Earth and Environmental Final
What is a water shed?
A watershed is an area of land that feeds all the water running under it and draining off of it into a body of water. It combines with other watersheds to form a network of rivers and streams that progressively drain into larger water areas.
Where do wells get their water?
Aquifers
Describe the location and characteristics of the savannah or tropical grasslands?
Location: Central Africa (Kenya, Zambia, Tanzania), northern Australia and central South America (Venezuela and Brazil). Characteristics: Hot and dry, mainly grass, scrub and occasional trees. This biome has two distinct seasons — a dry season and a rainy season. During the dry season the vegetation dies and re‐appears rapidly during the rainy
Over time many of the structures on earth, such as the pyramids and the sphinx in Egypt, and global mountain chains get worn down. What geological process is most likely to have caused such wearing down?
Weathering is usually responsible for the wearing down of natural and man made structures over time.
Name the 3 characteristics of a mineral?
1. Naturally occurring and INORGANIC 2. Solid with a specific composition 3. Definite crystalline struct
What is a condensation nuclei? How does it affect weather?
A condensation nuclei are small particles in the atmosphere around which cloud droplets can form. They come usually from salt and dust. When millions of the droplets collect, a cloud forms and clouds when they get big enough produce precipitation.
(Using the chart on page 16 of study guide) Explain what is happening at Y.
A convergent boundary, forms when 2 plates "converge" upon each other.
What is the Richter scale and what does is measure?
A numerical scale that measures the magnitude of an earthquake.
What is an aquifer?
A porous area of rock in the ground that can hold a lot of water.
Explain (with pictures and words) what a rain shadow is and how it occurs.
A rain shadow is a dry area on the lee side of a mountainous area (away from the wind). The mountains block the passage of rain‐producing weather systems and cast a "shadow" of dryness behind them. The cloud is forced to move up the mountain (wind ward side). As it rises it cools and condenses and it rains on this side. Because it rains on the windward side the air that blows over the mountain is dry. The dry air then dries the other side of the mountain (leeward side). Thus, one side of the mountain can be very lush and green and the other side can be very dry and desert like.
What is a recharge zone?
A recharge zone is the surface area surrounding an aquifer from which water in the form of precipitation or surface waters replenishes the groundwater stored in the aquifer.
What are source regions?
A source region is the region over which an air mass forms and takes on its characteristic temperature and moisture
Name the different types of lava and explain the characteristics of each.
Aa lava is sharp and jagged. Whereas pahoehoe lava is more rope like and smooth
Explain how abiotic factors affect the biodiversity of an ecosystem?
Abiotic factors are factors that are non living such as sunlight, water, minerals. Even non living things can affect the biodiversity of an ecosystem. Pollution is an abiotic factor that can affect what kinds of living things can live in an environment. Pollution can affect biotic things directly by killing or making a creature sick. However, pollution can also affect the ph and the quality of soil, which will then affect what can grow in an ecosystem and its diversity.
What is the difference between an abiotic factor and a biotic factor? Name 3 examples of each.
Abiotic‐ non living ex‐ oil, sky, temperature, clouds, precipitation Biotic- living. Abiotic ex‐ animals, grass, other plan
What is the difference between active, dormant, and extinct volcanoes?
Active volcanoes are either currently erupting or are showing signs of erupting soon. Dormant volcanoes are "sleeping" and could possibly erupt again the future. Extinct volcanoes will most likely never erupt again
What are some advantages and disadvantages to using solar panels?
Advantage‐Solar energy does not cause pollution and it is free. Disadvantage‐they are expensive to purchase
What does the US use most of its water for?
Agriculture
Explain Wegener's hypothesis of continental drift.
