Earth Science Review Chapter 1

Front 1

What is an open system? Define it and give an example

Back 1

An open system is one in which energy and matter can both enter and leave. Examples: uncovered tea.

Front 2

What is a closed system? Define it and give an example.

Back 2

In a closed system, energy can enter and leave but matter cannot. Example: earth (although meteors enter and hydrogen atoms and space ships leave).

Front 3

What is a model? What is a system?

Back 3

A model is a representation of something - a model of a house, etc. A system is a kind of model that can be studied completely separately - it is a self-contained model.

Front 4

What are the four spheres of the Earth and what do they contain?

Back 4

atmosphere (layer of gases around the earth), geosphere (everything on the earth itself except water), hydrosphere (all of the water on earth including ice, streams, lakes, rivers and oceans) and biosphere (all living things).

Front 5

What are the three cycles on Earth?

Back 5

Water, Carbon and Energy cycles.

Front 6

Trace the water cycle from the ocean back to the ocean.

Back 6

1.water evaporates due to the sun
2.clouds form in the atmosphere
3. when temperatures drop, clouds condense and rain falls
4. rain forms run off that goes into lakes and streams, which run to the ocean.

Front 7

If water evaporates, what is transporation?

Back 7

water that is "breathed out" of leaves on plants.

Front 8

What is evapotranspiration?

Back 8

the cycling of water into the atmosphere by evaporation and transporation

Front 9

How does carbon enter the atmosphere?

Back 9

1. as carbon dioxide when animals exhale;
2. from decaying organisms;
3. fires;
4. volcanic ash;
5. from burning "fossil fuels" like oil and coal.

Front 10

How is carbon removed from the atmosphere?

Back 10

1. through photosynthesis of plants and phytoplankton (they take in oxygen and change it to carbon dioxide);
2. through ocean waves - they dissolve carbon dioxide from the air into the water; the carbon dioxide then changes into other carbon compounds and shellfish use it for their shells;

Front 11

The water and carbon cycles are circular. How is the energy cycle different?

Back 11

It is a balance rather than a circle.

Front 12

Explain the energy budget.

Back 12

The amount of energy that enters a system should equal the amount that leaves. Otherwise the system will get too hot or too cold.

Front 13

Where does the Earth's energy come from?

Back 13

1. solar - the sun (99%)
2. geothermal - the earth's warmth
3. tidal - the energy formed when the sun and moon pull on the ocean's tides.

Front 14

What is the First Law of Thermaldynamics?

Back 14

Energy can never be created or desgtroyed, only changed from one form to another (for example: from solar to heat to plants to burning of oil or coal)

Front 15

What is the Second Law of Thermaldynamics?

Back 15

Everytime energy changes form it "degrades" or becomes less useful, less concentrated.

Front 16

What is "albedo."

Back 16

The percent of energy that is reflected back to the source (in other words, not changed to other forms and used). Different parts of the earth reflect more or less energy - snow (white) reflects a lot so have a high albedo, forests (dark) reflect much less.

Front 17

In the summer you want to wear colors with a high or low albedo?

Back 17

A high albedo - so it will reflect more of the sun's energy back and you will stay cooler.

Front 18

When the snow melts, does a mountain's albedo go up or down?

Back 18

Down because the darker colors of leaves and earth don't reflect as much.