Earth's Spheres, Global Warming and Human Impacts Flashcards
What are Earths 4 Spheres and define them.
Hydro - all the bodies of water on earth
Litho - Earth’s crust and upper mantle
Atmo - Gases that surround earth
Bio - All living things
Example of how earth’s spheres interact
Rain (hydrosphere) falls from clouds in the atmosphere to the lithosphere and forms streams and rivers that provide drinking water for wildlife and humans as well as water for plant growth (biosphere).
What is the Carbon Cycle?
The movement of carbon between living things and the atmosphere.
What is Photosynthesis? Give the worded and scientific equation.
a process by which plants, algae, and certain microorganisms transform light energy from the sun into the chemical energy of food.
Worded Equation - carbon dioxide + water → glucose + oxygen
Scientific Equation - 6CO2 + 6H2O → C6H12O6 + 6O2.
What is Respiration? Give the worded and chemical equation.
when organisms exchange gases, with the environment.
Worded Equation - glucose + oxygen → carbon dioxide + water + energy
Scientific Equation - C6H12O6 + 6O2 → 6CO2 + 6H2O
What is combustion? Give an example.
a chemical process in which a substance reacts with oxygen and gives out heat.
Example: Fires, Burning Candle
What is consumption?
Carbon is found in glucose made up by plants and can be eaten by animals, who absorb the carbon it contains, eventually releasing carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.
What is decomposition? Give an example.
the process in which a living or organic substance is broken down into simpler organic or inorganic matter.
What is Sedimentation?
The process of settling down of heavier insoluble particles at the bottom of a liquid
What is Fossilisation?
The preservation of animal or plant parts. A hard petrified form is obtained from the rock that has the bones of animals or plants part impression.
3 Human Activities that lead to Global Warming.
- Burning fossil fuels
- Cutting down forests
- Farming livestock
Natural vs Enhanced Greenhouse effect
The greenhouse effect traps the Sun’s energy at the Earth’s surface. This is natural and it is essential for life on Earth. The enhanced greenhouse effect is where extra greenhouse gases in our atmosphere trap too much of the Sun’s energy. This causes a warming effect.
Difference between weather and climate
Weather refers to short term atmospheric conditions while climate is the weather of a specific region averaged over a long period of time
Ocean Acidification
Ocean acidification occurs when carbon dioxide (CO2) is absorbed rapidly into the ocean. It reacts with water molecules (H2O) to form carbonic acid (H2CO3).
Effect climate change has on sea levels.
Global warming is causing global mean sea level to rise in two ways. First, glaciers and ice sheets worldwide are melting and adding water to the ocean. Second, the volume of the ocean is expanding as the water warms.
