Earth and Its Systems Flashcards
a _____ is a group of interacting or interrelated entities that form a unified whole
system
_____ is a complex system of interacting physical, chemical, and biological processes, and provides a natural laboratory whose experiments have been running since the beginning of time
earth
______ is a system that cannot exchange either energy or matter with its surrounding environment
isolated system
______ is a system that allows only the exchange of energy with its surroundings
closed system
an _____ is a system that has external interactions and allows the exchange of matter and energy
open system
the earth system as a whole is a _____ system
closed
the boundary of the earth system is the _________
the outer edge of the atmosphere
the closed earth system is compromised of different _____ systems
open
the open systems of the earth:
the atmosphere, biosphere, hydrosphere, and geosphere
the _____ comprises the solid Earth and includes both the earth’s surface and the various layers of the earth’s interior
geosphere
the gaseous envelope that surrounds the earth and constitutes the transition between its components and vacuum of space
atmosphere
this includes all water on earth (including surface water and groundwater)
hydrosphere
this is the life zone of the earth and includes all living organisms, and all organic matter that has not yet decomposed
biosphere
the earth is surrounded by a blanket of air, which we call ______
atmosphere
the atmosphere consists of unique layers, namely:
the troposphere, stratosphere, mesosphere, and the thermosphere
the _______ is the outermost region of the atmosphere
exosphere
the atmosphere is primarily composed of _____ (about 78%) and ______ (about 21%)
nitrogen, oxygen
one of the most important processes by which the heat on the earth’s surface is redistributed is through ______
atmospheric circulation
the ______, _______, and _____ are zones of diffuse atmospheric components in the far reaches of the atmosphere
mesosphere, thermosphere, exosphere
the ______ contains ozone that protects life on the planet by filtering harmful ultraviolet radiation from the sun
stratosphere
the ______ constitutes the climate system that maintains the conditions suitable for life on the planet’s surface
troposphere
state the layers of the atmosphere from bottom to top
troposphere, stratosphere, mesosphere, thermosphere, exosphere
this is the “life zone” of the earth and includes all living organisms and all organic matter that has not yet decomposed
biosphere
for the majority of life on earth, the base of the food chain compromises ______.
photosynthetic organisms
the _______ contains all water found on our planet
hydrosphere
heat is absorbed and redistributed on the surface of the Earth through ________.
ocean circulation
through the process of weathering and erosion, the _______ is another important process contributing to the shaping and reshaping of the surface of the earth
hydrologic cycle
the _______ is the solid earth that includes the continental and oceanic crust as well as the various layers of the earth’s interior
geosphere
94% of the earth is composed of the elements ______, ______, and ______.
oxygen, silicon, magnesium
the geosphere is not static, and its surface (crust) is in a ______.
constant state of motion
mineral resources are mined from the ________.
geosphere
