core
Center of the earth
Mantle
The layer of hot, solid material between Earth's crust and core.
Crust
The thin and solid outermost layer of the Earth above the mantle
Hydrosphere
all the waters on the earth's surface, such as lakes and seas, and sometimes including water over the earth's surface, such as clouds.
atmosphere
A mixture of gases that surrounds a planet or moon.
Magnetosphere
the area surrounding Earth that is influenced by Earth's magnetic field
Convection
The transfer of heat by the movement of a fluid
greenhouse effect
Natural situation in which heat is retained in Earth's atmosphere by carbon dioxide, methane, water vapor, and other gases
seismic waves
vibrations that travel through Earth carrying the energy released during an earthquake
inner core
A dense sphere of solid iron and nickel at the center of Earth
outer core
A layer of molten iron and nickel that surrounds the inner core of Earth
radioactive
A spontaneous process in which unstable nuclei lose energy by emitting radiation
plate tectonics
A theory stating that the earth's surface is broken into plates that move.
Lithosphere
A rigid layer made up of the uppermost part of the mantle and the crust.
Asthenosphere
The soft layer of the mantle on which the lithosphere floats.
Van Allen Belts
Two doughnut-shaped regions 1,000-25,000 kilometers above Earth that contain electrons and protons traveling at high speed.
Tidal bulges (lunar)
-Small horizontal forces push seawater into two bulges
-Opposite sides of Earth
-One bulge faces Moon
-Other bulge opposite side Earth
Tidal forces are caused by
The difference between the strength of the gravitational pull of the Moon and Sun on either side of the Earth.
Tidal bulges (solar)
*Similar to lunar bulges but much smaller
*Moon closer to Earth
*New/Full moon - tidal range greatest - spring tide
*Quarter moons - tidal range least - neap tide
*Time between spring tides about two weeks
Maria
Dark, flat areas on the moon's surface formed from huge ancient lava flows.
highlands of moon
bright rugged areas pitted with craters
Craters
A large round pit caused by the impact of a meteoroid.
synchronous orbit
State of an object when its period of rotations is exactly equal to its average orbital period. The Moon is in a synchronous orbit and so presents the same face toward Earth at all times.
Rilles
structures that look like narrow canyons or stream courses
intercrater plains
Between craters, older than smooth plains. Covered with small
craters which may be secondary craters. Could be formed from
flood lava from heavy bombardment with global fracturing.
Scarps
Huge cliffs thought to have formed as the planet cooled and contracted
full moon
moon phase when the entire side facing Earth is illuminated.
quarter moon
The phase of the Moon when half of the Moon's near side is sunlit.
lunar eclipse
the blocking of sunlight to the moon that occurs when Earth is directly between the sun and the moon
solar eclipse
Occurs when the Moon passes directly between the Sun and Earth and casts a shadow over part of Earth
partial eclipse
an eclipse in which the eclipsed body is only partially obscured
annular eclipse
an eclipse of the sun in which the edge of the sun remains visible as a bright ring around the moon.
umbra
the very darkest part of the moon's shadow
Penumbra
The part of a shadow surrounding the darkest part