...Mercury is a very rocky planet. It is heavily cratered and is scattered with boulders and pulverized dust. Mercury has been geologically dead for a long time according astronomers. The planet has no signs of any type of weather such as clouds, rivers, and dust storms. The planet of Mercury closely resembles Earth's Moon. Mercury's surface shows intercrater plains, basins, smooth plains, craters, and tectonic features. Many of the smooth plains located on Mercury seem to be a result from flood volcanism. Some other features of Mercury geology are vents that are a result from magma-carved valleys and "hollows" that are believed to be from collapsed magma chambers. There are mineral deposits and thrust faulting near the poles of Mercury. Overall, the planet of Mercury is a very barren planet with not much geology to study. The atmosphere of Venus is made up of different components. It is made up of 96.5% carbon dioxide and 3.5% of nitrogen. Though almost all of the atmosphere of Venus is made up of carbon dioxide and nitrogen, there are traces of carbon monoxide, argon, helium, and neon. The atmosphere...
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...One of the most distinct features of Mercury’s surface is the fact that it looks wrinkled: this is due to the cooling of the planet’s iron core which led to the surface contracting. Mercury lost a third of its radius during this process (was reduced from 1.8 to 1.2 miles). Named “Scarps” by scientists, the wrinkles can be up to one mile high, and stretch over numerous miles. Another particularity of Mercury is that it is covered in craters, making it the most cratered planet in the entire Solar System. All of these craters strongly vary in shape and size, and originate from numerous encounters with comets and meteoroids. The largest one, Caloris Basin which was discovered in 1974, has a diameter of 1.550 kilometres and is surrounded by a...
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...Alqarni, Abdullah Homework Assignment # 8 Geology 1, Section # 1176 or 1177 (pick one) Dr. Beraki Woldehaimanot Date (assignment completed) QUESTIONS GEOLOGIC TIME 1. Distinguish between numerical (radioactive) dates and relative dates. numerical specify the actual number of years that have passed since an event occurred; relative means placing rocks in their property sequences of formation 2. Refer to the geologic cross section accompanying question 10 on page 333 (your textbook). Your task is to place the lettered features in the proper sequence, from oldest to youngest. 3. Would you expect to find fossils of humans and Dinosaurs in the same rock? Explain. No. 4. Define half-life. Half-life is defined as the time it takes for one half of a radioactive element to decay into a daughter isotope. 5. Answer question 6 from page 332 in your textbook (section: Give It Some Though). 6. Answer question 10 from page 333 in your textbook (section: Give It Some Though).(same as # 2) RUNNING WATER & GROUNDWATER 7. Over the oceans, evaporation exceeds precipitation, yet sea level does not drop. Explain why. Most precipitation originates by evaporation from the oceans. Over time, water evaporated from the oceans is replenished by inflow of freshwater from rivers and streams. Continental ice sheets and glaciers have a strong effect on sea level changes. Expanding glacial ice volumes result in lowered sea level, shrinking ice sheets and glaciers...
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...Planetary science Main articles: Planetary science and Planetary geology This astronomical field examines the assemblage of planets, moons, dwarf planets, comets, asteroids, and other bodies orbiting the Sun, as well as extrasolar planets. The solar system has been relatively well-studied, initially through telescopes and then later by spacecraft. This has provided a good overall understanding of the formation and evolution of this planetary system, although many new discoveries are still being made.[50] The black spot at the top is a dust devil climbing a crater wall on Mars. This moving, swirling column of Martian atmosphere (comparable to a terrestrial tornado) created the long, dark streak. NASA image. The solar system is subdivided into the inner planets, the asteroid belt, and the outer planets. The inner terrestrial planets consist of Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars. The outer gas giant planets are Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune.[51] Beyond Neptune lies the Kuiper Belt, and finally the Oort Cloud, which may extend as far as a light-year. The planets were formed in the protoplanetary disk that surrounded the early Sun. Through a process that included gravitational attraction, collision, and accretion, the disk formed clumps of matter that, with time, became protoplanets. The radiation pressure of the solar wind then expelled most of the unaccreted matter, and only those planets with sufficient mass retained their gaseous atmosphere. The planets continued to...
