Earths resources Flashcards
Why is soil important?
Soil is important as it allows us to grow crops, to feed our ever growing population.
What is soil made from?
Weathering of rocks and minerals.
What might you find in soil?
Water, air, micro-organisms, mineral particles and organic matter.
Top soil is the soil on the top. It is also called humus and is very good soil to be growing crops in. What does this soil contain that helps the crops grow?
Humus is formed by the decomposition of plant and animal matter. It is rich in nutrients and retains moisture in the soil.
When plants grow they deplete the soil of certain nutrients. Farming can affect the quality of the soil. What would be three advantageous ways that farming could improve the quality of the soil?
Add fertiliser to increase nutrients in the soil.
Crop rotation can increase the nutritional content of soil.
Plowing can increase aeration, making the soil healthier.
When plants grow they deplete the soil of certain nutrients. Farming can affect the quality of the soil. What would be three disadvantageous ways that farming could affect the quality of the soil?
Over watering plants can leech natural minerals out of the soil (less nutrients)
Fertiliser and pesticides can kill microbes in the soil
Heavy machinery can compact soil making it more clay like, the compacting action will also be killing micro-organisms.
If fields are left bare the soil is more easily eroded.
What part of the soil is nutrient rich and can retain moisture.
Humus.
What is the definition of a mineral.
A mineral is a solid, naturally occurring ‘inorganic’ substance
A mineral is made up of one substance throughout.
Rocks V’s Minerals, what is the main difference between rocks and minerals?
Rocks are generally made up of two or more minerals, mixed up through geological processes.
Do you know the summary of the rock cycle?
Mountains become weathered, and this produces sediments of rocks. Under compaction and cementation these sediments this produces Sedimentary rocks. Sedimentary Rocks undergo extreme pressure and heat, this produces Metamorphic rock. These metamorphic rocks then melt again to form magma . Magma is then cooled down to form Igneous Rocks.
Sedimentary, Igneous and Metamorphic rocks can also undergo erosion and weathering to produce Sediments which form Sedimentary Rocks.
What is a Non-Renewable fuel
A non renewable fuel is a fuel that cannot be renewed so we say it is a finite resource.
What is a renewable fuel
A renewable fuel is a fuel that can be renewed so we say it is an Infinite resource.
Give me three examples of a non renewable energy source.
Oil, Coal and Gas.
Give me three examples of a renewable energy source.
Could be any from Biomass(Biofuel), Solar, Tidal, Wind, Hydroelectric, Geothermal and Wood.
What is a natural resource
A natural resource is a gift from earth. It doesn’t cost anything it is given free from earth. We can use these resources and transform them into something which allows our life to be sustainable.
