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Unit 4 - Earth Systems and Resources
Primary element in atmosphere
Nitrogen
Percentage of Nitrogen in atmosphere
78%
Second most common element in atmosphere
Oxygen
Percentage of Oxygen in atmosphere
21%
Closest atmospheric layer to Earth
Troposphere
What is found in the troposphere?
Humans/Us
99% of water vapor
Clouds
Weather
Climate
Climate Change
Which atmospheric layer is densest?
Troposphere
In which atmospheric layer does climate change occur?
Troposphere
In which atmospheric layer does weather occur?
Troposphere
How high does the troposphere go?
10 miles
Second closest atmospheric layer to Earth
Stratosphere
What layer contains the Ozone layer?
Stratosphere
What is the Ozone layer composed of?
O3
Atmospheric layer of Circulation and Mixing (Convection)
Troposphere
Is the troposphere or stratosphere denser?
Troposphere
What does the Ozone trap?
Flashcard
High-energy radiation of the sun
What protects the troposphere from radiation?
Ozone Layer
What is the third closest/ middle atmospheric layer to Earth?
Mesosphere
What is in the Mesosphere?
Meteors
4th closest atmospheric layer to Earth?
Thermosphere
What takes place in the Thermosphere?
Aurora Borealis
What is the farthest atmospheric layer from Earth?
Exosphere
Where do satellites orbit?
Exosphere or upper thermosphere
Which atmospheric layer has the thinnest concentration of gases?
Exosphere
Do green house gases travel past the stratosphere?
No
Do regions pointed towards the sun receive more direct/ intense light?
Yes
What happens at convection currents?
Warm gases expand, become less dense, and rise, creating vertical air flow
Where does the Hadley cell cycle between?
30° North
30° South
Hadley cell’s precipitation causes what ecosystem?
Rainforests
Which wind cell moves opposite to Hadley Cells?
Ferrell Cells
What is between Hadley and Polar cells?
Ferrell Cells
Do polar cells follow the same process as Hadley cells?
Yes
What effect does the sun’s heat have on the air at the ITCZ?
Air rises
Does rising air experience adiabatic heating or cooling?
Adiabatic cooling
What happens to water vapor from adiabatic cooling?
Condensing into rain
What does the condensation of water vapor cause?
Latent heat release
Does latent heat release cause air rise or fall?
Rise
Does air experience adiabatic heating while rising or sinking?
Sinking
Maximum amount of water vapor in the air at a given temperature
Saturation point
Does warmer or cooler air have higher capacity for water vapor?
Warmer air
The release of energy when water vapor in the atmosphere condenses into liquid water?
Latent heat release
The cooling effect of reduced pressure on air as it rises higher in the atmosphere and expands
Adiabatic cooling
The heating effect of increased pressure on air as it sinks toward the surface of Earth and decreases in volume
Adiabatic heating
Does increased pressure on air have a heating or cooling effect?
Heating effect
Do pressure and temperature rise and fall together?
Yes
What does ITCZ stand for?
Intertropical Convergence Zone
Why is the ITCZ not fixed?
Earth’s tilt
What causes the ascending branches of the two Hadley cells to converge?
ITCZ
The reflection of an object’s path due to the rotation of Earth?
Coriolis effect
If a cloud in the northern hemisphere moves toward the equator what direction will it deflect?
Right
If a cloud in the southern hemisphere moves toward the equator what direction will it deflect?
left
Does the equator or the 65° north latitude line spin faster?
The equator
Does the distance from the son cause the seasons?
No
What causes the seasons?
Earth’s tilt
How long is the night on an equinox?
12 hours
What is the longest day of the year?
Summer Solstice
What is the shortest day of the year?
Winter Solstice
When do the southern and northern hemisphere have the same amount of sunlight?
Equinox
Albedo
percentage of reflection from surface
High albedo
lighter in color
Low albedo
darker in color
Give an example of low albedo
soil
forest
fields
Give an example of high albedo
ice
snow
Are roads low or high albedo?
Low albedo
Urban Heat Island Profile
the phenomenon of cities having much higher temperatures than nearby rural areas
Do cities that experience the urban heat island profile have high or low albedo?
Low albedo
Cation exchange capability (CEC)
Ability of a soil to absorb and release cations
Do high or low CEC increase available nutrients for plant roots?
High CEC
Biological properties
activities of organisms in soil
What functions do organism have in soil?
decompose organic matter
cycling nutrients
improving cycle structure
aerating soil
fixing atmospheric nitrogen, making it available to plants
makes soil more fertile and suitable for plant growth
Soil degration
loss of some or all of a soil’s ability to support plant growth
Overgrazing
Pastures repeatedly loosing lots of vegetation without enough time to recover.
How does improperly grazing livestock cause soil degradation?
Overgrazing pastures without proper recovery time
What soil degration problem is prevented through proper soil rotations?
Overgrazing
How is overgrazing measured?
Percentage of visible soil
Porosity
The space between particles compared to total volume
Which types of soil have high porosity?
Sand and Clay
Percolation
Downward movement of water within the soil
Water-holding capacity
the amount of water a soil can hold for crops to use
What holds water in the pores of soil?
Surface tension
Which type of soil (sand, silt, clay) has both high porosity and high water-holding capacity?
Clay
Do small soil pores have higher or lower water-holding capacity?
Higher water-holding capacity
Which type of soil would be best to use for the bottom of a pool?
Clay
Permeability
How easily water, air, and other substances can move through soil
Saturated soil
all pores are full
Field capacity
Available water for plant growth
Wilting point
No more water available to plants
Nutrients
Ions from minerals that are beneficial to living organisms
What nutrients are most important in soil
Nitrogen, Phosphorus, Potassium
What is the chemical symbol of Nitrogen?
N
What is the chemical symbol of Phosphorus?
P
What is the chemical symbol of Potassium?
K
Why is nitrogen an important nutrient?
It has a major part in chlorophyll for photosynthesis
Why is phosphorus an important nutrient?
Plant genetics
Seed development and yield
Fruit Development
How does the nutrient K aid plant growth?
Strong stems
Aids early growth
Fights disease and bugs
What is the ideal soil ph range for the majority of plants?
6.5-7
What is the best soil ph range for bacterial decomposition?
6.5-7
How do overly acidic soils hurt plants?
Certain elements change into forms that plants can’t use
What is the effect of too alkaline soil?
Dissolving and dispersing humus
What property of sand causes its low water-holding capacity?
Large pores
Note
Flashcard