Although the "continental drift" hypothesis was proposed by a German meteorologist named Alfred Wegener in 1910, he was not the first to notice that the coasts of Africa and South America seem to fit together . But Wegener, working mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, found other geologic evidence that convinced him that Africa and South America had at one time been joined together. Wegener hypothesized that at one time all continents were joined together in a "supercontinent" called Pangaea. The supercontinent eventually broke into the smaller continents, which then " drifted " towards their present positions. Wegener supported his hypothesis by using circumstantial evidence , similar to the way that a detective would collect evidence to solve a crime. There are four lines: rock distributions, mountain ranges, fossil distributions, evidence of glaciation
What is an invasive species and why are they so dangerous to ecosystems?
An invasive species is an organism that causes ecological or economic harm in a new environment where it is not native. The invasive species competes with native species for resources. Such as kudzu this Asian vine first became popular in the southern United States, where it was planted on people's porches. It now is known commonly as the vine that ate the south.
What is an alternative energy source?
Any energy source that is not a fossil fuel
What part of the earth do tectonic plates sit and move around on?
Asthenosphere
Explain why it is so difficult to predict where and when an earthquake will occur.
Because they don't know exactly where along a fault line stress will be released and where an earthquake would happen
What are some examples of human activities that cause CO2 to build up in the atmosphere?
Burning fossil fuels when we heat our homes, drive around in our cars and by cutting down trees (deforestation) because less trees to take in CO2 the more CO2 in the atoms
Of all the greenhouse gases which is the one that is usually associated with the greenhouse effect?
Carbon Dioxide
What is an air mass modification? Explain what it does.
Changes in the temperature, humidity, or stability of an air mass as it travels away from its source region
Describe the location and characteristics of the mountains?
Characteristics: These areas can be very cold at night and during winter. Trees usually do not grow at higher levels. About 80 percent of our planet's fresh water originates in the mountains.
What chemical is helping to destroy our atmosphere?
Chlorofluorocarbons, or CFCs, are chemical compounds developed as an alternative to more dangerous chemicals for a variety of applications. They were developed in the 1930s for use mainly in refrigeration and as a substance for propellants in products such as aerosol cans. However, while they pose less of a direct threat to individuals, they can provide a threat to the environment and the atmosphere. Once they reach the ozone layer, they react with ozone to destroy it.
Name and explain the differences between the 3 types of volcanoes.
Cinder cone: explosive and they have steep sides. They are generally small. Composite: they can be quiet or explosive. They are larger than cinder cone volcanoes and are much more dangerous Shield: quiet volcano with broad gently sloping sides.
Explain the difference between climate and weather.
Climate - weather measured over a long period of time Weather- is the current state of the atmosphere, including short term variations such as temperature and precipitation
What are some natural causes of long term climatic changes?
Climate is usually defined as the "average weather" in a place. It includes patterns of temperature, precipitation (rain or snow), humidity, wind and seasons. Climate change can include temperatures rising or decreasing, drought, excessive precipitation, harsh seasons etc. Before humans, changes in climate resulted entirely from natural causes such as changes in Earth's orbit, changes in solar activity, or volcanic eruptions. A natural example of long term climate change is an ice age.
Explain the process of orographic lifting. Where does it occur?
Cloud formation that occurs when warm moist air is forced to rise up the side of a mountain
What are the 3 main types of fossil fuels? Which one do we have the most amount left of?
Coal, oil and natural gas. Coal is the what we have most of oil is what we have LEAST of.
What is the problem with overgrazing and deforestation? How does it affect the land?
Deforestation refers to the loss or destruction of naturally occurring forests, primarily due to human activities such as logging, cutting trees for fuel, slash‐and‐burn agriculture, clearing land for livestock grazing, mining operations, oil extraction, dam building, and urban sprawl or other types of development and population expansion. Deforestation and overgrazing remove the natural vegetation of an area which causes the soil to dry up and become dust.That is how the dust bowl in the US came to be.
(Using the chart on page 16 of study guide) Explain what is happening at X.
Divergent boundary, forms when 2 plates move away from each other. A mid ocean ridge forms as two plates carrying oceanic crust separate.
Explain why a factory dumping heated water into an aquatic environment is so dangerous to the things that live in that water?
