Geology 12 - Historical Geology
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Early Earth

Reading: Chapter 6

Skim anything that talks about the history of the science (as opposed to the history of the Earth).

Terms you should know:

Key Concepts and Questions:

1. What are the pieces of the nebular model of solar system formation?

Add some details to this outline from the reading.

• Nebula spinning in space

 

• condensation, disc formation

 

• heating and proto-Sun

 

• planetestimals and protoplanets

 

• differentiation

 

• Moon formation

 

• Highly volcanic Earth

 

• Evolution of air and water

 

2. What is the evidence for the nebular hypothesis?

We'll add this in class.

 

Assessment

1. Nebular hypothesis

You should be able to:

• describe the chronology of the nebular hypothesis - what happened first, then what, etc.
• be able to cite the evidence for the nebular hypothesis

2. Origin of atmosphere and water

You should be able to:

• describe three atmospheres the Earth may have had over its history, and the evidence for each
• describe two different explanations for the origin of water on the Earth