PSSA Earth and Space Science Flashcards
6 cards from real PSSA practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 6 PSSA Earth and Space Science flashcards as text
What causes ocean tides?
Answer: The gravitational pull of the Moon and Sun on Earth's oceans
Ocean tides are caused primarily by the gravitational pull of the Moon (and to a lesser extent the Sun) on Earth's oceans.
What is erosion?
Answer: The process by which wind, water, and ice wear away and carry rock and soil
Erosion is the process by which natural forces like wind, water, and ice wear away and transport rock and soil from one place to another.
Which planet is known as the 'Red Planet'?
Answer: Mars
Mars is called the Red Planet because its surface is covered with iron oxide (rust), giving it a reddish appearance.
What is the greenhouse effect?
Answer: The trapping of heat in Earth's atmosphere by greenhouse gases
The greenhouse effect is the process by which greenhouse gases trap heat in Earth's atmosphere, keeping the planet warm enough for life.
What is a fault in geology?
Answer: A fracture in Earth's crust where rocks have moved relative to each other
A fault is a fracture or zone of fractures in Earth's crust along which the rocks on either side have moved relative to each other.
What does the term 'light-year' measure?
Answer: The distance light travels in one year
A light-year is the distance that light travels in one year in a vacuum, approximately 9.46 trillion kilometers.