GED Earth and Space Science

Cycle of Matter

• Matter cycles through an ecosystem• Water Cycle: Heat causes water to evaporate

into atmosphere; water falls from atmosphere as precipitation

• Other forms of matter also have cycles that affect living things

Fossil Fuels

• Burning fossil fuels (oil, gas, coal) can release nitrogen oxide into atmosphere

• Nitrogen oxide causes smog and acid rain• Water washes excess nitrogen oxide into

bodies of water, where it can deplete oxygen levels and hurt wildlife

Fossil Fuels

• Other chemicals released are hydrocarbons and sulfur oxides

• Carbon dioxide leads to greenhouse effect and global warming

• Fossil Fuels are nonrenewable energy sources

Earthquakes

• Seismic waves caused by the release of energy in Earth’s crust

• Measured on Richter scale

• Areas prone to earthquakes have special building practices

Hurricanes

• A severe tropical cyclone, or low-pressure, spiral shaped thunderstorm

• Can cause severe rains, flooding, wind damage, high waves and storm surges

• Damage can be mitigated by levees (dikes)

Photo: Steve Fareham

Renewable Energy Sources

• Renewable energy sources will not be depleted

• Wind, solar, geothermal, hydroelectric and biomass energy are all renewable

Layers of the Atmosphere

• Troposphere: Closest layer of the atmosphere, where most weather takes place

• Stratosphere: Highest level jets can reach; also contains ozone layer

• Mesosphere: Coldest place on Earth, too high for jets and too low for satellites

• Thermosphere: Very low air pressure and high temperatures, no water vapor

• Exosphere: Merges with space, where most satellites orbit

Global Warming

• Greenhouse effect: Increased carbon dioxide in the atmosphere can trap more radiated heat from The Sun in the atmosphere

• Global warming could cause changes in weather, food production and ocean levels

Photo: Tiago Fioreze

Oceans

• Bodies of salt water that contain most of Earth’s water

• Ocean currents are large movements of water in the ocean

• Tides are changes in ocean level caused by the gravitational pull of The Moon

Photo: Richard Ling

Ocean Organisms

• Many organisms live in the oceans

• Coral reefs are structures of coral that contain some of the largest diversity of organisms

Interaction between Systems

• All systems of the Earth interact

• Wind and water cause weathering of rocks and ground

• Earth rotation and high/low air pressure causes wind

Earth’s Interior

• The Crust- Thin outer layer of the Earth

• Mantle- Solid largest layer

• Outer Core- Hot liquid layer

• Inner Core- Very dense innermost layer

Tectonic Plates

• Earth’s crust is made up of plates

• Where the plates collide mountains and rifts are formed

• Volcanoes and Earthquakes happen where plates are moving apart or colliding

Major Landforms

• Mountains• Continental Shelf-

raised edges of continents

• Ocean Basin- Deep part of oceans beyond continental shelf

Galaxies

• Galaxies are massive groups of stars and stellar (star-like) objects

• Our galaxy is the Milky Way, a spiral shaped galaxy

Stars

• Massive sphere of hot plasma

• The Sun is a star• Energy released

through constant nuclear reaction of hydrogen becoming helium

• Groups of stars are called constellations

Life of a Star

• Protostar: Gravitational instability causes a star to form; takes about 10-15 million years

• Main Sequence: 90% of a star’s lifespan- spent converting hydrogen to helium

• Red Giant: After hydrogen is depleted, radius increases but mass decreases, begins burning helium

Life of a Star

• Red Supergiant: Star burns neon, silicon, carbon and oxygen

• Collapse: Core suddenly collapses into a white dwarf; a supernova is created and sends out a bright shockwave. Larger stars can form a black hole.

Solar System: Sun’s planets and their moons

Photo: Luc Viatour

Effects of Solar System on Earth

• Tides: Rising and falling ocean water caused by gravitational pull of The Moon

• Lunar Eclipse: Blocking of The Moon by Earth’s shadow

• Solar Eclipse: Blocking of The Sun by The Moon

Radiometric Dating

• Earth is about 4.54 billion years old according to radiometric dating

• Radiometric dating measures the amount of decay in radioactive materials

• It is also used to date fossils and landforms like mountains