Flashcards
What are the layers of the atmosphere?
Troposphere, Stratosphere, Mesosphere, Thermosphere and Exosphere
What does the atmosphere do?
Allows us to live, breath, protect us from UV radiation and keep temperature constant.
What does the troposphere do?
Weather occurs here and the greenhouse gases are found.
Define the biosphere.
Consists of all areas of Earth and atmosphere that contain life.
Define Hyrdosphere
All water on Earth.
Define Geosphere
Geological matter, the rock cycle
Define Lithosphere
Earth’s crust and upper mantle. Tectonic Plates.
What is the carbon cycle and why is it important?
The movement of carbon through the four spheres. It’s important because carbon is an essential building block for life.
What is photosynthesis (carbon cycle)
Carbon dioxide in atmosphere absorbed by plants. Reacts with water to make glucose.
What is consumption (carbon cycle)
Animals eat carbon through plants, the carbon is then transferred through the food chain.
What is respiration (carbon cycle)
Break down glucose by oxygen to form CO2 and water. Carbon dioxide then added to atmosphere.
What is decomposition (carbon)
Carbons enters soil as urine and feces, also dead animals and plants.
What is fossil fuels (carbon cycle)
Composed of carbon from plants and animals died millions of years ago. Restored as fossil fuels.
Combustion (carbon cycle)
Fossil fuels and burned in oxygen. CO2 is formed in the atmosphere.
Ocean (carbonic acid) (carbon cycle)
CO2 in atmosphere dissolves in carbonic acid that forms limestone.
What is the nitrogen cycle?
How nitrogen moves through the spheres, it is the basis of DNA and amino acids.
What is nitrogen fixation?
Makes nitrogen in atmosphere accessible to organisms. Conversions of atmospheric nitrogen into ammonia or other nitrogen compounds by nitrogen fixing bacteria or lighting.
What is the food chain (nitrogen)
Plants absorb nitrates from soil for protein and animals obtain nitrogen through food chain.
Ammonification (nitrogen)
Excreted waste material as well as dead organisms broken down by decomposers (bacteria or fungi that breaks down dead matter). Nitrogen then returns to soil as ammonia or ammonium ions.
Nitrification (nitrogen)
Ammonia and ammonium ions are converted to nitrites by nitrifying bacteria in soil, then oxidised into nitrates.
Uptake by plants (nitrogen)
Nitrates formed during nitrification are taken by plants and used to make DNA and amino acids.
Denitrification (nitrogen)
This process involves bacteria being denitrified. It is the conversion of nitrates back into nitrogen gas, released into the atmosphere. Often takes place in waterlogged soil.
What are the greenhouse gases?
The ground and ocean emit radiant energy back towards the atmosphere as infrared radiation. However, instead of leaving Earth’s atmosphere, some is absorbed and reflected by the greenhouse gases. Water vapour, methane, carbon dioxide are GG.
What is the greenhouse effect?
A natural process that keeps Earth at a wild, stable temperature, suitable for life.
