Earth systems Flashcards
What is Albedo?
A measure of how much incoming radiation a surface reflects
Albedo ranges from 0 to 1. A surface that reflects all the radiation hitting it would have an albedo of 1.
What is an atmosphere?
The gases surrounding a planet or moon, held by** gravity**
Earth’s atmosphere is a mixture of** 78% nitrogen, 21% oxygen, and 1% other gases.**
What is Biodiversity?
The **variety of life **on Earth or in a particular region
Biodiversity is threatened by global warming as changing weather patterns and rising ocean temperatures impact ecosystems.
What is the Biosphere?
The collection of organisms in all their diversity
Organisms can be found in the atmosphere, geosphere and hydrosphere.
What is the Carbon Cycle?
The movement of carbon within and between all four Earth systems
The carbon cycle involves processes such as burning, respiration and photosynthesis.
Where does Carbon Dioxide come from?
The primary greenhouse gas emitted by human activities
Carbon dioxide is produced mainly by respiration, volcanoes, forest fires and the burning of fossil fuels.
What is a carbon sink?
Part of the Earth that **absorbs **carbon dioxide from the atmosphere
The main natural carbon sinks are oceans, forests and soils.
What is combustion?
A reaction where a** fuel reacts with oxygen and releases energy**
The burning of coal, oil and natural gas are examples of combustion reactions.
What is Condensation?
A change of state from gas to liquid
In the water cycle, water vapour in cooling air condenses to form clouds.
What is an ecosystem?
A **community of interacting organisms **and their environment
Ecosystems also include non-living components such as water, rocks, soil and sand.
What is Electromagnetic Radiation?
A type of energy that moves in waves at the speed of light
Most of the energy on the Earth’s surface comes from the Sun as electromagnetic radiation.
What is evaporation?
A change of state from liquid to gas
In the water cycle, water evaporates from oceans and lakes into the air.
What is Freezing?
A change of state from liquid to solid
Nearly 70% of the fresh water on Earth is frozen and locked up in glaciers and ice caps.
Whatis the Geosphere?
A** planet’s rocks, metals, soils, and sediments**
The geosphere includes everything that makes up Earth’s crust, mantle and core.
what is Glucose?
A simple sugar made up of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen
Glucose is produced in plants by photosynthesis and used as a source of energy in cellular respiration.
What si the Hydrosphere?
Water on or near the surface of a planet
The hydrosphere includes water in oceans, ice sheets, glaciers, rivers, lakes, groundwater, water vapour and clouds.
What is melting?
A change of state from solid to liquid
Melting is part of the water cycle. Icebergs melt as they drift into warmer waters.
What is Photosynthesis?
A reaction that transforms light energy into chemical energy
Photosynthesis is an endothermic reaction that occurs in plants, algae and some bacteria.
What is Terrestrial radiation?
Heat emitted from the Earth’s surface and atmosphere
Because air, land, and water aren’t very hot, terrestrial radiation has long wavelengths and low energy.
What is the water cycle?
The continuous movement of water on Earth
The water cycle is our planet’s way of recycling water. It involves many changes of state
What is water vapour?
The gaseous form of water, an invisible component of air
Water vapour is a gas, and should not be confused with the liquid droplets that make up clouds and steam.
