Natural Systems (Booklet 1)

Question 1

How does the world work?

Answer 1

The world is complex but geographers simplfy it with models such as the Demographic Transition Model (DTM) and the Global Atmospheric Circulation Model.

Question 2

What is the definition of a system?

Answer 2

A system is a set of interrelated components working together towards some kind of process.

Question 3

How can diagrams be used to present the way that systems work?

Answer 3

A simple diagram is often used to show the different components (parts) of a system and the relationships or links (flows/transfers) between them. This is essentially what is meant by a system.

Question 4

What does the systems approach help us to understand?

Answer 4

The systems approach helps us to understand the physical and human world around us. This approach can be applied to physical systems such as drainage basins or to human systems such as the operations on a farm or in a factory. It also helps us to understand how energy is transfered between the components of a system and how the components themselves can change and how both natural change and human activities can have an impact upon an environment.

Question 5

What is the definition of an input?

Answer 5

An input is material/matter or energy (e.g. solar energy) which is being added to the system from the outside to the inside.

Question 6

What are some examples of inputs?

Answer 6

Inputs include precipitation, leaf fall during the autumn and seeds being carried by the wind and birds.

Question 7

What is the definition of an output?

Answer 7

An output is material/matter or energy which is leaving the system from the inside to the outside.

Question 8

What are some examples of outputs?

Answer 8

Outputs include water soaking through soil and rocks, evaporation and seed dispersal.

Question 9

What is the definition of energy?

Answer 9

Energy is the power of driving force.

Question 10

What is an example of energy in the water cycle?

Answer 10

In the water cycle the sun is the driving force.

Question 11

What is matter?

Answer 11

Matter is any physical substance involved in a system, e.g. water or carbon.

Question 12

What are stores/components?

Answer 12

Stores/Components are the individual elements or parts of a system and where energy or matter builds up.

Question 13

What are some examples of stores/components?

Answer 13

Stores/Components include water, soil and plants.

Question 14

What are flows/transfers?

Answer 14

Flows/Transfers are the links or relationships between the components and where matter or energy moves from one store to another.

Question 15

What are some examples of flows/transfers?

Answer 15

Flows/Transfers include photosynthesis, inflitration and transpiration.

Question 16

What is positive feedback?

Answer 16

Positive Feedback is where the effects of an action are amplified or multiplied by subsequent knock on or secondary effects.

Question 17

What is negative feedback?

Answer 17

Negative Feedback is where the effects of an action are nullified by its subsequent knock on effects.

Question 18

What is an open system?

Answer 18

An open system is where both energy and matter CAN enter and leave through flows or exchanges of material and there are inputs and outputs of both energy and matter.

Question 19

What is an example of an open system?

Answer 19

An example of an open system is a drainage basin (local scale) as precipitation is input and runoff to oceans is an output as well as energy from the sun entering and leaving the system. There are many components and stores, such as trees, built-up areas and soil. Flows and transfers include throughflow and groundwater flow.

Question 20

What is a closed system?

Answer 20

A closed system is where matter CAN’T enter or leave a system it can only cycle between stores and energy CAN’T enter or leave a system it can only be cycled around a closed loop or input/output.

Question 21

What is an example of a closed system?

Answer 21

An example of a closed system is the carbon cycle as energy is input (e.g. from the sun by photosynthesis) and output (e.g. by respiration), but the amount of carbon on Earth stays the same becasue there are no inputs or outputs of matter.

Question 22

What is the definition of equilibrium?

Answer 22

If the inputs and outputs of a system are balanced then the system is in equilibrium - flows and processes continue to happen, but in the same way at all times, so there are no overall changes to the system.

Question 23

What is the definition of dynamic equilibrium?

Answer 23

In reality, there are lots of small variations in the inputs and outputs of a system (e.g. the amount of precipitation entering a drainage basin system constantly varies). These variations are usually small, so the inputs and outputs remain about balanced on average. The system is said to be in dynamic equilibrium.

Question 24

What can the large, long-term changes to the balance of inputs and outputs do to a system?

Answer 24

The large, long - term changes to the balance of inputs and outputs can cause a system to change and establish a new dynamic equilibrium.

Question 25

What is an isolated system?

Answer 25

Isolated systems have no interactions with anything outside of the system boundary. There is no input or output of energy or matter and neither energy nor matter can enter or leave. These systems are not found in nature.

Question 26

What is an example of an input in the drainage basin cycle?

Answer 26

Precipitation

Question 27

What is an example of an input in the carbon cycle?

Answer 27

Precipitation with dissolved carbon dioxide

Question 28

What is an example of an output in the drainage basin cycle?

Answer 28

Runoff

Question 29

What is an example of an output in the carbon cycle?