Elevated temperature typically decreases the level of dissolved oxygen (DO) in water. The decrease in levels of DO can harm aquatic animals such as fish, amphibians and copepods. Thus, it can reduce the number of aquatic species that are able to live in the environment
Name and describe the the 3 types of galaxies.
Elliptical - galaxies are so named because they have elliptical shapes: they look like fat, fuzzy eggs or footballs. Stars in elliptical do not spread out into a thin disk, as they do in spiral galaxies; instead, they wrap evenly around the galaxy's center in all directions Spiral - galaxies have flat disks of stars with bright bulges called nuclei in their centers. Spiral arms wrap around these bulges Irregular - galaxies contains a hodge‐podge of shapes ‐ anything that looks neither spiral nor elliptical. Any galaxy with no identifiable form ‐ whose stars, gas, and dust are spread randomly ‐ is classified as irregular
What is erosion?
Erosion is the geological process in which Earth's surface is worn down by natural forces like running water, wind, glaciers and waves. Erosion breaks down rocks, mountains and land surfaces, and then these broken pieces are carried away by wind, rain, or rushing rivers
What is ethanol? How is it created? What are some advantages and disadvantages to using ethanol?
Ethanol is a renewable, domestically produced alcohol fuel created from plant material, such as corn. Advantage‐ decrease our dependence on fossil fuels DIsadvantage‐ decrease in farm land available for food production and it decreases soil fertility
Explain the following terms associated with the water cycle.
Evaporation‐ the process of water changing from a liquid to a gas. Sublimation‐ is the transition of a substance directly from the solid to the gas phase without passing through an intermediate liquid phase. Condensation‐ is the change of water from its gaseous form (water vapor) into
What would the presence of fecal matter in a water supply tell you?
Fecal matter is poop. If it is found in water it is not safe to drink or come in contact with. If fecal matter is found in a water supply the water has been contaminated with untreated human or animal waste.
Explain how granite is formed. What type of rock is granite?
Granite is an igneous rock. Granite forms as magma cools far under the earth's surface. Because it hardens deep underground it cools very slowly. This allows crystals of the four minerals to grow large enough to be easily seen by the naked eye. However, heat and pressure can also create granite.
Explain how greenhouse gases and hurricanes are related.
Hurricanes thrive on the tremendous amount of energy in warm, tropical waters. As water evaporates from the ocean surface, latent heat is stored. The latent heat is later released when the air begins to rise and water vapor condenses into a cloud and rain. Thus, if the atmosphere is warmer due to greenhouse gases then the surface of the ocean will heat up and cause more evaporation, thus creating more powerful and frequent hurricanes
Explain the relationship between carrying capacity and Earth's resources.
If the population is less than the carrying capacity there there will be less demand for natural resources, thus more natural resources are available. However, if a population is above the carrying capacity there will be a decrease in the availability of natural resources
How will the exponential growth of the human population affect the Earth's resources?
If there are more people on Earth there will be increased demand on all of Earth's resources such as water, land, food, and energy
Why is global warming such a concern?
It is such a concern because warmer temperatures cause the icebergs and ice caps to melt which will in turn cause sea levels to rise. If sea levels rise many coastal cities and land around the world will be wiped out.
What is an ecological footprint?
It measures the total area of Earth's surface that a given person or population uses impacts to maintain their standard of living
What is kinetic energy?
Kinetic energy is the energy that an object has due to its motion or movement. For example, a person running is an example of kinetic energy because they are moving.
What is an isobar? Why are they helpful?
Lines on a weather map that connect points of equal pressure.
Describe the location and characteristics of the temperate grasslands?
Location: Mainly found in the Puszta in Hungary, the Veldt in South Africa, the Pampas in Argentina and the Prairies in the USA. Characteristics: Many grass and trees with little large bushes. Climates are temperate continental with mild weather and moderate rainfall
Describe the location and characteristics of the mediterranean?
Location: Mediterranean Sea, near Cape Town in South Africa and Melbourne in Australia. Characteristics: The climate of this biome is not too hot or cold
Describe the location and characteristics of the tropical forests?
