| How many spheres makde up Earth's system? Name the spheres. | Hydrosphere
Biosphere
Atmosphere
Geosphere |
| Name the layers of the atmosphere by increasing altitude. | Troposphere
Stratosphere
Mesosphere
Thermosphere |
| What gases are the atmosphere composed of? What is the percentage of those gases? | 78% N2
21% O2
0.93% Ar
0.035% CO2
0.0035% water vapor and ozone |
| What causes atmospheric circulation? What are the directions of this circulation? | -Due to solar radiation and temperature.
-Vertic and horizontal. |
| What is atmospheric circulation? | Air masses flow arorund the earth that prevent overheating at equatorial regions and overcooling at polar regions. |
| Describe the mechanism of atmospheric circulation. |What happens?| | Warm air from the tropics is exhcanged for cooler air masses at the poles. |
| The interaction between which two spheres causes rainfall? | Geosphere and Atmosphere |
| What is the water cycle? | Continuous movement of water within the earth and atmosphere. |
| Describe the water cycle starting from seawater. | Seawater - evaporation -> condensation - clouds -> rainfall -> waterflow on the ground - into the earth/into plants, animals -> back to the sea. |
| What is groundwater? Where does it come from? | Groundwater is water that has seeped into the ground after rainfall. |
| What is porosity? | % of void in a rock (void meaning lack of material) |
| What is permeability? | Connectivity between pores. (void space filled or not) |
| Does ability for water to flow through rock depend on porosity or permeability? | Permeability. |
| What physical factors of rocks at diffrent layers cause the water gradient in the earth? | Upper layers -> high porosity&permeability
Lower-> less porosity&permeability. |
| What is the geothermal system? | Groundwater being heated by underground heat sources. |
| What happens when groundwater is heated near faults? | Geysers and hot springs occur. |
| Define weathering. | Destruction and transformation of rocks and minerals. |
| Define mineral dissolution. | Minerals are broken down due to chemical processes and their components are dispersed into water. |
| What are Karst landscapes? | Landscapes rich in calcite limestone that is dissolved into watter, causing the formation of sinkholes, caves and underground rivers. |
| What causes the sea level to rise? | Melting glaciers |
| What comprises the biosphere? | All living organisms. |
| What kind of energy and material system is the biosphere? | Energy open and material closed system. |
| What natural processes comprise the carbon cycle? | Respiration, Decomposition, Combustion, Photosynthesis |
| Why is the carbon cycle important for the earth? | Carbon forms soil and reduces erosion. |
| What is bio-erosion and bio-accumulation? | -Biological organisms destroy geological materials.
-Deposition of marine organism skeleltons form coral reefs. |
| Which sphere controls the rock cycle? | Geosphere. |
| What are the three main types of rocks? | Sedimentary, Metamorphic, Magmatic |
| Describe the rock cycle starting from Magma. | Magma -cool down -> tranportation to the surface by tectonics -> weathering, erosion -> transportation/accumulation -> sedimentary rock -> high temperature/pressure -> metamorphic rock -> melting -> Magma |
| What is the inner structure of the Earth? | Crust, Mantle, LIQUID Outer core, SOLID Inner Core. |
| What natural phenomenon creates the geothermal gradient? | Temperature decreasing from the inner core as it travels through the atmosphere. |
| What are the main chemical compounds of rocks that form the Crust? | Felsic rock (Fe-Si) |
| What are the main chemical compounds of rocks that form the Mantle? | Mafic rock (Mg-Fe) |
| What are the main chemical compounds that form the Core? | iron and nickel |
| How does the hydrosphere affect the geosphere? | -Erosion (river erosion and river incision)
-Deposition (new landforms)
+Geothermal springs, Groundwater |
| How does the atmosphere affect the geosphere? | -Sediment transport (wind tranporting volcanic ash, sand dunes)
-Soil formation (atmospheric gases affect rocks) |
| What natural phenomena is casued from the total reaction of the spheres? What are the types of this phenomena | Weathering.
+Chemical weathering
+Biological weathering
+Physical weathering |
