Bib:
1. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Milky_Way(universe), Wikimedia, Milky Way, June 6, 2008.
2.http://www.umich.edu/~gs265/bigbang.htm, Chris LaRocco and Blair Rothstein, The Big Bang, 1994?
Our solar system is located in on e of the "minor" arms of the Milky Way galaxy, known as the Orion arm. The milky way is a SBbc A.K.A. barred spiral galaxy, similar to many other spiral galaxies in the universe. The approximate size and age of the known universe is still somewhat shrouded in mystery but from what scientists have come up with we can get a pretty good idea. The age is about 13.73 billion years old, give or take a million years. The size is about 93 billion light years across. The age was determined by NASA's WMAP Project which studied the location of the first acoustic peak of the cosmic Microwave background Radiation power spectrum to find the size of the decoupling surface (size of universe at the time of recombination). Which in turn gave us a relative age of the universe.
The big bang theory states that the universe was once just a ball of matter (which the size is unknown) which later exploded, causing the expansion of the universe (similar to a super massive supernova). after billions of years matter bean to collapse into the various objects in the universe
Our solar system was formed by a nebular mass or molecular clout, of which parts began to collapse into denser pieces. Most of the mass began to clump into the center forming the sun, the other formed the "protoplanetary disk." This in turn also collapsed to create the other objects in the solar system.
A star's gravity is one of the major parts that keep its massive amounts of energy together in space. During it's early stages, its gravity pulls in more and more matter, making it denser and larger. Fusion reactions, happening at millions per minuet, constantly make a star's stellar core more and more unstable. At a particular time, the core can collapse turning it into a neutron star. If the mass is high enough the star could completely collapse into a black hole.
Once again, some may argue against this due to religion or fanaticism. The scientific community worldwide will always be looking into this topic until we find the definite answer. If I get into a scientific career i will definitely use this information to it's fullest.
Friday, June 6, 2008
Thursday, June 5, 2008
Question #1 (major Earth systems)
Bib:
1. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Earth_science, Wikimedia, Earth Science, June 5, 2008.
2. http://www.cotf.edu/ete/ESS/ESSmain.html, November 10, 2004
The Earth's Major systems all interact with one another. The hydrosphere requires the atmospheres assistance in storing and moving water through it's cycle. The biosphere then requires this water for sustaining a healthy ecology for the planet. The geosphere pumps greenhouse gases into the atmosphere through volcanic activity which then can alter the behavior of the hydrosphere's water cycle. The geosphere also helps in the runoff of water, the discharge of water into the sea, and can also have an effect on weather patterns. Without a stable interaction between these 4 systems, each can be effected. For example, if the hydrosphere is greatly altered by any means, drought and hunger can ravage the biospheres sustainability, and many numbers could die or migrate.
Human activity also has an effect on every Earth system. Pollution is already generating a problem for life, since it is contaminating ecosystems making very difficult for some species to live. Deforestation and many other activities are speeding up a shift in the hydrosphere, which in turn can alter the normal climate.
All related information is relevant to our understanding of both our impact and how we can lessen it, and the spirit of exploration. Some of our religouse or finatical organizations may disagree, however this cannot change anything. Some dissagreeing theorists have stated that this is normal behavior for the Earth's environment. Most of the scientific community agrees with the fact that our impact is going to be greatly felt.
1. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Earth_science, Wikimedia, Earth Science, June 5, 2008.
2. http://www.cotf.edu/ete/ESS/ESSmain.html, November 10, 2004
The Earth's Major systems all interact with one another. The hydrosphere requires the atmospheres assistance in storing and moving water through it's cycle. The biosphere then requires this water for sustaining a healthy ecology for the planet. The geosphere pumps greenhouse gases into the atmosphere through volcanic activity which then can alter the behavior of the hydrosphere's water cycle. The geosphere also helps in the runoff of water, the discharge of water into the sea, and can also have an effect on weather patterns. Without a stable interaction between these 4 systems, each can be effected. For example, if the hydrosphere is greatly altered by any means, drought and hunger can ravage the biospheres sustainability, and many numbers could die or migrate.
Human activity also has an effect on every Earth system. Pollution is already generating a problem for life, since it is contaminating ecosystems making very difficult for some species to live. Deforestation and many other activities are speeding up a shift in the hydrosphere, which in turn can alter the normal climate.
All related information is relevant to our understanding of both our impact and how we can lessen it, and the spirit of exploration. Some of our religouse or finatical organizations may disagree, however this cannot change anything. Some dissagreeing theorists have stated that this is normal behavior for the Earth's environment. Most of the scientific community agrees with the fact that our impact is going to be greatly felt.
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C02 (carbon dioxide) is one of these gases that is the leading culprit in storing heat. Carbon Flux before the industrial revolution stayed a steady 0 x 10^12. By about 1870-2000 the amount of C02 emissions jumped from 0 to about 6.5 x 10^12 (that equals 6,500,000,000,000) in kg of carbon dioxide gas. This was measured in the atmosphere and ice cores drilled in the Antarctic. The cause of this jump is the burning of fossil fuels such as oil (gasoline), and coal. Since the creation of automobiles the amount of C02 gas in the atmosphere has risen 100 parts per million. That might not seem like a reasonable ratio, 370/1,000,000, But it is alot for our atmosphere. This means that along with water vapor our chances for Global Warming Potential are great.