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...different from Earth in many other aspects. It has the most dense atmosphere out of the four terrestrial planets. Venus consists of more than 96% carbon dioxide. Surface Geography: The surface shows evidence of extreme volcanism, and the sulfur in the atmosphere may mean that there have been some recent eruptions. Venus is covered by a thick atmosphere, creating a blazing environment with temperatures reaching high enough to melt lead. Geology: Much of Venus's surface appears to have been shaped by volcanic activity. Venus is home to about 167 large volcanoes. Some stretching over 100 km long. Venusian surface is estimated to be 300–600 million years old. Almost 2x longer than Earth's. Internal Structure The similarity in size and density between Venus and Earth may mean that they share a similar internal structure: a core, mantle, and crust. Like Earth, the Venus's core is at least partially liquid because the two planets have been cooling at about the same rate. The slightly smaller size of Venus may mean that its interior pressure is less than Earth's. Atmosphere Structure: Venus has an extremely dense atmosphere, which is mostly made up of CO2 and a small amount of nitrogen. This makes the Venus's surface much hotter than Mercury's, which has a minimum surface temperature of −220 °C and maximum surface temperature of 420...
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...definition is Environmental Science is an interdisciplinary field that combines information from many disciplines, such as biology, geography, chemistry, geology, physics, economics, sociology (particularly demography, the study of populations), cultural anthropology, natural resource management, agriculture, engineering, law, politics, and ethics Berg and Hager (2009). Environmental Science is all about understanding the environment, how it works and how to protect it in the future. Science and technology has affected the environment for the good and bad. One thing that has been good for the environment is hybrid cars because it cuts out the toxins that other vehicles give off which is a whole lot better for the environment. Environmental sustainability is very important because we need to know the changes the environment goes and make changes where need be. I feel like this should be studied because the world is changing everyday and it is an important to know what’s going on. Air pollution is getting worse and by having somebody studying this they can find a solution and help improve air pollution. Mankind impact on Earth has really affected the way the world is today, this wasn’t internal but sometimes with technology there is a positive and a negative. According to this AAAS report, approximately half of it is land surface that we have transformed concomitant widespread impacts on the planet's forests, oceans, freshwater, and atmosphere (Harrison and Pearce 2001). Human...
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...meteorological conditions affecting dispersion, concentration and trans-boundary transport of pollutants. * The type of technology and various raw materials used in the manufacturing process and the type and quantum of emissions. * The extent of industrialization and population density. Sources of air pollutants Major sources of air pollution includes both natural sources and man-made source (anthropogenic). A. Natural sources: The natural sources of air pollutants includes volcanic eruptions, forest fires, deflation of sands and dusts, storms, etc. Pollutants from natural sources Volcanoes: Volcanic activity produces pollutants such as ashes, smokes, carbon dioxide, chlorine, sulfur, dust and other gases. Land surface: The dusts and soil particles from large ground surfaces, and salts from seas and ocean, etc. often get mixed with earth’s...
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...Unit 9 Assignment 1: Geology of the Area Maryland’s Geology From the Atlantic coast on the east to the Appalachian Plateau on the west, Maryland has a great variety of geology and landforms. Maryland is part of six physiographic provinces (shown in the figure below). A physiographic province is a geographic area in which the geology (including lithology and structure) and climate history have resulted in landforms that are distinctly different from adjacent areas. An overview of the geology by physiographic province is provided below. Atlantic Coastal Plain The Atlantic Coastal Plain Province is underlain by a wedge of unconsolidated sediments including gravel, sand, silt, and clay, which overlaps the rocks of the eastern Piedmont along an irregular line of contact known as the Fall Zone. Eastward, this wedge of sediments thickens to more than 8,000 feet at the Atlantic coast line. Beyond this line is the Atlantic Continental Shelf Province, the submerged continuation of the Coastal Plain, which extends eastward for at least another 75 miles where the sediments attain a maximum thickness of about 40,000 feet. The sediments of the Coastal Plain dip eastward at a low angle, generally less than one degree, and range in age from Triassic to Quaternary. The younger formations crop out successively to the southeast across Southern Maryland and the Eastern Shore. A thin layer of Quaternary gravel and sand covers the older formations throughout much of the area. Mineral...
