APES U4 Earth Systems

List layers of the earth in order from top to middle and the states of matter ( including names and why they are that state of matter if applicable )

crust - solid matter

mantle - lower part = solid matter upper part = liquid ( convection currents ) also called athenosphere
outer core - liquid matter
inner core - solid state of matter due to the pressure

Convection currents drive… based on … and … . explain how this works

movement of tectonic plates based on density differences and magma . Magma in asthenosphere rises as its heated up. then as it reaches surface it cools down, expands, and then falls. This cycle continues. Hot cold, warm cool is what drives movement of convection.

lithosphere

the actual crust, its above the asthenosphere

Oceanic Crust is ____ and is ___ dense than continental crust and is thinner/thicker than continental crust

basalt, more, thinner

Continental crust is ___ and is ___ so we will never get more

granite, finite

what are the 3 types of plate boundaries

Convergent, transform, and divergent

In convergent plate boundaries
Oceanic to continental forms what 2 things as the oceanic plate slides below the continental
describe what happens in an oceanic to continental

Volcanic Mountains and subduction zone forms.
The subducting plate will begin to melt. Magma will rise vertically upward to the surface. The rising magma will form a series of volcanic Mountains that form near the plate boundary.
The subduction happens as a trench forms between the two plates

If crusts of the same type converge then the ___ one will subduct

older

If new crust forms it has to be

oceanic / basalt because continental crust or granite is finite

convergent boundary continent to continent

2 plates coming together → uplift → mountains because both are equally dense

in a convergent boundary continent to continent there is no volcanic activity , why ?

SInce there is no subduction the magma doesn’t rise up n a convergent

In a convergent boundary oceanic to oceanic
What plate will subduct and why. What will form

The older plate ( with higher density ) will subduct. The subducting plate will begin to melt. Magma will rise vertically upward to the surface. The rising magma will form a series of volcanic island arcs near the plate boundary and a space will form between the plate called trenches . Trenches are proof of subduction zone

In a divergent boundary plates move apart, in oceanic to oceanic divergent boundary What will happen

• magma from asthenosphere will rise to surface in the ocean.

• a mid ocean ridges( mountain range in middle of ocean ) will form and at this boundary the ocean is expanding. meaning that the Atlantic ocean is expanding. T

• his is called seafloor spreading because the crust is expanding.

divergent boundary continental to continental

• continents spread apart forming a rift valley.

• magma from asthenosphere can move vertically upward through the crack In the surface.

• Once the land has been separated enough new basaltic crust will form → new ocean is forming

In a transform plate boundary

plates slide against each other

the crack in the surface between the two plates in a transform boundary is called

fault

the fault line is usually located where

in the middle of the 2 sliding plates

The transform boundary results in what and why. Give an example.

releases stored energy held in place by friction in a short period of time and results in earthquakes

can also result in tsunamis if ocean plates move with some vertical motion
ex: San Andreas fault

Tsunamis are … and are caused by…. and can result in …

tsunamis are series of waves

caused by rapid vertical displacement of water ( usually earthquake, most often at subduction zones )
devastate mangrove forests and coral reefs

destroy agriculture and native species

cause saltwater intrusion or salinization

Along the ring of fire is
the ring of fire has a ___ bottom

volcanoes
divergent

Hot spots are caused by and are
an examples is

magma that escapes from mantle and reaches the lithosphere
hot spots are areas of volcanic activity that do not occur along plate boundaries . Hot spots do not move .
ex: Hawaiian

describe how hawaii was formed

liquid in asthenosphere got hot in certain places → burn a hole in the lithosphere → magma seeps through so plate moves over as islands go away from a hotspot . As volcanoes move, the new piece of land over the hotspot will form more volcanoes

Types of rocks and definitions of each

igneous = formed from the solidification of magma on the earth’s surface ( extrusive ) or within a plate ( intrusive )
Metamorphic = formed from an intense heat or pressure usually deep within a crust
Sedimentary = formed from compaction or cementation, usually on earth’s surface

soils effectively ___ and ___ water that moves through them so they ____ water quality

clean and filter water that moves through them so they protect

In the red circles area describe what is happening. What crust is being made and being destroyed. How. And at what boundary. Plate motion is due to ____ ___ in the asthenosphere , draw in the arrows

Magma is rising up as divergent plates in ocean to ocean creates a mid atlantic ridge which expands the sea floor. New oceanic crust is being created at the divergent boundary. Old oceanic crust is being destroyed in the convergent boundary for continent to land → volcanic Mountains because magma rises up because of subduction .

