nodules -

hard lumps of manganese and other metals

thermocline -

the layer of ocean water between about 300 meters and 100 meters

relative humidity

is a ratio of the air's actual water-vapor content compared with the amount of water vapor

dew point -

the temperature to which a parcel of air would need to be cooled to reach saturation

cirrus -

clouds that are high, white, and thin

cumulus -

clouds that consist of rounded individual cloud masses

stratus -

clouds best described as sheets or layers that cover much or all of the sky

solar eclipse -

occur when the moon moves in a line directly between earth and the sun

lunar eclipse -

occur when the moon passes through the earth's shadow

red giant -

a large, cool star of high luminosity; occupies the upper right portion of the HR diagram

supergiant -

a very large, very bright red giant star

protostar -

a collapsing cloud of gas and dust destined to become a star

supernova -

an exploding massive star that increases in brightness many thousands of times

white dwarf -

a star that has exhausted most or all of its nuclear fuel and has collapsed

spiral galaxies -

about 30% of all galaxies; diameters of 20,000 to 125,000 light years

elliptical galaxies -

about 60% of galaxies; range in shape from round to oval