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...Unit 9 Assignment 1: Geology of the Area Maryland’s Geology From the Atlantic coast on the east to the Appalachian Plateau on the west, Maryland has a great variety of geology and landforms. Maryland is part of six physiographic provinces (shown in the figure below). A physiographic province is a geographic area in which the geology (including lithology and structure) and climate history have resulted in landforms that are distinctly different from adjacent areas. An overview of the geology by physiographic province is provided below. Atlantic Coastal Plain The Atlantic Coastal Plain Province is underlain by a wedge of unconsolidated sediments including gravel, sand, silt, and clay, which overlaps the rocks of the eastern Piedmont along an irregular line of contact known as the Fall Zone. Eastward, this wedge of sediments thickens to more than 8,000 feet at the Atlantic coast line. Beyond this line is the Atlantic Continental Shelf Province, the submerged continuation of the Coastal Plain, which extends eastward for at least another 75 miles where the sediments attain a maximum thickness of about 40,000 feet. The sediments of the Coastal Plain dip eastward at a low angle, generally less than one degree, and range in age from Triassic to Quaternary. The younger formations crop out successively to the southeast across Southern Maryland and the Eastern Shore. A thin layer of Quaternary gravel and sand covers the older formations throughout much of the area. Mineral...
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...Mission Spacecraft getting in to Large Space Simulation Chamber for Testing Mars Orbiter Mission (M.O.M) Mars tugs at the human imagination like no other planet. The conditions in Mars are believed to be hospitable since the planet is similar to earth in many ways. Mars and Earth have almost equal period of revolution around the axis. Mars takes 24 hours and 37 minutes to complete equal period of revolution around the axis. While Earth takes approximately 365 days to orbit round the Sun, Mars takes 687 days for an orbit around the Sun. The gravity of Mars is roughly one-third to Earth’s gravity and it has a thin atmosphere with a pressure of 1% that of Earth. The atmosphere, water, ice and geology interact with each other to produce dynamic Martian environment as in Earth. Mars has surface features reminiscent of both the impact craters of the Moon, volcanoes, deserts and 1 polar ice of Earth. It inspires visions of an approachable world. For ages, humans have been speculating about life on Mars. But the question that is to be still answered is whether Mars has a biosphere or ever had an environment in which life could have evolved and sustained. Mars Orbiter Mission is ISRO’s first interplanetary mission to planet Mars with an orbiter craft designed to orbit Mars in an elliptical orbit. The...
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...Geology Notes Origin of Planet Earth and Solar System: * Earth as a unique planet 1. Presence of a “hydrosphere”/ there’s liquid water/ makes life possible 2. Presence of a life supporting atmosphere/ there’s oxygen: not too much, not too little (too much oxygen results in fires) 3. Distance from the sun/ controls overall temperature of planet, Goldilocks Zone: not too hot, not too cold/ also controls composition of planet * Terrestrial Planets- Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Asteroid Belt (all relatively small and rocky) * Jovian Planets- Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune (huge and gaseous) 4. Size- Dictates gravitational pull (larger body= more gravity)/ gravity holds in atmosphere/ 2 most abundant gasses are hydrogen and helium/ cooling rate of planet- over time interior of planets cool down (smaller planet cools quicker, larger planet cools slower) 5. Presence of an internal heat engine- breakdown of radioactive substances gives off heat, causing interior of Earth to be hot/ due to internal heat engine, we have: earthquakes and volcanoes (most abundant material ejected form volcanoes is water * Basic observations of our solar system 1. Jovian vs. Terrestrial planets 2. All planets revolve around sun in same direction 3. All planets and our sun are coplanar/ lie along same imaginary surface in space 4. All planets and our sun have a common age of formation, 4.6 billion years ago The Nebular Hypothesis: Formation of solar system ...
