Week 1 Flashcards
The Basics (15 cards)
What are the five main spheres of the Earth system, and what do they represent?
The five main spheres are the Hydrosphere (water), Cryosphere (ice), Atmosphere (air), Geosphere (rock), and Biosphere (living things).
What are the key cycles that demonstrate interactions between Earth’s spheres?
The Water cycle, Rock cycle, and Biogeochemical cycle.
What are the different types of water included in the Hydrosphere?
Meteoric (surface and near-surface water), juvenile (associated with magma and rock formation), and connate water (trapped in sediments).
What is the significance of the land phase in the water cycle?
It involves the transfer of water from the atmosphere to land (precipitation) and back to the atmosphere and sea, including surface and subsurface drainage systems.
How do the water cycle and plate tectonics interact in the rock cycle?
They contribute to the repeated creation and destruction of crust material through volcanic activity, faulting, uplifting, weathering, transport, and deposition.
What processes lead to the formation of sedimentary and metamorphic rocks in the rock cycle?
Sedimentary rocks form through deposition, burial, and cementation, while metamorphic rocks form under deep burial and pressure.
What does the biogeochemical cycle involve, and why is it important?
It involves the cycling of elements like carbon, oxygen, hydrogen, and nitrogen through the environment, linking the biosphere to water and debris movement.
How do external forces drive climate changes?
Changes in the position of tectonic plates, Earth’s orbit, the Sun’s strength, and other variations drive climate changes.
What are feedbacks in the climate system, and what are the two types?
Feedbacks are processes that alter climate changes underway. Positive feedback amplifies changes, while negative feedback suppresses them.
What does biogeomorphology study, and how does it relate to geomorphology?
It studies the interaction between organisms and landforms, integrating ecological sciences with geomorphology.
What is biomorphodynamics, and why is it significant?
Biomorphodynamics examines the feedback between biological activities (animals, plants) and physical geomorphic processes, influencing sediment transport and landform changes.
In what ways do humans act as geomorphic agents?
Through activities like water management (dams, irrigation), deforestation, mining, agriculture, urbanization, and soil management (terracing, rice paddies).
What are some impacts of human activities on landscapes?
These impacts include erosion, sedimentation changes, soil depletion or enhancement, salinization, and the creation of artificial ground.
Q: What role does solar radiation play in Earth’s climate?
A: Solar radiation affects the absorption or reflection of heat, driving energy circulation through winds, currents, and processes like evaporation and photosynthesis.
