Ice and Temperature

Scientists study ice and oxygen atoms in ice cores to reveal past temperatures.
There are 2 common types (isotopes) of oxygen atom, known as 18-O and 16-O,
which have different weights. Ice that contains a high proportion of 16-O was
formed when the Earth's temperature was low, while ice containing lots of 18-O was
formed in warmer temperatures. This method is called isotope analysis. Isotope
analysis can be used to find out about past temperatures from samples of fossils,
such as corals and bryozoans, as well as from samples of ice.

Gases trapped in the ice

One of the main advantages of analysing ice cores is that they show levels of carbon
dioxide in the atmosphere at different points in Earth’s history, as well as recording
temperature.​ Ice cores​ are simply long cylinders of ice drilled out of the ice that
contain trapped air bubbles from earth’s past. They can be used to find out the
concentration of greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide and methane and store traces of
other substances, like salt, which is transported by wind from the ocean. This helps
scientists to calculate the amount of sea ice surrounding the polar regions.

Igneous Rocks
Igneous rocks are rocks that form from the cooling of magma below the Earth’s crust or
lava, either extrusive or intrusive. Those that form from red-hot lava above the Earth’s
surface are called extrusive rocks. Those that form from the lava spilling from underwater
volcanoes are also classified as extrusive rocks. Another way of telling apart extrusive
and intrusive rocks is how quickly the rock cools. If it cools quickly, it’s extrusive, but
otherwise, it’s intrusive.

Sedimentary rocks
Sedimentary rocks are rocks that are formed from the particles of sediments. Sediments are
deposited when weathered rock is moved from one place to another by the wind, running
water, the sea or glaciers - a process called erosion. Deposits of dead plants and animals
can also be sediments. An example of sedimentary rock is in Grand Canyon in Arizona,
USA.

Faults
The rocks that make up the Earth’s crust are pushed and pulled in different directions.
Sometimes, the rocks aren’t strong enough and break causing the Earth to shake — an
earthquake. This is like if you bend a stick, it will bend so far then snap all of a sudden.
The line where the Earth's crust snaps is called a fault.
Questions:
1. What are the uses of ice cores?
2. Explain the process of isotope analysis.
3. How do you tell if an igneous rock is intrusive or extrusive?
4. What is sediment?
5. What is the scientific word for places where the surface of the earth break apart or grind together?

Answers:
1. They can be used to find out the concentration of greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide and methane and store
traces of other substances, like salt, which is transported by wind from the ocean.
2. Isotope analysis is using the isotopes of an atom, namely the oxygen atom in this case, and looking at its
features, like temperature, and weights.
3. If a rock cools quickly, it’s generally extrusive. If it cools slowly, it’s generally intrusive.
4. Layers of particles dropped from flowing water which settle out at the bottom and often compress into rocks
5. Fault