Location: Near the equator in Central and South America, parts of Africa and Asia. Characteristics: Hot, humid with equatorial climate and biggest biodiversity. Almost half of the world's species (plants and animals) live there. Very high in BIODIVERSITY! The trees are mostly hardwood
Describe the location and characteristics of the coniferous forest/taiga?
Location: Scandinavia, Russia and Canada. Characteristics: Evergreen trees, cool climate with moderate rainfall
Describe the location and characteristics of the tundra?
Location: Surrounds the North and South poles. Characteristics: Extremely cold climate, temperatures often reaching about ‐50°F in the winter, supporting only a few plants and animals. Tundra covers about one‐fifth of the Earth's land surface.
Describe the location and characteristics of the desert?
Location: The Sahara Desert is the world's largest desert, located in North Africa. Characteristics: Very hot and dry with very little rain
Describe the location and characteristics of the temperate rain/decisious forests?
Location: Usually across Europe and USA contain trees that lose their leaves and are Characteristics: These have a temperate maritime climate, usually with mild and wet weather
What are L-Waves?
Long waves (surface waves that occur last)
What are some effects of long term climate change?
Loss of sea ice, accelerated sea level rise and longer, more intense heat waves, flooding, droughts, more frequent and stronger storms
What is the difference between mechanical and chemical weathering? Give 2 examples of each.
Mechanical: weathering that changes the physical shape of a rock. Ex: rock being smoothed down in a river or waterfall, a big piece of granite gets broken into smaller pieces of granite when water freezes in its' cracks Chemical: weathering that changes the chemical composition of a rock. Ex: a big piece of feldspar is broken down by water over many decades and turns into clay, acid rain breaks down a piece of limestone
Where on earth can most of the fresh water for drinking, bathing, washing be found?
Most people use groundwater for their everyday needs
Name the gases in the atmosphere from most abundant to least abundant and the percentage of each.
Nitrogen 78%, Oxygen 21%, Argon 0.93%, Carbon Dioxide 0.03%, Water vapor 0.0‐4.0%, Trace gases such as neon, helium, methane, krypton, hydrogen, ozone, xenon .01%
If a heat island was occurring in the summer months in Charlotte, where would the temperatures be the highest, in Lincolnton or in Charlotte? Why?
On a hot summer day, it will be hotter in downtown Charlotte than in rural Lincolnton due to heat islands
What is the ozone layer? Where is it found?
Ozone layer is formed by the addition of a third oxygen atom to an oxygen molecule, that exists in the atmosphere and absorbs ultraviolet radiation from the sun. It is found in the stratosphere
What are photovoltaic cells?
Photovoltaic cells look similar to solar panels but they work in a different way. Solar panels are use to produce hot water or even steam. Photovoltaic panels convert the sunlight directly into electricity. A typical example of a device powered by photovoltaic cells is a solar powered calculator. This type of device only needs a small amount of electrical power to work and can even be used in a room with artificial light (bulbs/fluorescent light)
Why is solar energy detrimental to green plants and trees?
Plants need the sun for them to grow and flourish well. They use light energy from the sun to change the materials, for instance carbon dioxide and water into food substances. This process of food productions is called photosynthesis. Thus, the sun helps plants to make their own food
Give examples of point source pollution and non point source pollution.
Point Source - sewage plant, factory Non‐point source‐ neighborhood, cars in a big city
What is the difference between point-source and nonpoint-source pollution?
Point source - we know the exact location that the pollution is coming from. (leaking gas tank) Non‐point source - we know the general area of the pollution, but not the exact location (fertilizers)
What are the climate (biomes) on Earth? Explain characteristics of each.
Polar, temperate, dry, and tropical. Tropical - warm year round. Rain forests have high precipitation. Mid-Altitude/Temperate - out of these 4 climates, this is the only type that has distinct seasons. Characterized by warm summers and cool winters, depending on where you are. Moderate precipitation. (NC is in temperate zone) Polar - temperature of the warmest month doesn't exceed 10 degrees C. Characterized by low temperatures and precipitation. Dry - covers 30% of earth's land area. Largest climate zone. Contains most of the world's deserts. Many located near the tropics. Has low precipitation and vegetation is scarce.
