Earth System Flashcards
Made up of non-living materials in the planet
Geosphere
composed of rigid. brittle rocks
Lithosphere
thinnest layer
Crust
Crust is made up of what
Silicon and Aluminum
2 types of crust
Oceanic and Continental
movement towards each other
convergent
moving away from each other
divergent
movement of the mantle
convection currents
rock type of oceanic
basalt
thickness of continental
5-70 km
state of oceanic and continental crust
solid
oceanic crust age
180 million years or younger
rock type of continental
granite
density of continental
less dense
density of oceanic
more dense
continental crust age
4 billion years or older
element composition of continental
oxygen, sodium, silicon, aluminum, potassium
elemental composition of oceanic
iron, magnesium, calcium
discontinuity that separates outer core and mantle
guttenburg discontinuity
thickest layer of the earth
mantle
materials of mantle
hot molten rocks
serves as a ?? for the plates
conveyor belt
semi-rigid layer in the middle mantle that flows like a hot fudge; reason why lithosphere is moving slowly
asthenosphere
discontinuity that separates that outer and inner core
bullen discontinuity
giant dynamo, reason why Earth rotates on its own axis
inner core
inner core is made up of ??
solid iron and nickel
outer core is made up of ??
molten iron and nickel
solid materials surrounded by liquid
inner core
full of liquid
outer core
the blue planet is ??
75% water and 25% land
3 components of hydrosphere
Freshwater, Saltwater, Cryosphere
3% of water
Freshwater
unusable since stored in a solid form
Ice
percentage of ice in freshwater
2.3%
water hidden in cracks and pores in rocks, sand, and soil below the surface
ground water
percentage of groundwater in freshwater
0.4%
a natural, underground water reservoir which is made of rocks, rock fragments and other permeable materials
aquifer
a layer of low permeability, usually made of clay or sand which prevents water from moving into another aquifer
aquitard
an impermeable layer, can be overlying or underlying, which creates pressure to contain groundwater
aquiclude
a moist terrestrial spot which indicates a presence of ground water
flush
constructed hole was drilled, breaking overlying aquicludes, leading to large supply of ground water
dug well
Common type of freshwater available for animal consumption
surface water
percentage of surface water in freshwater
0.05%
3 types of freshwater
perennial, ephemeral, manmade
Common type of freshwater available for animal consumption
Surface Freshwater
main source of usable freashwater
river
sources of rivers
watershed and river basin
a small piece of land which directs freshwater to small
watershed
larger than watersheds, directly delivers the freshwater to a large river
river basin
bodies of surface water that is available only through certain times of the year
Ephemeral Freshwater
what affects Ephemeral freshwater
weather, current, and presence of groundwater
bodies of surface water that is available only through certain tines of the year
ephemeral freshwater
A body of freshwater surrounded by land. Its volume changes depending on the current or the tides.
lagoon
Sloped piece of land in which water from streams are misdirected
creeks
A strip of land in which freshwater from rivers are re-directed to harness energy from the current
dams
Constructed to re-direct ground water and/or rainwater to a certain land usually for vegetation (Ex: Irrigation)
constructed wetlands
percentage of atmosphere in freshwater
0.05%
97% of water
saltwater
high salt concentration water
saltwater
low salt concentration water
freshwater
ice
cryosphere
boundary between the atmospheres
pause
lowest and thinnest layer (16 km at equator, 8 km at poles)
troposphere
90% of the atmosphere’s mass
troposphere
Temperature decreases with altitude (6 C per km; topmost level has -50 C)
troposphere
Where weather occurs
troposphere
boundary b/n troposphere and stratosphere
tropopause
less dense (less water vapor)
stratosphere
Temperature increases with altitude
stratosphere
Almost no weather occurrence
stratosphere
Contains high level of ozone
stratosphere
protection against UV lights; bouncing back or absorption
ozone layer
upper boundary
stratopause
Extends to almost 80 km high
mesosphere
Gases are less dense
mesosphere
Temperature decreases as altitude increases
mesosphere
Gases in this layer absorb very little UV radiation
mesosphere
coldest layer
mesosphere
Thickest layer (contains ionosphere/aurora)
thermosphere
Above the mesosphere and extends to almost 600 km high
thermosphere
Temperature increases with altitude
thermosphere
Readily absorbs solar radiation
thermosphere
how does Aurora occur?
ions that are scattered in the thermosphere
north aurora lights
Aurora Borealis
south aurora lights
Aurora Australis
Temperature can go as high as 1.5k C
thermosphere
warmest layer
thermosphere
Reflects radio waves
thermosphere
from the core; protective barrier against the meteors and solar radiation
magnetosphere
The interface between Earth and space
exosphere
Atoms and molecules can escape to space (hydrogen and helium)
exosphere
Man-made satellites are positioned in this area
exosphere
Chlorine atom reacts with ozone (O3) molecules forming chlorine oxide (ClO) and oxygen gas (O2)
ozone depletion
last year for reversible climate change
2030
Made up of living materials in the planet
biosphere
life requirements
energy source, liquid water, atmosphere, organisms
utilize and convert energy to keep all cellular activities working
energy source
main source of energy
sun
directly converts Sun’s energy
producers
uses the energy thru photosynthesis
consumers
Breaks down the nutrients for the cell to use
liquid water
Need protection from temperature and outside radiation
atmosphere
Symbiotic relationship must be established among them to sustain life processes
organisms
