Natural Wonders

Question 0

Define watershed

Answer 0

The land area that contributes water to a stream

Question 1

Define groundwater

Answer 1

Water in the pore space between particles underground

Question 2

What is the continental divide and where does the water go

Answer 2

The divide that separates water flowing into the Pacific Ocean or to the Atlantic Ocean

Question 3

How does the stream path differ in the mountains versus a flood plain

Answer 3

Mountains = straight path; decrease slope =decrease velocity

Question 4

How does velocity vary with slope

Answer 4

Increase slope = increase velocity

Decrease slop= decrease velocity

Question 5

How does the size of sediment vary as it is deposited by a river into an ocean

Answer 5

Area closest to where stream enter the ocean has the largest sediment and it slowly transitions to smaller and smaller sediment the further from shore you go

Question 6

Where does the grand river flow into

Answer 6

Lake Michigan

Question 7

What part of the hydrological cycle is most affected by fertilizers in the soil

Answer 7

Groundwater

Question 8

How would the coastal groundwater e affected due to the lowering of the water table

Answer 8

Contamination of ground water with salt water filling the water table with ocean water

Question 9

Given a diagram, be able to identify whether an artesian well will flow from its surface

Answer 9

Artesian flow needs a well below the pressure surface

Question 10

What type of rock material would be the best for an aquifer

Answer 10

Best : sandstone

Worst: shale

Question 11

In what type of aquifer would the least amount of contamination occur

Answer 11

Confined

Question 12

How does the water table affect water flowing into and out of a stream

Answer 12

Lower water table due to wells might make a stream pr lake dry up because water would flow back into the ground

Question 13

How does the cone of depression affect multiple well intakes

Answer 13

May cause some shallow wells to dye up while deeper wells are still successful

Question 14

What are the two greenhouse gases that are of most concern because the have been added in large amounts by human activities

Answer 14

Co2 and methane

Question 15

How exactly does the ozone layer help life on earth

Answer 15

Ozone protects us from UV radiation

Question 16

How does latitude affect incoming solar radiation?

Answer 16

High lat= indirect sunlight

Low lat= direct sunlight

Question 17

How does latitude affect the time an area receives sunlight

Answer 17

High lat= lot/no sunlight for part of the year

Low lat= consistent amount of light

Question 18

How much sunlight does 90 degrees N receive in winter months

Answer 18

None

Question 19

List 2 natural variables that may cause short term climate change. List one natural variable that May cause long term climate change

Answer 19

Volcanic eruption, meteor impact , change in solar activity, slight warming of the ocean

Question 20

What is the affect of volcanic eruptions on the incoming solar radiation

Answer 20

Reflects incoming solar radiation

Question 21

What is the name of the phenomenon that naturally warms earths surfaces

Answer 21

The greenhouse effect

Question 22

What are some of the greenhouse gases produced by human activities ? Are all produced by human activities

Answer 22

No , CO2

Question 23

List 2 affects of a global rise in sea level

Answer 23

Coastal flooding and coastal erosion

Question 24

What is the relationship between te number and intensity of hurricanes to ocean temperatures?

Answer 24

More intense and larger hurricanes as ocean temp increases

Question 25

List 3 possible consequences of global warming

Answer 25

Flooding, coastal erosion , change in ocean circulation, biosphere change

Question 26

What is the molecular formula for ozone

Answer 26

O3

Question 27

If the ozone layer were destroyed what would the long range affect be on earths surface

Answer 27

Increase ultraviolet radiation leading to death

Question 28

What gas is most concern in relation to global warming

Answer 28

CO2

Question 29

What beneficial effect does ozone in upper atmosphere have on earth

Answer 29

Absorbs UV Light

Question 30

What are cathrates

Answer 30

Trapped greenhouse gases in frozen ocean sediment

Question 31

List 3 things that provide scientists with clues about earths past climates

Answer 31

Fossil record/Striation Oxygen isotope data CO2 in ice cores

Question 32

If oceans become warmer what might the affect be on the Cathrates

Answer 32

Cathrates would malt releasing GH gasses

Question 33

Are landforms such as glacial deposits and glacial erosion in area that do not currently have glaciers a sign that earths climate has varied in the past

Answer 33

Yes

Question 34

During interglacial times what would to you expect to observe from oxygen isotope data in ocean sediment deposited during the warm time

Answer 34

Interglacial: observe a higher ratio of O16 in ocean sediment Ice age : observe a lower amount of O16 in ocean sediment because it is trapped in newly formed ice

Question 35

If galaxies are showing a blue shift, what does this mean? If they show a red shift, what does this mean?

