ap env science unit 4 test

Convergent Boundary

Plates move toward each other: creates mountains, island arcs, earthquakes, volcanoes.

Divergent Boundary

Plates move away: results in seafloor spreading, rift valleys, volcanoes, earthquakes.

Transform Boundary

Plates slide past: results in earthquakes.

Earthquake

Happens when stress overcomes a locked fault, releasing stored energy.

Soil Formation

Created by weathering, transported, and deposited parent material.

Soil Horizons

Layers categorized by composition and organic material.

Erosion

Soil can be eroded by wind or water

Top-Down Formation

Decomposition → deposition → leaching.

Bottom-Up Formation

Parent material → weathering → soil layer buildup.

Most Fertile Soil

Mature soil.

Temperature Effect

Higher temperatures increase decomposition and weathering.

Water Holding Capacity

Total water a soil type can hold

Soil Texture Triangle

Tool to identify soil type by percentages of clay, silt, sand.

Order of Permeability

Most to least permeable: sand, clay loam, sandy clay, clay, silty clay.

Cation Exchange Capacity (CEC)

Highest in clay: helps soil hold and supply nutrients.

Loam

Best balance of permeability and CEC.

Detritivores

Break down organic matter, enriching soil.

Nitrogen Fixing Bacteria

Convert atmospheric nitrogen to plant-usable forms like ammonia.

Atmospheric Composition

Nitrogen 78%, Oxygen 21%, Argon 0.93%, CO₂ 0.04%, Water Vapor 0.03%.

Layers

(From Earth upward) Troposphere (most dense), Stratosphere (ozone layer), Mesosphere, Thermosphere (hottest), Exosphere.

Temperature Changes

Troposphere and Mesosphere cool with altitude: Stratosphere and Thermosphere warm with altitude.

Coriolis Effect

Causes curved wind paths.

Hadley Cells

Circulation pattern with rising moist air at equator, descending dry air at 30° (forms deserts).

Winds and Pressure

Equator - intense solar radiation, warm low-pressure zones

Watershed

Area where water drains into a common outlet like a river.

Divides

Ridges/mountains separate watersheds.

Vegetation Impact

High vegetation slows runoff: low vegetation speeds up runoff and erosion.

Insolation

Solar radiation reaching Earth: depends on season, latitude.

Tilt & Seasons

Earth's tilt causes seasonal variation in daylight and insolation, affecting temperature.

Rain Shadow

Dry region on leeward side of mountain where elevation blocks precipitation.