Water and Carbon Cycles

what are systems made up of?

they are made up of stores, flows, boundaries, inputs and outputs

what is an input?

where matter/energy is added (precipitation)

what is an output?

where matter or energy leaves (sea)

what is a store?

where matter or energy builds up (soil/vegetation)

what is a flow/transfer?

where matter or energy moves from one store or the other (river)

what is a boundary?

limits of a system (eg. the watershed)

what is an open system?

a system where energy/ matter can enter and leave

what is a closed system?

matter cannot enter, but energy can.

what is the name of a balanced system?

the system is in dynamic equilibrium

what can affect the dynamic equilibrium of a system?

large, long term changes to a system.

what is positive feedback?

this amplifies the change to the inputs or outputs.

negative feedback

these mechanisms counteract the change in inputs or outputs.

example of positive feedback

temperatures rise -> ice melts due to high temperatures -> less ice means less sun energy is reflected -> more energy absorbed by earth ->

example of negative feedback

large amountd of co2 emitted, co2 in atmosphere increases -> extra co2 causes plants to increase growth -> plants remove co2 from atmosphere -> co2 reduces

the earth can be seen as which type of system?

the earth is a closed system. energy input and output happens from the sun, but matter is not inputted or outputted

what are the examples of subsystems?

cryosphere, lithosphere, hydrosphere, biosphere, atmosphere. they are all interlincked,

what is the cryosphere?

this is where all the cold frozen water on earth is

what is the lithosphere?

this is the outer part of the earth (crust)

what is the biosphere?

part on earth where life is found. plants, animals, birds, fungi, insects, bacteria, etc

what is the hydrosphere?

this is where all the water is on earth. (liquid, lakes, rivers), solid (ice), or gas (water vapour). it can only be salty or fresh.

what is the atmosphere?

layer of gas between earth and space, held by gravity.