Basic Earth System Issues

Question 1

Earth system science

Answer 1

Studying the Earth as if it were a single entity with interacting components

Question 2

Inductive Reasoning

Answer 2

Generalizing something based on an observation
(most major scientific theories)

Question 3

Deductive reasoning

Answer 3

If-then conclusion based on premises
(model projections, careful, reasoning be foolproof)

Question 4

Heisenberg uncertainty principle

Question 5

Conceptual Models

Answer 5

daisy world

Question 6

EMICs

Question 7

describe GCMs

Answer 7

full-form, detailed, slow

Question 8

Hypothesis

Answer 8

An idea or proposition that can be tested with observations or experiments about the natural world
Testable explanation for observations

Question 9

Scientific hypothesis

Answer 9

scientific evaluation and falsifiable

Question 10

Falsifiable

Answer 10

Sentences worded in a way that they can be proven incorrect

Question 11

Theory

Answer 11

When multiple hypotheses are tested positive
Highest level of scientific knowledge
Rigorous

Question 12

Disaprovability

Question 13

Assumptions

Question 14

Observations

Answer 14

Fact

Question 15

Law

Answer 15

Difficult to establish
Arrogant to presume

Question 16

System

Answer 16

components of a set that work together as one

Question 17

Earth system

Answer 17

Atmosphere
Biosphere
Lithosphere
Hydrosphere

Question 18

Anthropocene

Answer 18

recent and current geological period dominated by humans and their major impacts

Question 19

Feedback

Answer 19

how part of a system responds to change or information from another

Question 20

Positive feedback

Answer 20

amplifies stimulus or change
(ie compound interest)

Question 21

Negative feedback

Answer 21

reduces or dampens change
(ie friction)

Question 22

Negative Feedback Loop

Question 23

System positive feedback example

Answer 23

when white ice melts it is replaced by black sea water which absorbs more sunlight which increases the temperature which causes more ice to melt (repeats)

Question 24

Positive to negative feedback

Question 25

Climate feedback

Question 26

Feedback masking change

Question 27

Uniformitarianism

Question 28

Catastrophism

Answer 28

Sudden, devastating, and extreme events dominate POV Earth’s history

Question 29

Geological catastrophism

Answer 29

rocks only recorded these kinds of events and not daily ones

Question 30

Environmental catastrophism

Answer 30

suggests that the system is controlled by these kinds of events (and prone to positive feedback)

Question 31

Stock

Answer 31

amount in a reservoir

Question 32

Flux

Answer 32

The rate of entrance and exit

Question 33

Equilibrium

Answer 33

input and output are balanced

Question 34

Residence time

Answer 34

stock divided by flux
volume divided by outflow
volume * (time/volume) = time

Question 35

Exponential growth

Answer 35

when rate of increase is proportional to stock (continuous compounding)
N(t) = Noe^kt

Question 36

Doubling Time

Answer 36

• E^kt = 2
• kt = ln(2) = 0.693
  -> t = 0.693/k

Question 37

what does k in N(t)=Noe^kt equal?

Answer 37

growth rate
percent/year
(multiply by 100 to get rid of percent)

Question 38

Linear system

Answer 38

output change is equal to input change
(ie spring, fertilizer)

Question 39

Nonlinear system

Answer 39

output increases or buffers input
(ie glaciation, vegetation and rainfall)

Question 40

Uncertainty

Answer 40

nonlinear system are unpredictable

Question 41

Removable cognitive

Question 42

Irremediable cognitive

Question 43

Voluntative