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GR11 (1ST SEM, MIDTERMS) > EARTHSCI > Flashcards

EARTHSCI Flashcards

1
Q

Q: Why is Earth considered a closed system?

A

A: It exchanges only heat and energy with its surroundings, not matter.

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1
Q

Q: What is a system?

A

A: A set of interconnected components interacting to form a unified whole.

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2
Q

Q: What are the four spheres of the Earth system?

A

A: Atmosphere, hydrosphere, geosphere, and biosphere.

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3
Q

Q: What are the main sources of energy for Earth?

A

A: The Sun (external) and radioactive decay and gravitational energy (internal).

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4
Q

Q: What is the primary component of the atmosphere?

A

A: Nitrogen, followed by oxygen, carbon dioxide, and water vapor.

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5
Q

Q: True or False: The troposphere is the highest layer of the atmosphere.

A

A: False (It’s the lowest layer).

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6
Q

Q: True or False: The geosphere includes both Earth’s surface and interior layers.

A

A: True.

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7
Q

Q: What are the five criteria for defining a mineral?

A

A: Naturally occurring, inorganic, solid, orderly internal structure, and definite chemical composition.

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8
Q

Q: What determines a mineral’s physical properties?

A

A: The internal arrangement of atoms.

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9
Q

Q: True or False: Quartz is an example of a silicate mineral.

A

A: True.

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10
Q

Q: What is the hydrologic cycle?

A

A: The continuous movement of water between Earth’s surface and its atmosphere, including processes like evaporation, precipitation, and runoff.

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11
Q

Q: What are the three main layers of the Earth based on composition?

A

A: Crust, mantle, and core.

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12
Q

Q: True or False: The lithosphere contains both the crust and the brittle upper layer of the mantle.

A

A: True.

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13
Q

Q: What is the biosphere?

A

A: The “life zone” of Earth, including all living organisms and organic matter that has not decomposed.

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14
Q

Q: How does the biosphere interact with the geosphere?

A

A: Through the formation of soils, where plants contribute to the breakdown of rocks.

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15
Q

Q: What is the hydrosphere?

A

A: It contains all water on Earth, including oceans, lakes, rivers, groundwater, and ice.

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16
Q

Q: True or False: Only 3% of Earth’s water is freshwater, and 70% of that is frozen in glaciers.

A

A: True.

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17
Q

Q: What is an example of an interaction between the atmosphere and the hydrosphere?

A

A: Water evaporates from the surface of oceans and lakes, transferring water vapor to the atmosphere.

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18
Q

Q: What is the geosphere?

A

A: The solid part of Earth, consisting of the crust, mantle, and core.

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19
Q

Q: What are the main elements that make up the geosphere?

A

A: Oxygen, silicon, and magnesium.

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20
Q

Q: What is a mineral?

A

A: A naturally occurring, inorganic solid with a specific chemical composition and crystalline structure.

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21
Q

Q: What are the main physical properties used to identify minerals?

A

A: Color, streak, luster, cleavage, fracture, and hardness.

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22
Q

Q: What is the difference between cleavage and fracture in minerals?

A

A: Cleavage is the tendency to break along flat planes, while fracture is the tendency to break irregularly.

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23
Q

Q: True or False: The hardness of a mineral is measured by its resistance to breaking.

A

A: False (It’s measured by its resistance to scratching).