Explain what conduction, convection and radiation is.
Radiation‐ is the transfer of energy through space by visible light. Thus, light and heat energy radiate from the sun to the earth and heat the Earth. Conduction‐the movement of heat or electricity through something (such as metal or water). Such as a pan on a hot stove will cook an egg that is on the pan because the pan has contact with the hot stove. Convection‐ movement in a gas or liquid in which the warmer parts rise and the colder parts sink. Such as a on a hot day the 2nd story of a building is hotter than a basement because heat rises and cool air
Explain the process of reclamation. When is reclamation usually done?
Reclamation means rehabilitation of disturbed areas of land resulting from surface or underground mining. The basic objective of reclamation at mining sites is to restore the vegetation, soil stability, and water conditions at the site.
What is the difference between a renewable and a non‐renewable resource?
Renewable- can be replenished just as quickly as they're being used Nonrenewable- cannot be replaced at all or takes a very long time to replenish
Why do does the Earth have a hole in the ozone layer? Where in the world is the hole the largest?
Scientific evidence has proven that the natural balance of stratospheric ozone has been upset by the production and release into the atmosphere of ozone depleting substances, including chlorofluorocarbons CFC. These chemicals deplete the ozone layer by releasing chlorine and bromine atoms into the stratosphere, which destroy ozone molecules. The hole is the largest over Antarctica
What do scientists believe is causing global temperatures to rise?
Scientists believe that global warming is caused by an increase in the concentration of greenhouse gases within our atmosphere. It is well known that we have drastically altered the composition our atmosphere ‐ we have increased the carbon dioxide level by 30%. These increases are thought to be largely due to human effects ‐‐ burning fossil fuels
How is climate and weather affected by the distance from or proximity to a large body of water?
Seattle and Sioux Falls in South Dakota are at similar latitudes, but one of these two cities enjoys a more moderate climate than the other. Winters in Sioux Falls are much colder, and both temperature and precipitation vary to greater extremes between summer and winter. One of the reasons why Seattle enjoys a more moderate climate is because it lies on the coast, and like other large bodies of water, oceans tend to have a moderating effect on the climate of coastal regions. Large bodies of water heat up and cool down more slowly than land masses, so their temperature changes less dramatically with the seasons. Thus, the summer and winter seasons are milder in Seattle
What are S-Waves?
Secondary waves (compressional/body waves that occur second) and can travel through solids only
(Using the chart on page 16 of study guide) Explain what is happening at Z.
Subduction, the process that takes place at convergent boundaries by which one tectonic plate moves under another tectonic plate and sinks into the mantle as the plates converge.
What are sunspots? Why do they appear to be dark?
Sunspots form on the surface of the Sun and appear visibly as dark spots compared to their surrounding. These sunspots are often many times bigger than the Earth. These sunspots are always dark because they are much cooler than the surrounding sun
Look at the diagram above. As you can see the sun's rays do not hit Earth's surface evenly. How does this uneven heating of the earth affect the climate?
Temperatures would vary depending on distance from from the equator. The farther from the equator (either north or south) the colder the temperatures. At the top and bottom of the Earth would experience colder temperatures and the equator would experience warmer temperatures because the equator gets more direct sunlight.
Explain the difference between heat and temperature?
Temperature‐ is the measurement of how fast or slow molecules or atoms move around. Thus, it is the measurement of kinetic energy (energy of motion) in a substance. Faster moving molecules generate a higher temperature than slow moving molecules. Heat‐ is the transfer of energy that occurs because of a difference in temperature between substances
Name the terrestrial and the gaseous planets.
Terrestrial : Mercury, Venus, Earth Gas Planets : Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune
What is the Coriolis effect and what does it do?