Answer 29

Disssolved carbon with runoff

Question 30

What is an example of energy in the drainage basin cycle?

Answer 30

Latent heat associated with changes in the state of water.

Question 31

What is an example of energy in the carbon cycle?

Answer 31

The production of glucose through the process of photosynthesis.

Question 32

What is an example of stores/components in the drainage basin cycle?

Answer 32

Trees, puddles, and soil.

Question 33

What is an example of stores/components in the carbon cycle?

Answer 33

Trees, soil and rocks.

Question 34

What is an example of flows/transfers in the drainage basin cycle?

Answer 34

Infiltration, groundwater flow and evaporation.

Question 35

What is an example of flows/transfers in the carbon cycle?

Answer 35

Burning and absorption.

Question 36

What is an example of positive feedback in the drainage basin cycle?

Answer 36

Rising sea levels (due to thermal expansion and melting freshwater ice) can destabalise ice shelves, increasing the rate of calving. This leads to an increase in melting, causing sea levels to rise further.

Question 37

What is an example of positive feedback in the carbon cycle?

Answer 37

Increased temperatures due to climate change causes the melting of permafrost. Trapped greenhouse gases are released, enhancing the greenhouse effect, raising temperatures further.

Question 38

What is an example of negative feedback in the drainage basin system?

Answer 38

Increased surface temperatures lead to an increase in evaporation from the oceans. This leads to more clous cover. Clouds reflect radiation from the sun, resulting in a slight cooling of surface temperatures.

Question 39

What is an example of negative feedback in the carbon cycle?

Answer 39

Increased atmospheric carbon dioxis=de leads to increased temperatures, promoting plant growth and rates of photosynthesis. This in turn, removes more carbon dioxide from the air, counteracting the rise in temperature.

Question 40

What is an example of dynamic equilibrium in both the drainage system and the carbon cycle?

Answer 40

Remote and unaffected drainage basin/woodland where there has been no significant natural or human impacts, or one that has had time to adjust to change.

Question 41

What can the Earth be defined as?

Answer 41

Earth is a complex system of interracting rock, water, air & life.

Question 42

Where does the Earth's energy come from?

Answer 42

Earth's energy comes from either the sun or the centre of the Earth.

Question 43

Where does carbon circulate?

Answer 43

Carbon circulates throughout all spheres.

Question 44

What types of system can the Earth be seen as?

Answer 44

the Earth can be seen as a closed system - energy is input from the sun and output to space, but matter is not input or output to space.

Question 45

What can the Earth be broken down into?

Answer 45

The whole Earth system can be broken down into smaller parts called subsystems. There are five major subsystems and they are the cryosphere, geosphere, biosphere, hydrosphere and the atmosphere.

Question 46

What is the cryosphere?

Answer 46

The cryosphere includes all the parts of the Earth's system where it's cold enough for water to freeze, e.g. glacial landscapes.

Question 47

What is the geosphere?

Answer 47

The geosphere includes all of the sands and sediments on Earth. The very outerlayer is called the Pedisphere and it also includes the lithosphere which includes the crust (tectonic plates) as well as the upper mantle.

Question 48

What is the biosphere?

Answer 48

The biosphere is the part of the Earth's systems where living things are found. It includes all the living parts of the Earth - plants, animals, birds, fungi, insects, bacteria etc.

Question 49

What is the Hydrosphere?

Answer 49

The hydrosphere includes all of the water on Earth. It may be in liquid form (e.g. in lakes and rivers), soild form (ice stored in the cryosphere) or gas form (e.g. water vapour stored in the atmosphere). It can also be saline (salty) or fresh.

Question 50

What is the atmosphere?

Answer 50

The atmosphere is the layer of gas between the Earth's surface and space, held in place by gravity.

Question 51

What are these subsystems connected together by?

Answer 51

These subsystems are all interlinked (connected together) by the cycles and processes that keep the Earth System as a whole running as normal (e.g. the water cycle and carbon cycle).

Question 52

What type of system is the Earth?

Answer 52

The Earth is said to be a cascading system because of the way that matter and energy move from one subsystem to the next. Matter (e.g. water and carbon) and energy move between the subsystems - the output of one cycle is the input of the next, then the output of that cycle is the input of the next etc.

Question 53

What can changes in the subsystems affect?

Answer 53

Changes that occur in one subsystem can affect what happens in the others.

Question 54

What is the ice albedo positive feedback?

Answer 54

The ice albedo positive feedback occurs when temperatures rise which causes the ice covering the cold parts of Earth (e.g. The Arctic) melts due to higher temperatures. Less ice cover means that less of the Sun's energy is reflected. Therefore, less of the Sun's energy is being reflected which means more is being absorbed by Earth and the cycle continues.