APES Unit 4 review

Adiabatic cooling

The cooling effect of reduced pressure on air as it rises higher in the atmosphere and expands.

Adiabatic heating

The heating effect of increased pressure on air as it sinks toward the surface of Earth and decreases in volume.

Saturation point

The maximum amount of water vapor in the air at a given temperature.

Latent heat release

The release of energy when water vapor in the atmosphere condenses into liquid water.

Four properties that determine how air circulates:

1. Adiabatic heating
2. Adiabatic cooling
3. Saturation point
4. Latent heat

Convection currents

Global patterns of air movement that are initiated by the unequal heating of Earth.

Intertropical convergence zone (ITCZ)

The latitude that receives the most intense sunlight, which causes the ascending branches of the two Hadley cells to converge.

Hadley cell

A convection current in the atmosphere that cycles between the equator and 30°N and 30°S.

Ferrell cell

A convection current in the atmosphere that lies between Hadley cells and polar cells.

Polar cell

A convection current in the atmosphere, formed by air that rises at 60°N and 60°S and sinks at the poles, 90°N and 90°S.

Coriolis effect

is the deflection of an object’s path due to the rotation of Earth.

Six prevailing winds

1.Easterlies *winds are named by where they originate
2.Westerlies
3.NE trade winds
4.SE trade winds
5.Westerlies
6.Easterlies

Rain shadow

A region with dry conditions found on the leeward (dry) side of a mountain range as a result of humid winds from the ocean causing precipitation on the windward (wet) side.

Watershed

All land in a given landscape that drains into a particular stream, river, lake, or wetland.

Fault

A fracture in rock caused by a movement of Earth’s crust.

Seismic Activity

The frequency and intensity of earthquakes experienced over time.

Fault zone

A large expanse of rock where a fault has occurred.

Divergent plate boundaries

plates move apart.

Convergent plate boundaries

plates collide.

Transform fault boundaries

plates slide past each other.

Infiltration

the downward movement of water through soil.

Leaching

as water infiltrates down, it dissolves various minerals and organic matter in upper layers and carries them to lower layers.

O horizon

The surface layer of soil and contains Humus.

A horizon

a zone of organic material and minerals that have been mixed together. Also known as Topsoil.

E horizon

A zone of leaching, or evaluation, found in some acidic soils under the O horizon or, less often, the A horizon.

B horizon

A soil horizon composed primarily of mineral material with very little organic matter.

C horizon

The least-weathered soil horizon, which always occurs beneath the B horizon and is similar to the parent material.

Three Properties of Soil

Physical - texture, porosity
Chemical - pH, N, P, K
Biology - bacteria, snails, insects, earthworms

Sand

Drains easily and quickly
Easy to work with
Has a lower water-holding capacity, therefore it must be watered more frequently.
Has a lower nutrient-holding capacity, so it must be fertilized more often.
Highly susceptible to wind and water erosion.

Silt

Medium size particles
Has a greater tendency to form a crust, which is often very hard.
Created when rock is eroded, or worn away, by water and ice
Promotes water retention and air circulation

Clay

High water-holding capacity
High nutrient-holding capacity
Poor drainage
Waterlogged soil results in the roots being deprived of oxygen and other nutrients
Expands & contracts (“heaving”)
Crusting and cracking are common
Difficult to work because it is so sticky

Best type of soil

Loam, 40% silt, 40% sand, 20% clay

Nitrogen (N) - primarily responsible for plant growth

Assimilated into amino acids which build proteins
A component of chlorophyll
Required for several enzyme reactions

Phosphorus (P) - major component in DNA and RNA

Root development
Crop maturity
Seed production

Potassium (K) - plays an “indirect” role in plant growth by activating over 80 enzymes.

Helps plants withstand extreme temps
Helps plants fight drought and pests
Increases water use efficiency
Transforms sugars into starch

Structure of the Earth

-Core
-Mantle
-Asthenosphere
-Lithosphere
-Crust

3 ways rocks can form

1.Directly from molten magma (igneous)
2.Compression of sediments (sedimentary)
3.Exposure to high temperatures and pressures (metamorphic)

Igneous Rock

Rock formed directly from magma.

Intrusive igneous rock

Igneous rock that forms when magma rises up and cools in a place underground.

Extrusive igneous rock

Rock that forms when magma cools above the surface of Earth.

Sedimentary Rock

Rock that forms when sediments such as mud, sands, or gravels are compressed by overlying sediments.

Metamorphic Rock

Rock that forms when sedimentary rock, igneous rock, or other metamorphic rock is subjected to high temperature and pressure.

Physical weathering

The mechanical breakdown of rocks and minerals.

Chemical weathering

The breakdown of rocks and minerals by chemical reactions, the dissolving of chemical elements from rocks, or both.

Chemical weathering

The breakdown of rocks and minerals by chemical reactions, the dissolving of chemical elements from rocks, or both.

Erosion

The physical removal of rock fragments from a landscape or ecosystem.

Soil Conservation Techniques

1. Terracing
2. Contour planting
3. Strip Cropping
4. Alley Cropping
5. Conservation tillage

Terracing

making “steps” to slow soil erosion down a slope

Contour planting

plowing and planting crops in rows across the slope rather than up and down the slope.

Strip cropping

planting alternating strips of a row crop and another crop (cover crop) that completely covers the soil.

Alley cropping

a crop is planted in an alley between trees and shrubs.

Conservation tillage

“no till” farming. Since eliminating plowing reduces soil erosion, this method involves special machines that drill seeds directly through crop residues into the undisturbed soil.

Troposphere

The layer closest to the surface of Earth, extending up to 10 miles

Stratosphere

The layer of the atmosphere above the troposphere, extending 10–31 miles above the surface of Earth.

Mesosphere

The atmosphere’s coldest layer extends about 31-50 miles above earth’s surface. Meteors burn up in this layer

Thermosphere

The beginnings of outer space. The space shuttle orbits here. UV radiation reacts with layer of ionized gases and air particles which become electrically charged, creating the “Northern Lights” or aurora borealis.

Exosphere

The outermost layer that blends into space.
Only hydrogen, helium, and trace oxygen.

El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO)

A reversal of wind and water currents in the South Pacific. In an El Niño year, trade winds weaken or reverse direction, so warm waters build up along the west coast of Peru.

Upwelling

the upward movement of ocean water toward the surface of diverging currents.

El Nino Conditions in the Pacific

High pressure over Australia
Trade winds blow to the east
Surface currents travel toward the east
Upwelling ceases along the eastern Pacific coast
The lack of upwelling decreases sea life
More rain in Southern California!

Gyre

A large-scale pattern of water circulation that moves clockwise in the Northern Hemisphere and counterclockwise in the Southern Hemisphere.

latitude

The distance north or south of the equator

Parallels

are circles north and south of the equator. 0° is the equator. 90°N and 90°S are at the poles.

longitude

The distance east or west of a fixed point

meridians

The lines of longitude

Perihelion

Earth is closest to the sun at Jan. 3

Aphelion

Earth is farthest from the sun at July 4