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...Water pollution Water pollution is the contamination of water bodies (e.g. lakes, rivers, oceans, aquifers and groundwater). Water pollution occurs when pollutants are discharged directly or indirectly into water bodies without adequate treatment to remove harmful compounds. Water pollution affects plants and organisms living in these bodies of water. In almost all cases the effect is damaging not only to individual species and populations, but also to the natural biological communities. Introduction Water pollution is a major global problem which requires ongoing evaluation and revision of water resource policy at all levels (international down to individual aquifers and wells). It has been suggested that it is the leading worldwide cause of deaths and diseases, and that it accounts for the deaths of more than 14,000 people daily. An estimated 700 million Indians have no access to a proper toilet, and 1,000 Indian children die of diarrheal sickness every day. Some 90% of China's cities suffer from some degree of water pollution, and nearly 500 million people lack access to safe drinking water. In addition to the acute problems of water pollution in developing countries, developed countries continue to struggle with pollution problems as well. In the most recent national report on water quality in the United States, 45 percent of assessed stream miles, 47 percent of assessed lake acres, and 32 percent of assessed bays and estuarine square miles were classified as polluted...
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...travel in independent orbits. The major planets, in order of their average distance from the sun, are Mercury, Venus, the Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto. 2 What are epidemics? Ans An epidemic is the rapid spread of infectious disease to a large number of people in a given population within a short period of time, usually two weeks or less. For example, in meningococcal infections, an attack rate in excess of 15 cases per 100,000 people for two consecutive weeks is considered an epidemic. Epidemics of infectious disease are generally caused by several factors including a change in the ecology of the host population (e.g. increased stress or increase in the density of a vector species), a genetic change in the pathogen reservoir or the introduction of an emerging pathogen to a host population (by movement of pathogen or host). Generally, an epidemic occurs when host immunity to either an established pathogen or newly emerging novel pathogen is suddenly reduced below that found in the endemic equilibrium and the transmission threshold is exceeded. 3 what are geo science? The earth is in continuous change. Scientists from many branches of science are required in order to understand the large range of variations occurring in the planet. The different disciplines that are involved in the study of the earth are called the geosciences. These include geology, oceanography, meteorology, and many others. Just as science can be divided into three general areas of...
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...CA L I F O R N I A S TA N DA R D S T E S T Released Test Questions Earth Science Introduction - Earth Science The following released test questions are taken from the Earth Science Standards Test. This test is one of the California Standards Tests administered as part of the Standardized Testing and Reporting (STAR) Program under policies set by the State Board of Education. All questions on the California Standards Tests are evaluated by committees of content experts, including teachers and administrators, to ensure their appropriateness for measuring the California academic content standards in Earth Science. In addition to content, all items are reviewed and approved to ensure their adherence to the principles of fairness and to ensure no bias exists with respect to characteristics such as gender, ethnicity, and language. This document contains released test questions from the California Standards Test forms in 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, and 2008. First on the pages that follow are lists of the standards assessed on the Earth Science Test. Next are released test questions. Following the questions is a table that gives the correct answer for each question, the content standard that each question is measuring, and the year each question last appeared on the test. It should be noted that asterisked (*) standards found in the Science Content Standards for California Public Schools, Kindergarten through Grade 12, are not assessed on the California Standards Tests...
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...Definition of Terms A Action level The concentration established by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency of copper or lead which, if exceeded, triggers treatment or other requirements that a water-supply system must follow. Acute criteria An estimate of the maximum concentration of a constituent to which aquatic life can be exposed for short periods of time without detri mental effects. Algorithm A systematic procedure (usually repetitive) for solving a problem. Alluvium A general term for unconsolidated sedimentary accumulations deposited by rivers or streams. It includes sediment deposited in river beds and flood plains. Anhydrite gypsum. A calcium sulfate mineral (CaSO4) that alters readily to Common ions The group of constituents that includes calcium, magnesium, sodium, bicarbonate, sulfate, and chloride and collectively constitute more than 95 percent of the dissolved solids for most natural waters. (An ion is an electrically charged particle.) Concentration The amount of a constituent present in a given volume of sample. Usually expressed as milligrams per liter or micrograms per liter for a water sample. Conceptual model A working model or hypothesis describing a phenome non or process that is difficult or impossible to observe directly. Confined Said of ground water that is under pressure greater than that of the atmosphere. When an aquifer is completely filled with water (fully satu rated) and is overlain by a confining unit, the water can be confined under pressure...
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