The Coriolis effect deflects moving particles such as air to the right above the equator and to the left below the equator; caused by Earth's rotation. It is responsible for wind directions such as trade winds, polar easterlies and prevailing westerlies.
What is the Fujita scale and what does it measure?
The Fujita scale is a scale for rating tornado intensity, based primarily on the damage tornadoes inflict on human‐built structures and vegetation
What is the greenhouse effect and explain how it heats the atmosphere?
The Greenhouse effect is the NATURAL heating of the Earth's surface caused by greenhouse gases. Solar radiation reaches Earth's surface and is re-radiated as long wavelengths radiation. This radiation cannot escape through the atmosphere, and is absorbed and released by atmospheric gases. This process is called the greenhouse effect because it is similar to the way that heat is trapped and released in a greenhouse. Without the greenhouse effect life as we know it could not exist on Earth. Our planet would be cold, like Mars which has an extremely thin atmosphere and surface temperatures that dip to ‐90 degrees C .
How were the Hawaiian islands formed?
The Hawaiian Islands were formed by such a hot spot occurring in the middle of the Pacific Plate. While the hot spot itself is fixed, the plate is moving. So, as the plate moved over the hot spot, the string of islands that make up the Hawaiian Island chain were formed
What is the asthenosphere?
The asthenosphere is the layer of the Earth that lies below the lithosphere. It is a layer of solid rock that has so much pressure and heat the rocks can flow like a liquid. The rocks are less dense than the rocks in the lithosphere. This allows the tectonic plates in the lithosphere to move around on the Earth's surface by "floating" on the rocks that are slowly flowing like a liquid.
Explain the parts of the electromagnetic spectrum. Which part can we see?
The electromagnetic spectrum consists of all the different wavelengths of electromagnetic radiation, including light, radio waves, and X‐rays. Our eyes can only see visible light which our eyes perceive as the colors of the rainbow
What is the difference between the geocentric and heliocentric view of the universe? Which view do people believe in today?
The geocentric model was developed thousands of years ago by Greek philosophers and was the accepted model of the Solar System for centuries. Geocentric actually means earth centered. The geocentric model places the Earth at the center of the universe with the Sun, Moon, stars, and planets circling it. The heliocentric model - which means sun centered, gradually replaced the geocentric model. This new system places the Sun at the center of the Solar System with the Earth and all the other planets orbiting it. This theory revolutionized everything because it reversed centuries of established opinion. Although the idea of a heliocentric model had been around as early as 200 B.C., it did not gain popularity until the 16th century. TODAY WE BELIEVE IN THE HELIOCENTRIC MODEL OF THE UNIVERSE
What are some of the repercussions of overgrazing and deforestation?
The land will dry out because there will not be any vegetation to hold moisture in the soil. Once it dries up the soil will turn to dust and it will be able to blow away. The land will become a "dust" bowl
What is the lithosphere?
The lithosphere is the solid, outer part of the Earth. The Earth consists of three main layers: the core, or the inner layer; the mantle, in the middle; and the crust, which includes the continents and ocean floor. The lithosphere, which is about 100 kilometers (60 miles) deep in most places, includes the brittle upper portion of the mantle and the crust.
Explain how dams and reservoirs affect water control.
The main purpose of dams is to store fresh water. The earth's man‐made dams collect and stores much of the earth's renewable freshwater supply in resivoirs
Explain how the ozone layer is necessary for life on Earth, how does it protect us?
The ozone layer is important because it absorbs harmful ultraviolet radiation from the sun. If ozone did not control the amount of UV radiation reaching Earth's surface, our fragile skin could not tolerate exposure to the sun for long.
What is desertification?
The process by which fertile land becomes desert, typically as a result of drought, deforestation, or inappropriate agriculture.
What is transpiration and where does it fit into the water cycle?
The process by which moisture is carried through plants from roots to small pores on the underside of leaves, where it changes to vapor and is released to the atmosphere. Transpiration is essentially evaporation of water from plant leaves
What is sustainable development?
