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EAS 100 > Chapter 1 - The Earth System > Flashcards

Chapter 1 - The Earth System Flashcards

1
Q

The boxes in a box model are

a. sources
b. sinks
c. reservoirs
d. fluxes

A

c. reservoirs

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2
Q

Which of the following are all biogeochemical cycles?

a. carbon, nitrogen, rock
b. carbon, oxygen, rock
c. nitrogen, oxygen, rock
d. carbon, nitrogen, oxygen

A

d. carbon, nitrogen, oxygen

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3
Q

Studying a population of animals in isolation of other units is an example of Earth system science.

True or False

A

False

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4
Q

The Earth is considered a closed system.

True or False

A

True

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5
Q

In the carbon cycle, carbon moving from the biosphere to the atmosphere is called:

a. evaporation
b. fossil fuel combustion
c. respiration
d. photosynthesis

A

c. respiration

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6
Q

Which of the following is an example of a positive feedback?

a. an unpaid credit card balance that accrues interest
b. the heating/cooling system of a house
c. the level of a lake filled by rain and drained by a stream
d. the human body cooling by sweating

A

a. an unpaid credit card balance that accrues interest

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7
Q

The situation where materials have a very long residence time in a reservoir is called:

a. sequence stratigraphy
b. sequestration
c. isolated
d. closed
e. source
f. sink

A

b. sequestration

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8
Q

Satellite observations from space are critical to Earth system science

True or False

A

True

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9
Q

In the hydrological cycle, water moving from the atmospheric reservoir to the land or ocean is:

a. surface runoff
b. evaporation
c. respiration
d. precipitation

A

d. precipitation

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10
Q

Which of the following is the most common cause of human influence on biogeochemical cycles?

a. drilling for oil in alaska
b. building bridges over rivers
c. dumping of waste in landfills
d. atmospheric emissions of pollution

A

d. atmospheric emissions of pollution

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11
Q

The anthroposphere has only existed for about 250 years

True or False

A

False

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12
Q

Water vapor is considered to be apart of the hydrosphere

True or False

A

False

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13
Q

The __________ is the mixture of gases - predominantly nitrogen, oxygen, argon, carbon dioxide, and water vapor - that surrounds Earth

a. biosphere
b. atmosphere
c. geosphere
d. cryosphere
e. hydrosphere
f. insectosphere

A

b. atmosphere

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14
Q

If there are uncertainties in aspects of an earth system, which of the following statements is most true?

a. this implies a lack of knowledge, and no conclusions can be drawn from what is known about the system.
b. the scientific method is not helpful for making any policy decisions.
c. it is normal for uncertainty to exist in our knowledge of a highly complex and changing system
d. policy makers should not accept the findings of scientists until they are absolutely certain about their predictions.

A

c. it is normal for uncertainty to exist in our knowledge of a highly complex and changing system

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15
Q

Systems can only be defined for processes that are happening currently

True or False

A

False

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16
Q

All of the following units could be used as flux units when describing a system with a box model, except:

a. molecules per day
b. gigatonnes per year
c. kilometers per hour
d. moles per hour
e. cubic meters per second

A

c. kilometers per hour

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17
Q

A beaker of water with a clear, closed top is an example of a _________ system.

a. geographic information
b. closed
c. open
d. isolated

A

b. closed

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18
Q

Which of the following statements best characterized Earth systems?

a. earth systems are always open systems
b. earth systems tend toward self-regulation and a state of equilibrium
c. earth systems maintain a state of perfect equilibrium, even on local scales
d. earth systems are most often governed by positive feedback
e. earth systems are totally chaotic

A

b. earth systems tend toward self-regulation and a state of equilibrium

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19
Q

Which is the following places is not in the life zone of the earth?

a. on the frozen glaciers of Antarctica
b. the deep (greater than 10 km) interior of the earth
c. the deepest reaches of the ocean
d. the tops of the highest mountains
e. downtown fort mcmurray
f. in the midst of the sahara desert

A

b. the deep (greater than 10 km) interior of the earth

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20
Q

The ________ is the solid earth, composed principally of rock (by which we mean any naturally formed, nonliving, firm coherent aggregate mass of solid matter that constitutes part of a planet) and regolith (the irregular blanket of loose, uncemented rock particles that covers the solid earth).

a. insectosphere
b. geosphere
c. cryosphere
d. biosphere
e. atmosphere
f. hydrosphere

A

b. geosphere

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21
Q

What % of rocks are sedimentary?

