apes unit 4

core

dense mass of solid nickel, iron, and radioactive elements that release massive amount of heat

mantle

liquid layer of magma surrounding core

what liquifies the mantle

intense heat from the core

asthenosphere

solid, flexible outer layer of mantle, beneath the lithosphere

lithosphere

thin, brittle layer of rock floating on top of mantle (broken up into tectonic plates)

crust

very outer layer of the lithosphere, earth’s surface

divergent plate boundary

plates move away from each other

convergent plate boundary

plates move towards each other

transform fault plate boundary

plates slide past each other in opposite direction; can create earthquakes

convection cycles (divergent)

magma rises towards litosphere → cools and expands, forcing oceanic plates apart → magma cools and solidifies into new lithosphere → spreading magma forces oceanic plate under back into magma → repeat

subduction

the sideways and downward movement of the edge of a plate of the earth's crust into the mantle beneath another plate

types of convergent boundaries

oceanic - oceanic, oceanic - continental, continental - continental

oceanic - oceanic

one plate subducts underneath other; forces magma up to surface, forming mid ocean volcanoes and offshore trenches

oceanic - continental

dense oceanic plate subducts beneath cont; convection cycle happens; coastal mountains, volcanoes, trenches, and tsunamis can form

continental - continental

one plate subducts underneath, forcing surface crust upward; mountains

transform faults

likely locations of earthquakes

humus

main organic part of soil

plants

anchors roots of plants and provides water, shelter, nutrients for growth

water

filteres rainwater + runoff by trapping pollutants in pore spaces + plant roots, clean water enters groundwater + aquifers

examples of physical weathering

wind, rain freezing/thawing of ice

examples of biological weathering

roots of trees crack rocks

examples of chemical weathering

acid rain, acids from moss / lichen

effects on soil formation

parent material, ph, nutrient content; topography, slope and erosion / deposition; climate, warmer = faster breakdown, more preceip = more weathering; organisms, bacteria, fungi, worms

o - horizon soil layer

layer of organic matter (plant roots, dead leaves, animal waste) on top of soil

a - horizon soil layer

topsoil; layer of humus and minerals from parent material; has most biological activity

b - horizon soil layer

subsoil; lighter layer below topsoil, mostly made of minerals with llittle to no organic matter

c - horizon soil layer

bedrock; least weathered soil that is closest to parent material

loss of topsoil

dries out soil, removes nutrients + soil organisms that recycle nutrients

compaction

compression of soil by machines, reduces ability to hold moisture; dry soil erodes more easily and leads to less plant growth

biggest to smallest soil particles

sand > silt > clay

porosity

amount of pore space a soil has

high porosity means its ____for water + air to enter and visa versa

easier

permeability

how easily water drains through a soil

porosity and permeability have a ____ relationship

positive

too porous soil leads to ___ draining and least porous leads to ___ draining

too much, not enough

water holding capacity and porosity/permeability have a ____ relationship

inverse

factors that incrase soil nutrients

organic matter, humus, decomposers, clay, bases

factors that decrease soil nutrients

acids, excessive rain/irrigation, excessive farming, topsoil erosion

factors that increase h2o holding capacity

aerated soil, compost/humus/org matter, clay content, root structure

factors that decrease h2o holding capacity

compacted soil, topsoil erosion, sand, root loss

exosphere

outermost layer where atmosphere merges with space

thermosphere; therm = hottest temp

absorbs harmful x-rays & uv raditation, chargest gas molecules glow producing northern lights

mesosphere; meso = middle

60 - 80km, even less dense

stratosphere; “s” for second

less dense due to pressure from layers above; thickest O3 layer is found here; absorbs UV-B and UV-C rays which can cause cancer

troposphere; tropo = change

weather occurs here, most dense due to pressure of other layers above it; most of atm’s gases are found here

warm air properities

rises, holds more moisture, rising air expands

coriolois effect

defleection of objects traveling through atm due to spin of earth; earth spins from W → E

what dir do winds between 0 - 30 move

east → west

what dir do winds between 30 - 60 move

west → east

0 and 60 degrees latitude have ____ pressure

low

30 degrees latitude have _____ pressure

high

eastern trade

0 - 30 degrees, blow E → W, drives ocean current CW in N hemi and CCW in S hemi

westerlies

30 - 60 degrees, blow W → E, drives weather patterns of north america

watersheds

all of the land that drains into a specific body of water

more vegetation (watersheds)

more infiltration and groundwater recharge

greater slope (watershed)

faster velo of runoff + more soil erosion

soil permeability (watershed)

determines runoff vs infiltration rates

insolation (solar intensity) depends on

angle, how much of sun’s rays strike directly on the earth’s surface; amount of atmosphere sun’s rays pass through

albedo

proportion of light that is reflected by a surface

higher albedo surfaces

reflect more light, absorb less light and heat

lower albedo surfaces

reflects less light, absorbs more light and heat

higher latitudes receieve ____ insolation and visa versa

less

rain shadows

region having little rainfall due to being sheltered (by mountains, etc)

gyers

large ocean circular patterns due to global wind, clockwise in northern hemisphere, counterclockwise in southern hemisphere

upwelling zones

areas of ocean where winds blow warm surface water away from a land mass, drawing up colder water to replace it

benefits of upwelling zones

brings o2 and nutrients to surface → productive fishing

thermohaline circulation

connects all of world’s oceans, mixing salt, nutrients, and temperature throughout

normal year (trade winds blow eq water W ← E)

cool h2o upwelled off coast of south america. warm equator current brings heat and precip to aus + s.e.a. high pressure in SA, low pressure in aus + s.e.a.

el nino (trade winds weaken, then reverse w → e)

warm equator current brings heat + precip to americas. suppresed upwelling of sa coast (damaging fisheries). cooler, drier conditions in aus + s.e.a. high pressure in aus + s.e.a. low pressure in sa.

la nina (stronger than normal trade winds w ← ← ← e)

increased upwelling of sa coast brings cooler than normal conditions, extra good fisheries. warmer + rainer than normal in aus + s.e.a.