The process of using resources in a way in which they will still be available for future generations such as reducing consumption, increasing efficiency, and using renewable energy
How does wind energy work?
The process of using wind to spin a windmill (which acts as a turbine) to generate electricity. Advantages: clean, space used for windmill farms can also be used as farmland, renewable Disadvantages: affects flight patterns of migratory birds, noise pollution, uses a lot of space
Where is the mantle located?
The rocks in the upper mantle can be part of the lithosphere or the asthenosphere. Lithosphere rocks are solid and rigid. Rocks below the lithosphere flow and break apart. They also rise through the lithosphere in areas where tectonic plates are separating. The mantle made up of hot rock that acts like a liquid
Explain why we have seasons on earth.
The seasons are caused by the tilt of the Earth's rotational axis away or toward the sun as it travels through its year‐long path around the sun
What is a heat island?
The term "heat island" describes built up areas that are hotter than nearby rural areas. The annual mean air temperature of a city with 1 million people or more can be 1.8-5.4°F warmer than its surroundings. In the evening, the difference can be as high as 22°F. Heat islands can affect communities by increasing summertime peak energy demand, air conditioning costs, air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions, heat‐related illness and mortality, and water quality.
What is the difference between terrestrial planets and gaseous plants?
The terrestrial planets in our Solar System are Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars. Generally, they all have a core made of up of iron or other heavy metals. The terrestrial planets then have a mantle, which is usually composed of silicate rock. Because they are composed of heavy metals and rocks, terrestrial planets are denser than gas giants - which are mostly hydrogen and other gaseous materials - are. Terrestrial planets also have a very diverse landscape with craters, mountains, and valleys. There are four gas planets in our Solar System: Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune. Gas planets are a category of planets without any solid metals or rock. Gas planets are also referred to as gas giants, giant planets, and Jovian planets. Since gas planets do not have a solid surface, you would not be able to walk on them
Name and explain the phases of moon.
The word crescent refers to the phases where the moon is less than half illuminated. The word gibbous refers to phases where the moon is more than half illuminated. Waxing essentially means "growing" or expanding in illumination, and waning means "shrinking" or decreasing in illumination.
What is thermal pollution?
Thermal pollution is the act of altering the temperature of a natural water body, which may be a river, lake or ocean environment
Do sunspots affect earth? Why or why not?
Times of maximum sunspot activity are associated with a very slight increase in the energy output from the sun. Ultraviolet radiation increases dramatically during high sunspot activity, which can have a large effect on the Earth's atmosphere. From the mid 1600s to early 1700s, a period of very low sunspot activity (known as the Maunder Minimum) coincided with a number of long winters and severe cold temperatures in Western Europe, called the Little Ice Age.
Name the layers of the atmosphere and explain what happens in each layer.
Troposphere‐ Contains most of the mass of the atmosphere, including water vapor. Most weather takes place here and most pollution collects here. Stratosphere‐ made up of primarily concentrated ozone. This layer is heated because the ozone traps heat. Mesosphere‐ No concentrated ozone in this layer so the temp cools down. Thermosphere‐ contains a minute amount of the atmosphere's mass as there is very little air. The air that does exist is heated to above 1000 o C. Ionosphere‐ is the upper part of the thermosphere and it contains electrically charged particles which are responsible for the Northern Lights we see from Earth. Exosphere‐ the outermost layer of Earth's atmosphere. Light gases such as helium and hydrogen exist here. Beyond the exosphere it is outer space.
What are some ways to reduce the demand for fresh water?
Use water supplies more efficiently.
How does bio fuel energy work?
Using biomass (any carbon based product) as a fuel source. Advantages: renewable as long as it's used sustainably, can use many different types of biomass, could supply half of the world's demand for electricity, can reduce soil erosion (Since you're planting crops) Disadvantages: could cause deforestation which decreases habitats for other organisms, still creates air pollution because biomass has to be burned for energy, not efficient, expensive to transport
How does geothermal energy work?
