Notes

Earth Science Regents Review


 * 1) cosmic background radiation is radiation observed from all directions in the universe; it's believed that it's radiation left over from the big bang that formed the universe
 * 2) The Coriolis effect; as planetary winds and ocean currents move across Earth's surface, Earth is turning on its axis; this rotation causes winds to appear to be deflected toward the right in the N-hemisphere and toward the left in the S-hemisphere
 * 3) Polaris, the North star, is located directly above the North Pole therefore the altitude of Polaris at any location in the Northern hemisphere is equal to the latitude of the observer
 * 4) Rocks from sediments are sedimentary rocks; clastic=fragmental
 * 5) ESRT-time distribution of fossils-length of lines correspond to length of time organisms lived/existed on Earth--> short line = short life; long line = __________ life
 * 6) Earth's early atmosphere contained no free oxygen until photosynthetics organisms (aerobic bacteria) appeared; over billions of years the oxygen released by these organisms formed the ozone layer
 * 7) ESRT-page 14-planetary winds
 * 8) ESRT-page 1 radioactive decay 3.9/1.3= 3 800 --> 400 --> 200 ---> 100
 * 9) Volcanic ash is ejected high into the atmosphere and is carried by global winds and then settles on the ground; it's a good time marker for correlating rocks because it falls over a large area in a short period of time
 * 10) ESRT page 8-9