Plate motion is due to convection currents,

when convection currents are going down together → what boundary

when convection currents are going up together → what boundary

down → convergent

up → divergent

What types of geological activities are common in this area that make ring of fire an appropriate description. What type of plate boundaries surround the ring of fire

ocean continent - convergent = volcanic Mountains
ocean ocean - convergent = volcanic islands

the ring of fire follows the boundary of what major tectonic plate

pacific plate

why doesn’t the ring of fire stretch along the equator across the Pacific ocean

because the plate boundary near the bottom are divergent so no subduction so volcanic islands or mountains cannot emerge

3 faults in the US

• san andreas

• new Madrid

• Wasatch

epicenter of an earthquake is

exact point on the surface of the earth directly above the location where the rock ruptures

Mass extinction , what must occur

relatively sudden, global decrease in diversity of life forms.

• extinctions occur over the world

• a large number of species go extinct

• many types of species go extinct

the 5 mass extinctions in earth’s history

Ordovician , Devonian, Permian, Triassic, Cretaceous-Tertiary(K-T boundary )

during the K-T boundary

half of all life forms died out

Scientists predict we are in the 6th Mass extinction, what Is this called and why

holocene / anthropocene extinction

• caused by human actions

• decrease in wild life

Factors that impact the formation of soil ( and definition )

• Climate = over long period of time and , different biomes have different soil types

• Topography = slope and elevation of the land

• parent material

• organisms - types of decomposers and microorganisms present within the soil

• time

soil is formed by

chemical and physical weathering of rocks over time

particles of soil in order from largest to smallest

sand, silt, clay

soil horizon

O - Humus

• most susceptible to weathering

• surface litter like leaves and other decaying matter

A - top soil

• phosphorus and nitrogen are examples of some of the limiting nutrients that are found

• unrenewable

• mineral soil with most organic material accumulation and soil life(worms)

E - eluviation layer

• sand and silt

• infiltration

• mostly containing of silicates

• zone of leaching ( nutrients from upper horizons seep into lower horizons)

• minerals are washed away by leaching so lack of minerals like clay or iron

B - subsoil

• zone of accumulation = minerals like iron, clay, aluminum and organic material and other nutrients accumulate a process referred to as eluviation

• little to no organic matter

C - parent material

• gives soil rest of its characteristics

• large layer of unbroken rocks

• materials that is broken down to give soil

• least weathered

R - Bed rock

• Solid rock

• not weathered at all

Weathering ( biological and chemical ) Include examples

Breakdown of rock to form soil

ex: lichen and moss can breakdown / primary successores

ex: wind and water, ice, animals , growing plants

chemical weathering =acid rain, rust on rocks

Biological weathering = plants growing in rocks, human activity, animal burrowing

Erosion

Movement of soil someplace else

ex: wind, agriculture, ice, gravity, water

Deposition

The dropping of sediment in a new place

ex: sand dunes , formation of an island

soil particle characteristics

Sand - largest

• highest permeability and porosity

• water passes through this the most

Silt - medium

Clay - smallest

• Lowest permeability and porosity

• Highest fertility / nutrient level

• negative charge and nutrients are positive so clay attracts nutrients

• high water holding capacity

Permeability =
porosity =
fertility =

permeability = ability of air/liquid to go through

porosity = pores /spaces between particles

fertility = how much nutrients ( fertile ) the soil has

farmers want soil to be ___ because …

loam
loambecause its a mixture of sand, silt, and clay so it has the best of each component

soils with a smaller particles have a ____ water holding capacity

higher

watershed characteristics and these characteristics influence what

1. Area

2. Length

3. Slope

4. soil

5. vegetation

6. divides ( boundary with other watershed )

