Intro to earth systems quiz
dynamic interactions among reservoirs
-humans affect natural cycles = changes are taking place in many earth's reservoirs -global change and climate change
Biosphere
-includes earth's organisms and matter that has not yet decomposed -greatly affects every other of Earth's systems -photosynthesis: process of converting light energy to chemical energy and sorting it in the bonds of sugar -oxygen as a highly reactive gas
The Atmosphere
-mixture of gases that surrounds earth -predominately N, O2, Ar, Co2, and H20 -very thin layer, but protects life from damaging solar radiation, is reservoir for oxygen and carbon dioxide -outer boundary of the Earth system
earth's sphere -Hydrosphere
-ocean: the most prominent feature of the hydrosphere -nearly 71 percent of earth's surface -about 97 percent of earth's water -fresh water found in streams, lake, glaciers -nearly 69% of earth's fresh water is locked up in glaciers
Interaction between land (lithosphere??) , ocean (hydrosphere??) , biosphere, cryosphere:
-pollute atmosphere -impact natural resources -climate & cause frequent natural hazards *such interaction leads to degradation environment & depletion of resources, raise question of sustainability
Impact of population growth
-poor air quality -earth's resources -ground water -carrying capacity of planet
Hydrosphere
-totality of earth's water -oceans, lakes, streams, snow, and ice -permanently frozen parts of the hydrosphere are collectively the cryosphere -hydropsphere and atmosphere store, purify, and continually redistribute water
How science works
1. discard hypothesis 2.make new observations 3. investigation and or experiments 4.form hypothesis to explain observations 5. test hypothesis 6. multiple tests by many scientists support hypothesis 7. hypothesis becomes a theory
2 important implications of earth being a closed systems are ....
1. the amount of matter in a closed system is fixed and finite 2. if changes are made in one part of a closed system, the results of those changes eventually will affect other parts of the system
Albedo of snow/ice/glacier
1.0
Earth is ___ years old
4.5 billion
____ billions of earth system ____ + billion years with biosphere
4.6 3.8
pH < 7
Acidic = not good for swimming or for marine life
When dust and smoke covers the snow/glaciers:
Albedo decreases
pH > 7.0
Basic = good for swimming and for marine life
Earth
Dynamic body with many separate highly interaction parts of spheres
Earth system science studies :
Earth as system composed of numerous parts (subsystems)
Earth system science .. GIS:
Geographic Information Systems provides ways for scientists to store and analyze vast amounts of data
Globe:
Land:30% Ocean: 70% Atmosphere: linkage between land & ocean
system
by observing and measuring changes, systems can be used to study complex problems
earth system science seeks to understand ...
interacting components of the earth system -atmosphere, anthrosphere, hydrosphere,biosphere, geosphere
conditions favorable for life are created by ...
interactions between lithosphere, hydrosphere, and atmosphere, and modified by the biosphere
pH = 7
neutral
Earth system science requires...
observations of earth at various scales
Life zone
place/narrow zone where earth's four reservoirs interact most intensively
Sun radiates maximum energy in ...
shorter wavelengths (visible wavelength) -earth radiates longer wavelength why? - because of temperature?
reduction of albedo values will absorb more _______________, so consequences are melting of snow/glaciers
sun radiation
earth system science
the new holistic approach to studying the earth as a whole system of many interacting parts -ocean -atmosphere -continents -lakes and rivers -soils -plants -animals
earth system science is
the tool of making these observations is remote sensing with satellites
cosmosphere
the universe surrounding the earth system
lava comes from ...
thin layer under lithosphere
rocks
-exist the crust and on surface of earth -families and classification
snow/glaciers are melting because...
-human activities --> pollution -snow/glaciers have high albedo
system
any portion of the universe that can be isolated from the rest for the purpose of observing and measuring changes
with increasing human activities, albedo values of the snow/glaciers are _________________________, as a result albedo values decrease
blanket with dust and black carbon
minerals
- building blocks of geosphere (+ rocks) -
earth systems of systems
- lithosphere - hydrosphere -cryosphere - atmosphere - biosphere -such interactions lead to the degradation of environment and depletion of resources, raise question of sustainability
anthroposphere
-"human sphere" -comprises people, their interests, their impacts on earth systems -the part of the natural system that has been modified by humans -includes technosphere, specifically to technology, machines, and the built enviornment
Early evolution of earth Formation of earth's layered structure
-As earth formed, the decay of radioactive elements and heart from high-velocity impacts caused the temperature to increase -iron and nickel began to melt and sink toward the center -lighter rocky components floated outward, toward the surface -gaseous material escaped from earth's interior to produce the primitive atmosphere
Earth comprises four vast reservoirs with constant flows of energy and matter among them
-atmosphere -hydrosphere -biosphere -geosphere *As a whole, earth is essentially a closed system
earth is dynamic, how can we monitor its dynamic nature?
-balloon -airborne system -ships -buoys -GPS -Seismographs -satellites/rockets -iPhones
geosphere
-composed mainly of rocks and regolith -where energy that comes into the earth system from outside sources meets energy that comes from within the planet -energy sources combine and compete to build up and wear down the materials of earth's surface
Pollution starts
When baby is born
