The biosphere Flashcards
(53 cards)
What is the biosphere
The place on the earths surface where life dwells
Do other planets contain life?
No only the earth does
What does the biosphere contain
All the living organisms - plants, birds, fish, bacteria, mould, dead organic matter
What factors does life on earth depend on
Ambient Temperature, water, availability of food
What is the biosphere made up of
Lithosphere, hydrosphere and atmosphere
What does the lithosphere contain
All solid components in the earth’s crust
What makes up the crust
Soil, rocks, minerals and other masses
What does the litho form
Continents and islands
What is the only living component in the crust
Soil - organic matter
What does the hydrosphere contain
All the water found on earth - rivers, lakes & oceans
How is water found in air
In the form of water vapour
What % of the earth does water cover
75%
What is the atmosphere
Thin layer of gases that surrounds the earth
What changes as you go higher up in the atmosphere
The atmosphere becomes thinner with increasing altitude
What is altitude
Height above sea level
What is the Karman line
The approximate boundary (100km ASL) often used as the border between the atmosphere and outer space
When do the atmospheric effects become noticeable during atmospheric re-entry of spacecraft
Altitude of approx 120km
What does abiotic mean
Non-Living
What are the 5 abiotic factors that the earth relies on for sustaining life
Sunlight, temperature, water, gases, soil
What is sunlight used for
Plants use radiant energy and convert it into chemical energy - photosynthesis
What happens when an animal eats a plant
Energy moves through the biotic environment from one organism to the next
What is the ave temperature on earth
14 deg C
What contributes towards that variance in temp on earth
Location (latitude or altitude)
How is the earth’s temperature balanced
The atmosphere traps heat energy from the sun
