Chapter 2: Study Guide
spheres
a globe-shaped body
theory
a plausible general principle offered to explain observed facts
hydrosphere
about 70% of Earth's surface is part of the...
weathering
an example of an external force of change is...
external
arising outside of
it involves an oceanic plate moving beneath a continental plate
describe subduction
in places where freshwater is scarce
destination is most used...
they are partially enclosed by land
how do seas, gulfs, and bays differ from oceans?
debris from the leveling off of underwater mountains piles up
how does accretion cause continents to grow outward
water vapor becomes liquid
in condensation, warm air cools and...
hydrosphere
lakes and rivers are part of the...
precipitation
moisture that falls to the Earth as rain, sleet, hail, or snow
continental shelf
part of a continent that extends out underneath the ocean
moraines
piles of rocky debris left by melting glaciers
dwarf planet
pluto is considered a...
precipitation
rain, snow, and sleet are examples of...
water cycle
regular movement of Earth's water from ocean to air to ground and back to the ocean
plate tectonics
the physical processes that create most of Earth's physical features, including mountains, are known as...
evaporation
the process of converting into vapor, or gas
condensation
the process of excess water vapor changing liquid water when warm air cools
desalination
the removal of salt from seawater to make it usable for drinking and farming
surface
the upper layer of land
groundwater and aquifers
the water that most people drink and use in their homes comes from...
create
to bring into being or cause to exist
aquifer
underground water-bearing layers of porous rock, sans, or gravel
groundwater
water located underground within the Earth that supples wells and springs
they revolve around the sun
what best describes the movement of planets, asteroids, comets, and meteoroids?
water from tributaries
what causes rivers to swell as they flow toward a lake, gulf, sea, or ocean?
magma
what creates ridges and islands when plates spread apart?
the sun
what drives the water cycle?
climate
what factor has the greatest effect on soil building?
its cost
what is a major hurdle to desalination?
a rock is broken into smaller pieces by "physical weathering", but some cave formations are created by "chemical weathering"
what is an example of something that illustrates the difference between physical and chemical weathering?
ocean basins
what is an example of something that is part of the lithosphere
earthquakes
what is caused directly by plate tectonics?
glacial erosion
what is most likely to have the greatest effect on a landscape
in oceans
where is 97% of the world's water found?
the crust
which layer of Earth includes earth's surface?
Isthmus Panama
which natural landform joins North and South America?
atmosphere
which part of the biosphere provides oxygen?
they have moons
why are gas giant planets sometimes referred to as "mini solar systems"?
the amount of water that evaporates is the same as the amount of water that falls back to Earth
why doesn't the total volume of water in the water cycle change?
landforms are also found underwater
why is "landform" a misleading term?
terrestrial planets
Earth is one of the four...