Watershed characteristics influence rainwater flow through the watershed

runoff often causes what

erosion and picks up pollution and carries elsewhere

watershed characteristics and classifications areinfluenced by

runoff and infiltration

water table

the ground below which the ground is saturated with water, usually below infiltration

Aquifer

a body of porous rock and sediment saturated with groundwater, usually below water table

Recharge process

water infiltrates into soil and then percolates deeper into ground to replenish underground aquifers

Watershed classification differ based on runoff and infiltration rates, provide examples

urban - high runoff , low infiltration

forested = high infiltration and low runoff

Riparian zones

important component of watersheds with vegetation. Can trap and filter certain types of pollutants

polution enters watersheds from

1. Agricultural runoff

2. industrial dumping

3. urban runoff

4. erosion

5. solid waste

   Due to runoff and infiltration some of these pollutants can enter into groundwater

Factors affecting the amount of solar radiation reaching the earth

• rotation ( 1×24 hrs )

• revolution ( 1 per 365 days )

• tilt of axis(23,5 degrees )

• atmospheric conditions

What causes seasons

summer happens in the northern hemisphere when it is tilted towards the sun so that it gets the most direct rays. Sun rises higher and stays above the horizon longer and its rays strike the ground most directly.

7

albedo

Proportion of light that is reflected by a surface, mostly determined by a color

• surfaces with a high albedo reflect more light and thus gain less heat

  • like ice snow

• surfaces with low albedo absorb light and heat

  • pavement

front

boundary between two air masses

Cold front ___ warm fronts by creating a ___ , how does this work

displaces, wedge, cold air is denser than warm air so the warm air is pushed upwards

importance of atmosphere

• provides O2 and CO2

• absorbs solar radiation

• moderates climate

• transports and recycles water and nutrients

atmospheric pressure is caused by the weight of air. as a result pressure ___ as altitude ___

pressure increase and altitude decrease
pressure decreases as altitude increases

the pauses in layers ( ex: mesopause, stratopause, tropopuase ) are…

transition zones between temperature changes

layers of the atmosphere are arranged according to …
most of our weather reoccurs in what layer

temperature
Troposphere

Layers of earth’s atmosphere starting from closest to earth’s surface ( bottom of table). State shift in temperature and why.

thermosphere	increase in temperature	high energy UV radiation absorbed ( closer to sun) ; air feels cold because molecules are sparse
mesopause/mesosphere	decrease to mesopause	air becomes thinner again
stratopause/stratosphere	increase to stratopause	formation of ozone layer in stratosphere traps heat
tropopause/troposphere	decrease to tropopause	air becomes thinner ( molecules farther apart

usually the higher the altitude the lower the temperature of the air. temperature inversion is when ____ air is trapped at the ground under a layer of ___ air

cool, warm

in normal conditions what happens to warm air

in temperature inversion why cant air rise to a higher altitude

what happens to air pollutants during a temperature inversion

temperature inversions are common in valleys why?

• rises and then cools down

• dense cold air cant rise above warm air

• pollutants become trapped near the ground because the cold air cant rise and the same layer of air is staying in the same place → smog

• less radiation In valley from sun so cold air under that is denser than warm air so it pulls under. cold air on top because high altitude like valleys mean colder air

• 

global wind patterns primary result from the most intense ___ ___ arriving at the equator resulting in ____ ___ and ___ ___

solar radiation, coriolis effect, density differences

water vapor capacity

warmer air has higher water vapor capacity ( humidity )

adiabatic heating and cooling

response to pressure changes ( air rises → lower pressure → volume expands → cools )

properties that determine air circulation patterns

1. air density

2. water vapor capacity

3. adiabatic heating and cooling

Hadley cells vs Ferrel cells vs Polar cells location

Ferrell cells are located in mid latitudes [ 30 -60 degrees north and south ]

Hadley cells are located in tropical near equator [ 0 to 30 north and south ]

