Topic 1-Global Systems Flashcards
Solar Energy
Comes from the sun
Occurs across a spectrum
Chlorophyll only absorbs certain wavelengths of light
Photosynthesis is more efficient when exposed to blue and red light waves
Earth’s Energy Budget
Earth’s energy budget accounts for the balance between the energy that Earth receives from the Sun and the energy the Earth loses back into outer space.
Visible light
Visible light is light that the human eye is able to comprehend as a result of it’s wavelength.
Infrared Light
Infrared light is a form of light that the human eye cannot see, though it can be felt as heat. This is because it has a longer wavelength than visible light
Ultraviolet Radiation
Ultraviolet light is a form of light that the human eye cannot see. This is because it has a shorter wavelength than visible light
Albedo Effect
The albedo effect is the ability for a surface to reflect light.
Greenhouse Effect
The greenhouse effect refers to the gasses in our atmosphere preventing sunlight from leaving.
The Water Cycle
The water Cycle refers to the continued reuse of water through evaporation, condensation and a plethora of others
Transpiration
Water is absorbed by plants from the soil through their roots
The water travels up the stem of the plant to the leaves
The water is released into the atmosphere through stomata
Microscopic hole that releases water
Condensation
Cooling of water vapour in the atmosphere
Water vapour condenses into water droplets forming clouds
Involves the hydro and atmo spheres
Precipitation
Water drops formed by condensation fall to earth.
Can fall as snow, hail, rain or sleet.
Surface Run off
Refers to the movement of water over the land surface
Runoff ends in rivers, streams, lakes and oceans.
Can transport sediment, nutrients and pollutants to other areas.
Infiltration
Any precipitation that falls onto the land can soak int othe soil refilling groundwater sources.
Ground Water Flow
Water that infiltrates into the soil becomes groundwater, which slowlyu moves through aquifers
Aquifer
An aquifer is an underground layer of water-bearing material, consisting of permeable or fractured rock, or of unconsolidated materials. Aquifers vary greatly in their characteristics.
Evaporation
When the sun heats bodies of water such as oceans, lakes and rivers
Causes water to change from liquid to water vapour and rises into the atmosphere.
Freezing
Freezing converts water from a liquid to a solid
Acts as water storage
Water is removed from the cycle until it has melted.
Melting
When ice and snow are converted back into water
After melting, snow and ice refills rivers, lakes and oceans
Deposition
Transforms water vapour to ice
Skips liquid phase
Forms snow ice and glaciers
Percolation
The movement of water through soil and rock
Nitrogen Cycle
Nitrogen is an essential element for living organism, as it is a component of proteins, nucleic acids and other organic molecules.
The nitrogen cycle transforms and circulates nitrogen in various forms through earths spheres.
Atmospheric Nitrogen Fixation
Lightning strikes generate enough energy to separate nitrogen gas into nitric oxide and nitrogen dioxide.
These smaller molecules dissolve in water droplets in clouds, forming nitric acid.
Nitric acid is transported to the earths surface through precipitation.
Nitric Acid
Assimilation
Plants and some microorganisms take up ammonium and nitrate ions from the soil to use in cell processes
Consumption
Animals acquire organic nitrogen by consuming plants or other animals.
Ammonification
Decomposers break down nitrogen compounds found in dead organisms and other organic matter.
Converts them to ammonia and ammonium ions
These more simple forms of nitrogen are released back into the soil.
Volcanic eruption
Volcanic eruptions release nitrogen gas straight into the atmosphere
Heat and pressure created by eruptions leads to transformation of atmospheric nitrogen into nitrogen oxides.
Denitrification
Denitrifying bacteria convert nitrate and nitrite ions into nitrogen gas.
Nitrogen gas is returned to the atmosphere where it can be accessed again by nitrogen fixing bacteria.
Nitrogen Fixation by bacteria
Atmospheric N2 is converted into ammonia or ammonium ions by nitrogen fixing bacteria found in the soil
Nitrification
Ammonia is converted to nitrite ions by nitrifying bacteria
Nitrite ions are then oxidized into nitrate ions by other nitrifying bacteria.
