Spheres and Cycles

kinetic

related to or possessing motion

potential

something possible; ability to go into action or perform work

transpiration

the process by which plants give off water vapor

lithosphere

the solid, crustal layer of Earth

biosphere

the sphere of Earth that includes all living things

All spheres of Earth are interrelated or interdependent. This means __.

they all depend on each other to function; an impact to one sphere usually affects another

Plants are able to release water back into the atmosphere by a process called _____.

transpiration

Equilibrium

two opposing forces in balance or when two opposite processes occur at equal rates

Choose the statement(s) that best describe Earth's hydrologic, rock, and tectonic cycles.

They continuously recycle Earth's materials, They contribute to a balance or equilibrium of Earth's materials.

hydrosphere

all water (gas, solid, liquid) of Earth

decomposes

bacteria and fungi that break down dead matter

Which sphere is dependent on all the other spheres in order to exist?

biosphere

When an animal dies and decomposes, its nutrients are absorbed into the soil. Plants use these nutrients to live and grow. This is an example of _____.

biosphere and lithosphere interaction

The hydrologic cycle maintains a balance of Earth's water because ___.

evaporation of water is equal to precipitation of water

You live on the beach, which always seems to be humid, especially on hot, sunny days. But, that's because when the ocean heats up, some of its water evaporates into water vapor, making the air thick and slightly "wet." This interaction is an example of _____.

hydrosphere and atmosphere interaction

Colossal Cave was formed years ago by underground running water. Today, it is the home to many animals, like bats. These interactions are an example of _____.

hydrosphere, lithosphere, and biosphere interaction

food chain

line of plants and animals that shows the order in which organisms are eaten

The availability of phosphorus is different that that of carbon and nitrogen because it is found mostly here.

lithosphere

rock cycle

natural and continuous cycle of Earth that recycles Earth's minerals

Although nitrogen gas makes up 78% of the atmosphere, we can't use it because _____.

nitrogen atoms must be broken apart first

secondary consumer

organisms that eat primary consumers

primary consumer

organisms that eats producers

nitrification

process by which certain bacteria convert ammonium into nitrates

denitrification

process by which certain bacteria convert nitrates into nitrogen gas

ammonification

process by which certain bacteria convert organic nitrogen into ammonia and ammonium salts during decomposition

nitrogen fixation

process by which certain bacteria in the soil convert nitrogen gas into ammonia and ammonium

photosynthesis

process by which green plants convert carbon dioxide, water, and energy from the Sun into sugars

respiration

process by which living cells produce usable energy from food

assimilation

process by which plants or animals convert nutrients into usable organic compounds, such as proteins

deposition

process by which sediment flows into a reservoir

metamorphism

process of intense heat and pressure which changes igneous or sedimentary rock into metamorphic rock

weathering

process that breaks down rock through physical and chemical changes

Make their own food

producers

Step 4 (energy flow)

A fox eats the rabbit and uses the energy for growth and respiration.

atmosphere

a layer of mixed gases surrounding Earth

hydrologic cycle (water cycle)

a natural and continuous cycle of Earth that recycles and distributes Earth's water; often called the water cycle

Step 4 (rock cycle)

Layers deposited begin to compact and cement together to form sedimentary rock.

Producers make their own food. Consumers gain energy from producers. Decomposers break down dead matter into essential nutrients that are then reused by producers.

Life cycles recycle matter and help to create balance on Earth because _____.

Step 7 (rock cycle)

Magma is resurfaced from volcanic activity, cools, and becomes igneous rock.

Step 3 (tectonic cycle)

Mantle convection would cause magma to rise up through divergent boundaries.

Step 6 (rock cycle)

Metamorphic rock begins to melt back into magma.

the Sun

Most energy in an ecosystem comes originally from ____.

first law of thermodynamics

Mr. Jones, the science teacher, tells his students that energy cannot be created; it must be captured from the environment. He is talking about the _____.

Step 1 (nitrogen cycle)

Nitrogen is found in the urine, which gets broken down into ammonium through the process of ammonification.

potential energy

Picture a person standing with a drawn bow and arrow. He is aiming it at a bull's eye target. The type of energy is being described is _____.

Step 2 (energy flow)

Plants absorb energy from the sun and use it for photosynthesis.

Step 5 (nitrogen cycle)

Plants absorb the ammonium and begin assimilation, the process to add the nitrogen to protein.

Step 3 (rock cycle)

Regolith is dumped into some type of reservoir, usually water, by deposition.

Step 2 (rock cycle)

Regolith is transported or eroded by rain or wind.

Step 1 (rock cycle)

Rock is broken down into regolith by weathering.

Step 5 (rock cycle)

Sedimentary rock is buried deeper into the earth's crust. The intense heat and pressure begins metamorphism and the rock turns into metamorphic rock.

Step 7 (phosphorus cycle)

Soil washes into a lake, where it sinks to the bottom to become sedimentary rock.