Polar cells are located at poles ( 90 degrees north and south )

when warm air rises at the equator what happens to the water that is with it. How does this affect climate at the equator

• water vapor creates warm moist air that rises

• it cools down and is unable to hold onto moisture

• so it rains at the equator [ tropical rainforest ]

biome at 30 degrees where cold dry air is sinking

biome at equator where warm air is and precipitation

biome at 60 degrees where warm moist air and precipitation

biome at poles where dry cold air is falling

subtropical desert

tropical rainforest

temperate forest / taiga ( small taiga in 60 degrees south )

tundra/cold desert

draw arrows and wind names

In the northern hemisphere does the coriolis effect cause winds to move in a clockwise or counter clockwise direction

counterclockwise direction

southern hemisphere air deflect ___ when it hits low pressure, due to the earths rotation

left

Because trade winds come together at equation →

intertropical convergence zone (ICZ)

at what latitudes are there low pressure

equator, 60 degrees north and south
where air is going away from earth

horse latitudes

divergent winds ( arrows moving away from each other )
60 degrees ( easterlies and westerlies), 30 degrees(westerlies and south east trade winds )

A watershed with high infiltration has what characteristics

vegetation, sandy soil

impermeable ground , clay soil, concrete, steep slopes, void of vegetation means water shed has a high __

runoff

in a rainshadow storms/cloud ____ ___ when they cross the mountain

dry out

on the leeward side of rainshadow

dry air advances and it going to be more desert

on the windward side of rain shadow

warm moist air rises and cools and condenses at the peak of mountain

are mountains the only areas that would experience a rain shadow effect

islands can too

Gyres

large scale water circulation, moves clockwise in northern hemisphere and anti clockwise in southern hemisphere
wind, earth’s rotation, and land masses → gyres

Where does the ENSO phenomenon occur

equatorial Pacific under normal conditions

winds and ocean currents during normal equatorial conditions are moving FROM the ____ coast of ____ ( the ___ Pacific ocean ) TO the ___ coast of ___ ( _____ Pacific ocean )

western coast of south American ( eastern Pacific ocean ) to the eastern coast of Australia ( western Pacific ocean )

Upwelling
what is it? where does it occur? Why does it matter?

upward movement of ocean water, brings cool nutrient rich water to surface.
Occurs far from shore ( equatorial upwelling ) = surface currents move apart and deeper water comes up
coastal upwelling - along steep western coasts of continents = winds blow warm surface water away and cold water comes up
matter because the nutrient affect biodiversity and productive and fish population which supports economy

Central Pacific during normal conditions

• trade winds blow east to west

• water temp in eastern is cooler and warmer in western pacific

• climate is dry in eastern and wet in western pacific

what is link between el nino and disease

el nino drives disease because more precipitation means more disease transmission

• brings warm and wet conditions that disease vectors, bacteria, and pathogens thrive in

ENSO ( el nino southern oscillation )
what happens to trade winds

IN western Pacific what happens to climate and water temp
in eastern Pacific what happens to climate and water temperature
equatorial and coastal upwelling
the thermocline becomes
effects(environmental, economic)

• trade winds weaken or reverse ( west → east )

• dry and cold(western)

• warm and wet ( eastern)

• upwelling Is suppressed because warm water went towards coast so nothing to replace

• thermocline because deeper because warm water being pushed toward shore

• effects: decrease in nutrients because no upwelling → not much fish & decrease primary productivity

  • us gets wet and cool winters

  • more pacific hurricanes

Under La Nina
trade winds?
climatic and water in western pacific?

climate and water in eastern Pacific?

equatorial and coastal upwelling?

thermocline?

effect ( environmental, economic)?

trade winds are stronger than normal ( E→W)

warmer and wetter in western pacific

dry and cool in eastern pacific

stronger upwelling

thermocline becomes shallower and closer to surface

increase in Atlantic hurricanes

jet stream pushed north → colder winter in Canada and NE US

dryer winters and warmer in SE and SW US

Wetter winters in Pacific NW

torrential rainfall in SE asia

along equator el nino , Nina, normal