Science: Human Impact on Earth's Systems

Question 1

What are natural resources?

Answer 1

Something found in nature that humans use

Question 2

What is classify?

Answer 2

To put things into groups

Question 3

What is a non renewable resource?

Answer 3

A resource that is not made fast enough to replace what is used

Question 4

What is a renewable resource?

Answer 4

A resource that is made by nature at least as quickly as people use it

Question 5

What are minerals?

Answer 5

Naturally occurring, non-living solids in Earth’s crust

Question 6

What are rocks?

Answer 6

Natural substances made up of one or more minerals

Question 7

What is efficient?

Answer 7

To get as much from something as you can from it and not waste

Question 8

What is transform?

Answer 8

To change one kind of energy into another

Question 9

What is natural gas?

Answer 9

A flammable gas that is a fossil fuel

Question 10

What is hydroelectric energy?

Answer 10

Energy that comes from the movement of water

Question 11

What is effect?

Answer 11

A change that happens because of some kind of action

Question 12

What is pollution?

Answer 12

The presence of substances in the environment that are harmful to humans or other organisms

Question 13

What is conservation?

Answer 13

The practice of protecting the environment and using resources carefully

Question 14

True or false: renewable resources are endless in supply and will never run out.

Answer 14

False.

Renewable resources will still run out (or become unusable) if we do not take care of them well or use more than nature produces.

Question 15

Why is land an important natural resource?

Answer 15

Land provides many things that we need and want.

For example we build shelter on land, we use soil to grow food that feed us and livestock, land provides habitat such as forests for many living organisms, and forests help to regulate the amount of carbon dioxide in the air.

Question 16

What are some common kinds of rocks?

Answer 16

Granite, chalk, and slate.

Question 17

Are minerals and rocks renewable or nonrenewable resources?

Answer 17

Nonrenewable. Although they are formed in nature, they take many thousands of years to form.

Question 18

Why is water such an important resource?

Answer 18

All living things need water to survive. Humans also use water for cleaning, washing, cooking, growing crops and raising animals.

Question 19

What are some ways to use nonrenewable resources efficiently?

Answer 19

Reusing and recycling.

Question 20

What is the difference between minerals and rocks?

Answer 20

Minerals have a chemical compound, a solid crystal structure and are naturally occurring. Rocks are also naturally occurring but they do not have a chemical compound. Rocks are a composite of one or more minerals.

Question 21

Give 5 examples of metals.

Answer 21

Aluminum
Copper
Gold
Iron
Nickel
Silver
Tin
Zinc
Lithium
Cobalt

Question 22

What were sources of energy did humans use before fossil fuels?

Answer 22

Animals (to travel, plow fields, carry goods) and firewood (burn for heat, to cook).

Question 23

What are the 3 most used fossil fuels today for energy?

Answer 23

Coal, oil, natural gas

Question 24

How do dams generate hydroelectric energy?

Answer 24

As water falls through a dam, it turns blades inside turbines connected to generators, which transforms energy into electric energy.

Question 25

How do we use wind to generate electricity?

Answer 25

Wind turn blades inside turbines connected to generators, which transforms energy into electric energy.

Question 26

How does electricity reach our homes for us to use?

Answer 26

There is an electric grid made up of a system of wires that connect energy sources (such as power plants) to end users in homes, offices and businesses.

Question 27

How does human activity from generating energy impact the environment?

Answer 27

Fossil fuels are buried under the land, so to reach them, humans need to mine or drill below the surface. This changes habitats for living organisms and might harm them.

Even harnessing renewable energy could affect the environment. For example, hydroelectric dams change the flow of water, wind turbines can harm birds, and solar farms use land that could otherwise be used for other purposes such as farming.

Question 28

How does closing windows and doors in your home save energy?

Answer 28

It prevents cool air from air conditioning (or warm air from heaters) from escaping and thus saves energy from additional cooling (or heating).

But on warm days, opening windows could help to cool the air, and thus could save energy from not needing to use air conditioners.

Question 29

Provide one example of how human activity impacts each of the earth’s 4 systems:

Answer 29

Atmosphere: burning fossil fuels release substances into the air.

Biosphere: cutting down trees or farming changes the biosphere.

Geosphere: building homes or buildings often changes the geosphere.

Hydrosphere: build hydroelectric dams change the hydrosphere.

Human activity often impacts more than one system at a time, because earth’s system are all interconnected.

Question 30

True or false: only humans use up natural resources that impact our planet.

Answer 30

False.

Most living organisms use natural resources and impact the earth’s systems in order to survive. But humans do use up more natural resources than any other living organism, and have far more impact on the earth’s systems.

Question 31

What are some ways that we can reduce unwanted impact on earth’s systems?

Answer 31

Using fewer resources by being more efficient - for example setting reasonable temperatures for air conditioning or heat, adding insulation to homes, turning off lights or appliances when they are not needed, riding bikes or taking public transportation instead of driving, etc.

Using more renewable energy to reduce the use of nonrenewable energy - for example, using solar and wind energy, using electric vehicles instead of gasoline powered vehicles, etc.

Re-using means fewer resources are need to product goods - for example re-using canvas shopping bags instead of using plastic shopping bags from the grocery store, re-using glass jars, re-filling re-usable water bottles, etc.

Question 32

How do national parks promote conservation?

Answer 32

They preserve natural areas with rare features. For example, the Grand Canyon National Park preserves canyons. Other national parks protect forests and wetlands.

Question 33

True or false: humans now use half of the earth’s land.

Answer 33

True

Question 34

What role do scientists have in conservation?

Answer 34

They gather data about human activity’s impact on earth’s systems and share their findings to encourage conservation efforts.

Some scientists also design new devices that are more energy efficient or use renewable energy, to reduce our energy usage.

Question 35

How does recycling help with conservation?

Answer 35

Recycled materials are re-used, which reduces waste and the need to produce new goods.

Question 36

True or false: electric cars are good for the environment.

Answer 36

Hmmm somewhat true.

Electric cars still require electrical energy to run - that electricity might be generated from fossil fuels. But, electric cars do have smaller environmental impact when compared to gas-powered cars.

Question 37

Are disruptions of system balance only created by humans?

Answer 37

No. There are natural causes as well. For example, when volcanoes erupt, they release certain gases such as carbon dioxide and dust particles into the atmosphere, which can causes changes to the weather near the eruption.

Greenhouse gases such as methane are also produced during a cow’s digestive process.

But, the primary cause of an increase in greenhouse gases is the burning of fossil fuels by humans, which causes excess carbon to be released into the atmosphere, resulting in increasing temperatures and global warming.

Question 38

What are some ways that human activity negatively impacts the environment?

Answer 38

Deforestation: humans clear forests for agriculture and to develop urban areas. This leads to habitat loss for certain living organisms, as well as climate change when carbon is released into the atmosphere.

Pollution: various human activities produce pollutants such as industrial emissions, waste and agricultural run-off (pesticides and fertilizers), which harm the ecosystem as well as human health.

Climate change: burning fossil fuels (as well as deforestation) increases greenhouse gas emissions, which lead to changing weather patterns and global warming.