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Science > Earth Science > Flashcards

Earth Science Flashcards

0
Q

What is the biosphere?

A

The biosphere is the life-support system of our planet.

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1
Q

What are the 4 parts of the biosphere?

A
  • atmosphere (air)
  • lithosphere (earth and sediments)
  • hydrosphere (water)
  • biota (living things)
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2
Q

What is the atmosphere?

A

The atmosphere is the gas (air) that envelopes the Earth. Major gases are carbon dioxide, oxygen, nitrogen, water vapour and ozone.

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3
Q

List the structure of the atmosphere.

A 
Troposphere ( 0-12km)
Stratosphere ( 12-50km)
Mesosphere ( 50-80km)
Thermosphere ( 80-700km)
Exosphere ( >700km)
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4
Q

What is the troposphere?

A

The troposphere is the first layer of the atmosphere and contains 80% of Earth’s gases.

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5
Q

What is the stratosphere?

A

The stratosphere is the second layer of the atmosphere and contains the ozone layer.

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6
Q

What is the ozone layer?

A

The ozone layer is located in the stratosphere and absorbs the “biologically” damaging UV-C and partially absorbs UV-A and UV-B emitted from the sun.

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7
Q

What is the mesosphere?

A

The mesosphere is the third layer of the atmosphere and is the site of where majority of meteors burn up.

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8
Q

What is the thermosphere?

A

The thermosphere is the fourth layer of the atmosphere and is where x-ray radiation is absorbed.

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9
Q

What is the exosphere?

A

The exosphere is the outer most layer of the atmosphere.

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10
Q

What is weather?

A

Weather refers to what conditions of the atmosphere are over a short period of time (e.g this instance, day-to-day)

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11
Q

What is climate?

A

Climate refers to the average conditions of the atmosphere over a long period of time (e.g seasonal, yearly)

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12
Q

Difference between weather and climate.

A

Weather refers to the instantaneous condition of the atmosphere, whereas the climate is the average atmospheric conditions over a long period of time.

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13
Q

Atmospheric conditions include:

5

A

-Temperature
-Humidity
-Atmospheric pressure
-Wind
-Precipitation
Etc.

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14
Q

What is the greenhouse effect?

A

The GHE occurs when atmospheric gases trap some of the sun’s radiation energy, warming the planet.

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15
Q

What is a greenhouse gas?

A

A greenhouse gas is a gas in an atmosphere that absorbs and re-emits radiation, warming the planet.

16
Q

What is climate change?

A

Climate change is a long-term change in the statistical distribution of weather patterns over periods of time.

17
Q

What is global warming?

A

Global warming is a gradual increase in the overall temperature of the Earth’s atmosphere generally attributed to the greenhouse effect cause by greenhouse gases.

18
Q

What is the nitrogen cycle?

A

The nitrogen cycle is the process where nitrogen is converted between it’s various chemical forms. Nitrogen is important for creating proteins and DNA in living systems. The amount of nitrogen in the environment determines the abundance of life.

19
Q

What is eutrophication and what is a leading cause of it?

A

Eutrophication is an excessive richness of nutrients in a lake or other body of water, causing a dense growth of plant life. A leading cause is the excessive use of phosphorus fertilisers.

20
Q 
Carbon exists in abiotic environment as:
1. 
2.
3.
4.
A
  1. Carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.
  2. Carbonate rocks (limestone, coral)
  3. Deposits of coal, petroleum, and natural gas (derived from once living things)
  4. Dead organic matter
21
Q

Carbon enters the biotic environment through:

1.

A
  1. Photosynthesis: changes light energy to chemical energy.
22
Q

Carbon returns to atmosphere by:
1.
2.
3.

A
  1. Respiration -> CO2
  2. Decomposition / Decay
  3. Burning
23
Q

How do humans effect the carbon cycle?

A
  1. Removal of photosynthesising plants

2. Combustion of fossil fuels

24
Q

Name 3 ways atmospheric nitrogen is converted in to soil nitrogen?

A
  1. Aquatic ecosystems: blue-green algae
  2. Terrestrial ecosystems: Bacteria on root nodules of legumes (peas, beans,etc.)
  3. Lightening
25
Q

Nitrogen returns to soil by:

1.

A
  1. Decomposition of once living things

- ammonifying bacteria and fungi

26
Q

Nitrogen returns to atmosphere by:

1.

A
  1. Denitrifying bacteria
27
Q

How are humans related to the nitrogen cycle?

A

Nitrogen is required for genetic materials (DNA, RNA, amino acids)

28
Q

What is leaching in the phosphorus cycle?

A

Leaching is when water dissolved phosphate in rocks and carries it to lakes, streams, etc.

29
Q

How is dissolved phosphate used?

A

It is used by plants and is passed through the good chain.

30
Q

What are the two ways animals can return phosphorus to the environment?

A
  1. Excretion

2. Death and decay

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