Earth Science Final Exam 1

• Continental shelf • Continental slope • Abyssal plain • Mid-ocean ridge • Ocean trenches These features are shaped by various geological processes.

The sun provides energy for evaporation, leading to condensation, precipitation, and runoff back to the oceans. This process is essential for maintaining the Earth’s water balance.

Due to tectonic movement, volcanic activity, trenches, and sediment deposition. These processes constantly reshape the ocean floor.

Cold water molecules move slower, allowing more oxygen to dissolve. This phenomenon is crucial for marine life as it affects oxygen availability.

Salinity is the amount of dissolved salt in seawater. * Affected by evaporation * Freshwater input * Ice melting or freezing Understanding salinity is essential for studying oceanic conditions.

Most of Earth’s water (about 97%) is located in the oceans. This highlights the significance of oceans in the global water cycle.

Phytoplankton are microscopic ocean plants that produce oxygen and form the base of the marine food web. They play a critical role in marine ecosystems and global oxygen production.

They use sunlight for photosynthesis to make energy. Photosynthesis is vital for their growth and the overall health of marine ecosystems.

The continental shelf is a shallow, gently sloping area at the edge of continents. * Supports abundant marine life * Important for fisheries The continental shelf is crucial for biodiversity and human fishing activities.

Upwelling brings nutrient-rich deep water to the surface, promoting phytoplankton growth. This process enhances the productivity of marine ecosystems.

Breaks rock physically without changing its composition It involves physical processes that fracture rocks.

Changes the mineral composition of the rock It involves chemical reactions that alter the minerals in rocks.

• Erode sediment • Transport sediment • Deposit sediment Streams carve valleys and reshape land over time.

• Slope • Channel shape • Amount of water flowing These factors influence how fast water moves in a stream.

• Provides drinking water • Supports plants • Supports animals • Supports ecosystems Groundwater is a crucial resource for life on Earth.

A naturally occurring, inorganic solid with a definite chemical composition and an orderly crystalline structure Minerals are the building blocks of rocks.

• A mineral is a single pure substance • A rock is a mixture of one or more minerals This distinction is fundamental in geology.

The color of a mineral in powdered form, tested by rubbing the mineral on a porcelain streak plate Streak can be different from the mineral’s appearance.

Diamond Diamond’s hardness is due to strong carbon-carbon bonds arranged in a tight crystal structure.

• Hardness (Mohs scale) • Streak • Luster • Cleavage • Fracture • Density These properties help in the classification and identification of minerals.

• Igneous: formed from cooled magma or lava • Sedimentary: formed from compacted and cemented sediments Metamorphic: formed from heat and pressure acting on existing rock

Fast cooling does not allow enough time for large crystals to grow.

Sedimentary layers form as sediments settle in water or air and build up over time.

Sediment becomes rock through compaction (pressure squeezes sediments together) and cementation (minerals glue sediments together).