Answer 35

Blue shift: shorter wavelength= star moving towards earth | Red shift: longer wavelength= star moving away from earth

Question 36

What group if stars has low luminosities and low temperatures? What dwarf, red giant, red dwarf, blue supergiant, main sequence

Answer 36

Red dwarf

Question 37

How do the massive main sequence stars compare to the smaller main sequence stars in terms of temperature and luminosity?

Answer 37

Massive main sequence have higher luminosity and higher temps. Smaller main sequence stars have lower temps and lower luminosity

Question 38

What is the shift in wavelength of light emitted by a moving light source known as?

Answer 38

Doppler effect

Question 39

What stage of light is our sun currently experiencing?

Answer 39

Main sequence

Question 40

What is the primary evidence for the Big Bang theory?

Answer 40

Red shift

Question 41

A star moving away from earth would display a____ shift. A star moving towards earth would display a ____ shift

Answer 41

Red ; blue

Question 42

According to the Doppler effect, the wavelength of light is ____ if the object is moving away from you. The wavelength of light is ____ if the object is moving towards you.

Answer 42

Longer ; shortened

Question 43

Would a red shift of blue shift of distant galaxies indicate that the universe is expanding

Answer 43

Red shift

Question 44

What is cosmic background radiation and how does it support the Big Bang?

Answer 44

CBR is seen mainly in the microwave spectrum and it's constant throughout the universe. It is said to be the remaining heat energy from the Big Bang

Question 45

What causes the sun to form from an interstellar gas and dust cloud?

Answer 45

Gravity

Question 46

After the sun formed, what did the planets form from and how did it happen?

Answer 46

The material that was orbiting the sun. Some of the rocky material started to accrete to each other. This larger mass caused a gravitational pull of near by material until the objects were planet size

Question 47

How are the following regions of space related: galaxy, earth, universe, solar system

Answer 47

Smallest to largest: earth, solar system, galaxy, universe

Question 48

Describe the process of nuclear fusion

Answer 48

When two lighter elements combine their nucleus to form a heavier elements and produce energy

Question 49

What are the different types of galaxies? The Milky Way is which type?

Answer 49

Spiral, bared spiral, irregular, cluster. The Milky Way is a spiral Galaxy

Question 50

Define galaxy

Answer 50

A group of stars that are bound together by their gravitational attraction

Question 51

Explain Einstein E=mc2 equation. What do the variables represent?

Answer 51

E=energy M= mass C=speed of light. Theory that was used to calculate energy release of fusion

Question 52

What will magnetic storms cause in our atmosphere?

Answer 52

Aurora borealis

Question 53

What can/did the solar wind do to the atmosphere of the inner planets?

Answer 53

Some planets had their atmosphere blown away by the winds

Question 54

What is the solar wind? What layer of the sun does it come from?

Answer 54

Energy that comes from the sun; comes from corona

Question 55

What is the most explosive eruptions on the sun called?

Answer 55

Solar flares

Question 56

Solar flares can cause what phenomenon in our atmosphere?

Answer 56

Northern lights

Question 57

The energy the sun expels into space is caused by what process?

Answer 57

Fusion

Question 58

What is the sun spot cycle? How often does it occur?

Answer 58

Every 11 years there is a change from having many sun spots on the photosphere to having almost no sun spots of the photosphere

Question 59

Because of the Coriolis effect, which way do tornadoes rotate? Are tornadoes high or low pressure?