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24
Q: What is the rock cycle?
A: The continuous process of rock formation and transformation between igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic rocks.
25
Q: What are fossil fuels?
A: Nonrenewable energy resources like coal, oil, and natural gas, formed from the remains of ancient organisms.
26
Q: True or False: Fossil fuels are considered renewable resources.
A: False.
27
Q: What are renewable energy sources?
A: Energy sources that can be replenished naturally, such as solar, wind, geothermal, and hydropower.
28
Q: What is solar energy?
A: Energy from the Sun, used for generating electricity and other purposes.
29
Q: What is geothermal energy?
A: Energy produced by using heat from within the Earth to generate electricity.
30
Q: True or False: Biomass energy comes from burning organic materials like wood, crops, and waste.
A: True.
31
Q: What is groundwater?
A: Freshwater stored beneath Earth's surface in aquifers.
32
Q: What is the pedosphere?
A: The outermost layer of Earth, composed of soil, which supports life and ecosystems.
33
Q: What are the main components of soil?
A: Minerals, organic matter, water, and air.
34
Q: True or False: Loam is considered the best soil type for agriculture.
A: True (It has a balanced mixture of sand, silt, and clay).
35
Q: What are the different soil layers (horizons)?
A: 1. O-Horizon: Organic layer, rich in decaying matter. 2. A-Horizon (Topsoil): Contains organic matter and minerals, supports plant growth. 3. E-Horizon: Zone of leaching, where minerals are washed out, leaving silt and sand. 4. B-Horizon (Subsoil): Accumulates minerals from above, contains larger rocks and clay. 5. C-Horizon: Made of fragmented bedrock with little organic material. 6. R-Horizon (Bedrock): Unweathered rock, located deep below the surface.
36
Q: True or False: Soil texture is determined by the proportion of sand, silt, and clay.
A: True.
37
Q: What are the primary uses of water resources?
A: Agricultural, industrial, household, recreational, and environmental purposes.
38
Q: What is the primary driver of the hydrologic (water) cycle?
A: The Sun, which provides the energy for evaporation and other processes.
39
Q: What is the difference between surface water and groundwater?
A: Surface water is found in lakes, rivers, and streams, while groundwater is stored beneath the Earth's surface.
40
Q: What is the carbon cycle?
A: The process where carbon moves through the atmosphere, biosphere, geosphere, and hydrosphere, including its absorption by plants, consumption by animals, and release back into the atmosphere through respiration and decomposition.
41
Q: True or False: The rock cycle follows a strict circular process.
A: False (The rock cycle is dynamic and doesn't follow a strict order).
42
Q: What is a silicate mineral?
A: A mineral that contains silica (SiO₂), the most common type of minerals on Earth, like quartz.
43
Q: What determines the explosiveness of volcanic eruptions?
A: The silica content in magma—higher silica levels make eruptions more explosive.
44
Q: What are renewable energy sources?
A: Natural resources that can be replenished on a human timescale, such as solar, wind, hydropower, geothermal, and biomass energy.
45
Q: What is the difference between renewable and nonrenewable resources?
A: Renewable resources can be replenished naturally over time (e.g., solar, wind), while nonrenewable resources (e.g., fossil fuels) are finite and cannot be regenerated quickly.
46
Q: True or False: Nuclear energy is a renewable energy source.
A: False (Nuclear energy is nonrenewable because uranium, the fuel for nuclear reactors, is finite).
47
Q: What is salinity?
A: The concentration of dissolved salts in water, typically measured in parts per thousand (ppt), with ocean water averaging around 35 ppt.
48
Q: What is an aquifer?
A: An underground layer of rock or sediment that holds groundwater and can supply water through wells or springs.
49
Q: True or False: The Earth's water is evenly distributed between oceans and freshwater sources.
A: False (97.5% is saline water in oceans, while only 2.5% is freshwater).
50
Q: What is transpiration?
A: The process by which plants release water vapor into the atmosphere from their leaves.
51
Q: What is an artesian well?
A: A well where water naturally rises to the surface due to pressure within an aquifer.
52
Q: True or False: Silt soil has the finest particle size.
A: False (Clay has the finest particle size, followed by silt).
53
Q: What is the function of the stratosphere?
A: It contains the ozone layer, which protects life on Earth by absorbing harmful ultraviolet radiation from the sun.
54
Q: True or False: Wind energy is considered a renewable resource.
A: True.
55
Q: What are the three main types of rocks in the rock cycle?
A: Igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic.
56
Q: How are igneous rocks formed?
A: By the cooling and solidification of molten magma or lava.
57
Q: How are sedimentary rocks formed?
A: From the compaction and cementation of sediments, which are particles of other rocks or organic material.
58
Q: How are metamorphic rocks formed?
A: When existing rocks are subjected to heat and pressure, causing them to change in structure and mineral composition.
59
Q: What is weathering?
A: The process that breaks down rocks into smaller pieces through physical, chemical, or biological means.
60
Q: What is erosion?
A: The process by which weathered rock particles are transported by wind, water, or ice to a new location.
61
Q: What is lithification?
A: The process of turning sediments into solid rock through compaction and cementation.
62
Q: What causes metamorphism in rocks?
A: Exposure to high heat, pressure, or chemically active fluids, usually deep within Earth's crust.
63
Q: True or False: Sedimentary rocks can only form from igneous rocks.
A: False (Sedimentary rocks can form from any rock type—igneous, metamorphic, or even other sedimentary rocks).
64
Q: How can an igneous or metamorphic rock become a sedimentary rock?
A: Through weathering, erosion, deposition, compaction, and cementation of its particles.
65
Q: How can a sedimentary or igneous rock become a metamorphic rock?
A: By being subjected to heat and pressure, causing it to recrystallize into a metamorphic rock.
66
Q: What process can turn a metamorphic rock into magma?
A: Melting, usually due to extreme heat within the Earth's mantle or crust.
67
Q: What is deposition in the rock cycle?
A: The process where sediments settle out of water or air and accumulate in layers.
68
Q: True or False: The rock cycle is a fast process that happens over a few years.
A: False (The rock cycle occurs over millions of years).

GR11 (1ST SEM, MIDTERMS) (4 decks)

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