A

75%

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22
Q

Where is the life zone on earth?

A

The life zone is a region no greater than 10 km above earth’s surface and 10 km below the surface.

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23
Q

Earth System Reservoirs - Review

  • earth is made up of four vast reservoirs
  • the four reservoirs interact most intensively in a narrow zone called the life zone
  • geosphere, hydrosphere, atmosphere, biosphere
A
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24
Q

Negative Feedback - Review

  • When room temperature cools, a metal strip in the thermostat cools and contacts an electric circuit, turning on the furnace.
  • When the temperature rises, this strip warms and bends away from the electric contact, turning off the furnace.
  • This is an example of negative feedback where a system’s response is in the opposite direction from the initial input.
  • Negative feedback cycles are often described as being self-limiting or self-regulating.
  • Implies a state of equilibrium or balance
A
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25
Q

Positive Feedback - Review

  • an increase in the output leads to a further increase in the output

Example: A child who throws a temper tantrum. If the parent gives the child some candy in response to the tantrums, the child will likely have more intense and more frequent tantrums each time he wants candy, leading the parent to be even quicker to hand over the candy. Positive feedback is destabilizing - instead of returning the system to equilibrium a positive feedback amplifies the original disturbance.

A
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26
Q

The Energy Cycle

  • different from other earth cycles in the way that it describes the movement of energy through the system rather than the movement of materials
  • we can think of earth energy cycle as a “budget” we can add, subtract, or transfer energy but it must balance. without balance, the earth’s near-surface environment either heats up or cools down
  • internal and external sources of energy cycle through the four reservoirs of the earth system
  • drives processes such as wind, waves, and photosynthesis
A
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27
Q

The Scientific Method - Review

the use of evidence that can be seen and tested by anyone who has the means to do so consisting of:

  • formulating and testing a hypothesis
  • developing and refining a theory
  • the laws of science
A
28
Q

What is earth system science?

A

the science that studies the whole planet as a system of unnumberable, interacting parts and focuses on the changes within and among those parts.

examples of these parts: the ocean, the atmosphere, continents, lakes and rivers, soils, plants, and animals.

29
Q

What is Earth Science Enterprise (ESA)?

A

a NASA mission which is a comprehensive program for studying environmental changes from space.

30
Q

What is remote sensing?

A

the continuous or repetitive collection of information about a target - earth, in this case - from a distance. Remote sensing more than any other technology, has made possible observations on a grand scale, and many kinds of measurement and monitoring that could not have been otherwise accomplished.

example: the “ozone hole” over antartica - the decline in the concentration of ozone high in the atmosphere is measured by remote sensing

31
Q

What is a system?

A

a system is any portion of the universe that can be isolated from the rest of the universe for the purpose of observing and measuring changes.

32
Q

What is an isolated system?

A

This is the simplest kind of system to understand. It has a boundary that prevents the system from exchanging either matter or energy with its surroundings. The concept of an isolated system is easy to understand - both the matter and the energy within the system are fixed and finite because none can enter and none can leave the system.

33
Q

What is a closed system?

A

where the boundary permits the exchange of energy, but not the matter, with the surroundings.

34
Q

What is an open system?

A

one that can exchange both energy and matter across its boundary

example: an island

35
Q

What is a box model?

A

a simple, convenient graphical representation of a system

a box model allows you to measure how volumes and exchanges of materials and energy between earth’s reservoirs change over time which provides an understanding of earth systems.

36
Q

What is flux?

A

the amount of matter (or energy) that is transferred along and the rate at which it is transferred.

37
Q

What is a reservoir?

A

a storage place; a place in the earth system where material or energy resides for some period of time.

38
Q

What is a steady state?

A

when the flux of matter into a reservoir matches the flux out of that reservoir, we say that the reservoir is at a steady state

39
Q

What is a sink?

A

when the flux of some substance into a reservoir is greater than the flux of that substance out of that reservoir

40
Q

What is a source?

A

if more of a substance is coming from a reservoir than is flowing into it, the reservoir is called a source.

41
Q

What is residence time?

A

the average length of time water spends in any reservoir

42
Q

What is the issue of residence time?