Using heat from the earth to generate electricity. Advantages: could supply the majority of the world with energy if we could figure out how to transport it, little air pollution, competitive costs Disadvantages: not renewable, can't transport it, noise pollution and odor is a problem, negatively affects land and water ecosystems
How do fuel cell energy work?
Using hydrogen combining with oxygen to generate electricity Advantages: renewable, creates water as waste Disadvantages: can easily explode, still a new technology that needs further development
How does tidal energy work?
Using the natural tides (waves) of the ocean to generate electricity. Advantages: no pollution, minimal environmental impact, and gives off a decent amount of energy Disadvantages: construction is expensive, only available in a few areas of the world, equipment is easily damaged since it's in the middle of the ocean (by natural causes like hurricanes)
How does solar energy work?
Using the sun's energy as a fuel source (active using moving parts and passive does not). Advantages: clean, renewable, can supply a lot of areas with energy, can save you money once installed Disadvantages: costs a lot to install, some areas may not have enough sun to power this all day
What can be done to prevent or to slow down soil erosion?
Using windbreaks can significantly slow down erosion caused by wind. Windbreaks are narrow strips of trees, shrubs and/or grasses planted to protect fields, homes, canals, and other areas from the wind and blowing sand. There is a long tradition of using windbreaks in semiarid temperate regions of North America, Europe, and Asia for crop‐ and soil‐protection from wind and wind erosion.
What is a tornado watch and what is its purpose?
Watches- A watch means conditions are right for dangerous weather. In other words, a "watch" means watch out for what the weather could do, be ready to act. Warnings- A warning means that the dangerous weather is threatening th
What galaxy do we live in and what type of galaxy is it?
We live in the Milky Way galaxy and it is a spiral galaxy.
What is weathering and what factors influence it?
Weathering causes the disintegration of rock near the surface of the earth. Plant and animal life, atmosphere and water are the major causes of weathering. Weathering breaks down and loosens the surface minerals of rock so they can be transported away by agents of erosion such as water, wind and ice. There are two types of weathering: mechanical and chemical
What is Liquefaction? When does it happen?
When an earthquake causes the soil to become loose and liquefy which leads to mudslides.
How do ocean currents affect coastal areas?
When land borders the ocean, the currents of the ocean warm or cool it, depending on the nature of the particular current that flows by that land. In cases where a warm current flows along a particular coast, that coastal area will generally be warmer than it would otherwise be if it were inland. Similarly, cool currents cause coastal lands to remain cooler than they would be if they were not surrounded by the ocean
What energy source creates wind on earth?
Wind is a form of solar energy. Winds are caused by the uneven heating of the atmosphere by the sun
(Using chart on page 17) According to this earthquake wave picture, which building W or X would feel the earthquake 1st?
X would feel it first, followed by Y
Explain how air masses can be classified.
cT‐ continental tropical which is warm and dry mT‐ marine tropical which is warm and humid cP‐ continental polar which is cold and dry mP‐ maritime polar which is cold and humid A‐ Arctic which is similar to continental polar but is much colder
What are P-Waves?
{Primary waves (compressional/body waves that occur first) and can travel through anything
Explain what El Nino is and how it happens.
El Nino is a warm current that occasionally develops off the coast of South America in the southeast pacific ocean. In normal, non‐El Niño conditions, trade winds blow in a westerly direction along the equator. These winds pile up warm surface water in the western Pacific, so the sea surface is as much as 18 inches higher in the western Pacific than in the eastern Pacific. These trade winds are one of the main sources of fuel for the Humboldt Current. The Humboldt Current is a cold ocean current which flows north along the coasts of Chile and Peru, then turns west and warms as it moves out into the Central Pacific. So, the normal situation is warmer water in the western Pacific, cooler in the eastern. In an El Niño, the equatorial westerly winds diminish. As a result, the Humboldt Current weakens and this allows the waters along the coast of Chile and Peru to warm and creates warmer than usual conditions along the coast of South America. As far as we know, other forces, such as volcanic eruptions (submarine or terrestrial) and sunspots, do not cause El Niños.