Earth’s Geomagnetic Reversal: Flipping Polarity
The Earth is a big magnet. This is why compasses point to the magnetic north. But north didn’t always point northward because of magnetic pole reversals.
Articles
5 Asthenosphere Facts: What is the Asthenosphere?
The asthenosphere is the unsung hero of our planet. This plasticky layer 80 to 200 km beneath Earth provides the necessary lubrication for plate tectonics.
What Is the Stratosphere?
Main highlights of the stratosphere are: (1) The ozone layer absorbs harmful UV light (2) This causes temperature to rise (3) It contains 10% of air mass.
South American Plate: Tectonic Boundary and Movement
The South American plate is the smallest of all major plates that includes the continent of South America and a large portion of the Atlantic Ocean.
How Trees Grow from Carbon Dioxide and Water
For the most part, trees growth is from carbon dioxide and rain water. So most of the dry mass of trees is made from the contents of the air and water.
What Is a Geophysicist?
Geophysicists study the physical processes that relate to Earth. For example, they work in seismic, marine and gravity for subsurface investigations.
Coriolis Effect: Air Circulation in the Atmosphere
The Coriolis effect is the deflection of air due to Earth’s rotation. Air veers to the right in the northern hemisphere. And vice versa south of the equator.
Ecology Careers: What Do Ecologist Do?
Working in ecology is seeing conservation in action. These 7 questions and answers evaluate ecologists career for salary, job duties and potential employers.
What is a Cinder Cone Volcano (Scoria Cone)?
Cinder cones (also known as spatter cones) are the most common type of volcano in the world. But they are small in comparison to stratovolcanoes and others.
Shape of the Earth: The Oblate Spheroid
Earth is not a perfect sphere. In fact, it’s in the shape of an oblate spheroid. Earth shape bulges at the equator and flattens at the north and south pole.
Chandler Wobble: Why Earth Wobbles Like a Toy Top
Earth spins on its axis of rotation. But it doesn’t spin perfectly. Like a toy top, it wobbles when it spins. This displacement is the Chandler Wobble.
How Do Sedimentary Rocks Form?
Sedimentary rocks form from two key processes. First, compaction squeezes material together. Second, cementing glues the squeezed material together.
Proterozoic Eon: Eukaryotes to Multicellular Life (2500 to 541 million years ago)
In the Proterozoic Eon, key highlights are: ozone layer thickened, an oxygen crisis, Snowball Earth and eukaryotes and multicellular organisms evolved.
How the Rock Cycle Recycles Earth’s Crust
If you could speed up time, you would see rocks cycling from within the planet. Like a well-oiled machine, rocks are igneous, sedimentary and metamorphic.
What Do Meteorologists Do?
Meteorologists partake in weather prediction. They understand atmospheric chemistry and physics and how they relate to weather and climate patterns.