A

how long a material can be expected to remain in a reservoir, and the processes whereby it may be caused to leave the reservoir - is one of the fundamental concerns of earth system science and of modern environmental science.

43
Q

What is sequestration?

A

materials that have such long residence times in a reservoir they are isolated from the rest of the earths system for long periods of time

44
Q

What type of system is the earth?

A

as a whole the earth is a closed system - or at least very close to being a closed system.

the fact that earth is a closed system has two important implications for those of us who occupy its surface.

  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
45
Q

The Geosphere - Review

  • the solid earth composed primarily of rock (by which we mean any naturally formed, non-living, firm coherent aggregate mass of solid matter that constitutes apart of the planet) and regolith (the irregular rock particles that cover the solid earth)
A
46
Q

The Hydrosphere - Review

  • the totality of earths water, including; oceans, lakes, streams, underground water, and all snow and ice.
  • the perennially frozen parts of the hydrosphere are collectively referred to as the cryosphere
A
47
Q

The Atmosphere - Review

  • the mixture of gases - predominantly nitrogen, oxygen, argon, carbon dioxide, and water vapor - that surrounds earth
A
48
Q

The Biosphere - Review

  • includes all of earth’s organisms, as well as any organic matter not yet decomposed
A
49
Q

The Anthrosphere - Review

  • the “human sphere”
  • comprised of people and their interests
  • human impacts on the natural earth system
A
50
Q

What is feedback?

A

a system response that occurs when the output of the system also serves as an input and leads to changes in the state of the system

51
Q

What is negative feedback?

A

the systems response is in the opposite direction from the initial input

52
Q

What is positive feedback?

A

an increase in the output leads to a further increase in the output

53
Q

What is the hydrologic cycle?

A

the fluxes of water among the various reservoirs of the hydrosphere

54
Q

What is the energy cycle?

A

encompasses the “great engines” - the external and internal energy sources of the planet that drive the cycles of the earth’s sytem

55
Q

What is the rock cycle?

A

describes the results of completing internal and external forces that meet at earths surface, continually building up, breaking down, transporting and transforming rocks.

56
Q

What is the tectonic cycle?

A

described the processes whereby earth’s major geologic features are formed, including mountain ranges, continents, deep ocean trenches, and ocean basins

57
Q

What is the biogeochemical cycle?

A

describes the movement of any chemical element or chemical compound that cycles through the biosphere and plays a role in its stability, as well as cycling through other earth’s reservoirs

58
Q

What is global change?

A

the changes produced in the earth’s system as a result of human activities

59
Q

What does it mean when we say that a system or a reservoir is at a steady state? Relate the concept of steady state to the definition of flux.

A

when the flux of matter into a reservoir matches the flux out of that reservoir we say that the reservoir is at a steady state.

the amount of matter and the rate at which it is carried is called flux. Flux is a means of measuring matter whereas steady state is an equal measurement of flux in and flux out

60
Q

Why is positive feedback sometimes called a “vicious cycle”?

A

because it is destabilizing - instead of returning the system to equilibrium, a positive feedback amplifies the original disturbance.

61
Q

Which term describes a conceptual system that is never actually encountered?

a. A closed system
b. An open system
c. An isolated system
d. A system in dynamic equilibrium

A

c. An isolated system

62
Q

Which of the following is NOT an example of a closed system

a. The global carbon cycle
b. The global nitrogen cycle
c. A box with a moveable lid that could be pushed in or pulled out like a piston
d. The hydrological cycle of North America

A

d. The hydrological cycle of North America

uP.11 Fig.B1.1(C )

63
Q

Newton not only stated his idea of gravity, but he also formulated a theory.

True or False

A

False p.23

64
Q

A polar-orbiting satellite appears stationary in the sky from the Earth.

True or False

A

False p.9

65
Q

Which of the following is a trait of a high-altitude, geostationary satellite that is lacked by low-altitude satellites:

a. Large field of view (see entire continents)
b. The land surface can be blocked by clouds
c. Much more detailed spatial resolution
d. See different parts of the Earth at different times
e. Has sensors that detect in the infrared region

A

a. Large field of view (see entire continents) p.9

66
Q

Many of the sensors on satellites detect electromagnetic radiation outside the range of the human eye.

True or False

A

True p.9

67
Q
A

EAS 100 (10 decks)

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