Answer 59

Counter clockwise, low pressure

Question 60

Between severe weather systems such as typhoons, thunderstorms, tornadoes, and hurricanes, which has the highest wind speed and is the shortest lived?

Answer 60

Tornadoes

Question 61

What causes wind? What determines wind speed?

Answer 61

Difference in air pressure, pressure gradient

Question 62

What conditions formed the 1956 hudsonville tornado?

Answer 62

Spring time warm humid air mass thunderstorm

Question 63

Are thunderstorms a result of warm or cold fronts?

Answer 63

Cold fronts

Question 64

Describe the climate conditions on the windward side of mountains. Describe the climate conditions on the leeward side of mountains

Answer 64

``` Windward= cold and wet Leeward= hot and dry ```

Question 65

What happen to air pressure as air moves vertically?

Answer 65

Decreases

Question 66

What happens to temperature as air rises in the atmosphere

Answer 66

``` Troposphere= decreases Stratosphere = increases Mesosphere = decreases Thermosphere = increase ```

Question 67

What is adiabatic cooling

Answer 67

Cooling of air as it rises due to expansion

Question 68

Do most thunderstorms occur near the poles, the equator, or the mid latitudes

Answer 68

Equator

Question 69

Are thunderstorms a result of a stable or unstable atmosphere

Answer 69

Unstable

Question 70

During the mature stage of a thunderstorm, do up drafts, downdrafts, or both dominate

Answer 70

There are both

Question 71

Pressure gradient causes wind. The gradient, the stronger the wind. What form of severe weather would have the steepest pressure gradient?

Answer 71

Tornado

Question 72

Where do hurricanes get there energy? Why do hurricanes lose energy upon landfall?

Answer 72

Warm water. There is no more water to cause air to rise

Question 73

During what months are tornadoes most frequent?

Answer 73

Spring months

Question 74

What type of weather precedes a cold front? A warm front?

Answer 74

Heavy rain. Developing clouds building to light rain

Question 75

How does the Coriolis effect manipulate winds in Michigan

Answer 75

It defects winds in Michigan to the right or clockwise

Question 76

What property of water causes ocean water along coastal land areas to moderate the climate of those regions

Answer 76

Specific heat : the property of water that makes it cool off slowly an heats up slowly

Question 77

What is the water links in the deep ocean currents of the Atlantic Ocean

Answer 77

Cold and salty

Question 78

What causes the formation of deep Atlantic currents

Answer 78

Sinking of cold , salty, dense water at the poles

Question 79

Looking at the diagram of lake Michigan during the summer. How do the conditions differ on opposite sides of the lake

Answer 79

Wisconsin is colder and has less snow fall. Michigan is warmer and has more snow due to Lake Michigan , it gives us lake effect snow

Question 80

What factors affect surface ocean currents

Answer 80

Coriolis effect global wind pratterns, continental boundaries

Question 81

What is a thermohaline circulation

Answer 81

Thermo- heat; haline- salt; circulation of water with different temperature and salinity

Question 82

What causes thermohaline circulation

Answer 82

Sinking of cold water, salty water at the poles ( due to increase salinity by: formation of sea ice, evaporation ( and movement of dense water on the ocean floor. Also the heating of the ocean near the equator and cooling of water at the poles

Question 83

How does the strength of the Coriolis effect change at different latitudes

Answer 83

Weaker at the equator and stronger at the poles

Question 84

Why is the Northern Europe warmer than similar latitudes on the east side of the Atlantic

Answer 84

Warmer by the warm ocean current flowing adjacent to the land mass

Question 85

What change does El Niño bring to the temperature of the west coast of spit America

Answer 85

It makes the coast warmer because warm water is moved back toward the coast due to weakening/reverse of wind patterns

Question 86

What are gyres and what direction do they move

Answer 86

Large circular currents in the ocean. N. hemisphere= clockwise. S. hemisphere= counter clockwise

Question 87

What is a major economic impact of the El Niño on South America

Answer 87

Reduced fish population therefore impact on fishean/economy