Step 3 (nitrogen cycle)

Some of the nitrates are absorbed back into plants, but denitrification breaks down the nitrates into nitrogen gas released back into the atmosphere.

10% of the plant's energy is transferred

About how much energy is transferred between a producer and primary consumer?

released into the environment and unusable

According to the second law of thermodynamics, heat energy released by an organism is _____.

Step 3 (phosphorus cycle)

A fish eats aquatic plants.

the flow of energy in an ecosystem, the eating patterns of organisms

A food chain or food web can provide good information like _____.

Step 3 (carbon cycle)

A bird gets the carbon by eating the caterpillar.

Step 2 (carbon cycle)

A caterpillar gets the carbon by eating the tree's leaves.

Some of the energy is stored in the plant's tissues and the rest is released as heat energy.

A plant absorbs energy from the sun. Where does the energy go from there?

Step 3 (energy flow)

A rabbit eats the plants and uses the energy for growth and respiration.

Step 1 (carbon cycle)

A tree absorbs the carbon from the atmosphere into its leaves for photosynthesis.

Step 2 (nitrogen cycle)

Ammonium can be absorbed by plants, but some is converted into nitrates, which are better for plants to absorb. This is called nitrification.

Step 2 (phosphorus cycle)

Aquatic plants absorb and assimilate the dissolved phosphorus.

Step 3 (hydrologic cycle)

As more water vapor condenses into liquid, the drop of water will eventually drop to Earth's surface as precipitation.

Step 4 (nitrogen cycle)

Bacteria in the soil conduct nitrogen fixation to convert nitrogen gas from the atmosphere into ammonium.

fossil fuels, burned

Besides plants and animals, wood and _____ can be _____ to release carbon into the air.

Step 6 (phosphorus cycle)

Decomposition of the dead bear releases phosphorus into the soil.

Both the rabbit and coyote population could decrease because the original food supply decreased.

During spring, when Earl's crops were plentiful, he noticed an increased number of rabbits. At night, he also heard an increased number of howls from the coyotes. What do you think will happen when winter comes around and the crops die out?

the first organism on the food chain must outnumber the subsequent organisms on the food chain.

Ecosystems usually become balanced by natural controls, including natural selection. A balanced ecosystem is one in which _____.

Step 1 (hydrologic cycle)

Evaporation would change the drop of water to water vapor, a gas, which would rise into the atmosphere.

Step 2 (tectonic cycle)

From the intense heat and pressure within the mantle, the crust of the oceanic plate would mix with the rock of the mantle.

oceans

The _____ store(s) more carbon than the atmosphere.

Step 2 (hydrologic cycle)

The atmosphere is cooler, so the drop of water would change from a gas back to a liquid through condensation.

Step 5 (phosphorus cycle)

The bear, after a fruitful life, dies from old age.

Step 5 (carbon cycle)

The bird decomposes and the carbon returns to the atmosphere.

Step 4 (carbon cycle)

The bird flies into a building and dies instantly. It falls to the ground.

Step 6 (nitrogen cycle)

The deer eats the plants and uses the nitrogen-containing proteins for cell growth.

Step 4 (hydrologic cycle)

The drop of water falls to the ground as rain and is absorbed as groundwater.

Step 4 (phosphorus cycle)

The fish is caught and eaten by a bear.

Step 5 (energy flow)

The fox dies and is decomposed.

Step 5 (hydrologic cycle)

The groundwater flows into a river which empties back into the ocean.

erosion, uplifting

The hydrologic, rock, and tectonic cycles are all interconnected. In the rock cycle, water moves regolith during _____, and the tectonic cycle resurfaces rock through _____.

Sun and interior of Earth (core)

The hydrologic, rock, and tectonic cycles are powered by two main energy sources. They are the _____.

Step 1 (tectonic cycle)

The oceanic plate would subduct under the continental plate into the asthenosphere.

kinetic energy

The person holding the bow and arrow has now let go. The arrow shoots forward toward its target. What type of energy is being described?

Step 1 (energy flow)

The sun emits energy.

seafloor spreading

The tectonic cycle describes the movement of Earth's crust. Recycled "new" oceanic crust is formed by_________at divergent boundaries.

Step 1 (phosphorus cycle)

Weathering and erosion of the rock deposits the phosphorus into water.

The ability to do work

What is the definition of energy?

a fire

Which of the following is an example of energy changing from one form to another?

tertiary

You are a _____ consumer if you feed on secondary consumers.

Nitrification, denitrification

_____ converts ammonium into nitrates, while _____ converts nitrates into nitrogen gas.

Nitrogen fixation, assimilation

_____ converts atmospheric nitrogen into ammonium, which plants absorb. The plants, by _____, incorporate the ammonium into proteins.

Subduction

_____ occurs at convergent boundaries, where one layer of crust sinks into the asthenosphere when it collides with another layer of crust.

food web

a diagram that shows the connections among food chains in an ecosystem