Unit 2: Physical Systems

Question 1

What are the four main layers of the Earth?

Answer 1

1. Crust - the part that has cooled, hardened, and exposed to the atmosphere (thinnest)
2. Mantle - Made of hot, dense rock which moves due to convection currents (thickest)
3. Outer Core - All metals (nickel, iron) are in the liquid state.
4. Inner Core - Conditions are so hot and compressed that metals cannot move like a liquid.

Question 2

What is LOWERN?

Answer 2

An acronym for factors that affect weather and climate.

L: Latitude
O: Ocean Currents
W: Wind and Air Masses (high pressure - sunny mainly, low pressure - Good chance of precipitation)
E: Elevation (height above sea level)
R: Relief (change in elevation, causing changes in atmospheric conditions)
N: Near Bodies of Water- Places will either have a maritime climate (moderate, moist climate) or a continental climate (more extreme, dry climate)

Question 3

What are the layers of Soil (Soil Profile)

Answer 3

1. O-Horizon - Humus: decaying organic material (like leaves, grass, animals, etc.), making it full of nutrients.
2. A-Horizon - rich in organic material (rotted organisms), thin and takes hundreds of years to produce.
3. B-Horizon: Subsoil - mainly inorganic material (rocks) with some organic material.
4. C-Horizon: Parent Material - broken rocks and gravel.

Question 4

Soil Components

Answer 4

1. Minerals
2. Bacteria/Organic Material
3. Air
4. Moisture

Question 5

How do you find the freezing temperature on a climate graph?

Answer 5

Find the number of months with a freezing temperature below 0 degrees.

Question 6

How do you find the average temp. on a climate graph?

Answer 6

Add every month’s temperature together and divide by 12.

Question 7

How do you find the temperature range?

Answer 7

Highest temperature value minus the lowest temperature value out of all months

Question 8

How do you find the growing season on a climate graph?

Answer 8

Find the number of months with a plotted temperature above 5.6 degrees.

Question 9

How do you find the total precipation on a climate graph?

Answer 9

Add all of the precipation values for every month together.

Question 10

In climate graphs, what seasons does summer include and what seasons does winter include? This is important for finding the Season of Maximum Precipitation.

Answer 10

Summer starts from April and ends at September.
Winter starts from October and ends at March.

Question 11

What is leaching?

Answer 11

Leaching happens when there is a high amount of precipitation. Nutrients are carried downward through the soil and are dissolved in the process, making the soil nutrient deficient.

Question 12

What is calcification?

Answer 12

This occurs in drier climates. Water is drawn to the surface by capillary action, causing water to evaporate. The nutrients dissolved in the water are carried and deposited on the surface as water evaporates. This can lead to nutritious topsoil.

Question 13

Provide a description of minerals, one of the soil components.

Answer 13

They come from the parent material and provide nutrients to plants.

Question 14

Give a description of bacteria/organic material (Soil components)

Answer 14

They include partly decomposed organisms, giving humus and nutrients

Question 15

Give a description of air, one of the soil components

Answer 15

Plants need air around their roots, created by small organisms (e.g., worms).

Question 16

Give a description of moisture, one of the soil components

Answer 16

Water dissolves nutrients, so it can be given to plants. It also breaks down rock and decaying organic material.

Question 17

Theory of Continental Drift

Answer 17

(In 1915), Alfred Wegner said that all of the continents used to be connected into one supercontinent (called “Pangaea”). Then, 200 million years ago, it slowly began to break apart.

Initially, people did not believe Wegner mainly because he could not explain what force(s) had caused the continents to separate. (J. Tuzo Wilson solved this with his theory.)

Question 18

Proof of Continental Drift Theory

Answer 18

1. Same fossils found on both of the Atlantic’s sides
2. Similar mountain ages and structure found on both sides of the Atlantic
3. The jigsaw fit of the continents

Question 19

For LOWERN, what are air masses?

Answer 19

An air mass is a body of air with the same temperature, moisture, speed, and direction characteristics throughout.

Question 20

Maritime Air Masses (LOWERN)

Answer 20

Polar Maritime: made north over water. This air mass is moist and cold.
Tropical Maritime: made south over water. It is warm and moist.

Question 21

Continental Air Masses (LOWERN)

Answer 21

Polar Continental: made north over land. It is cold and dry.
Tropical Continental: made south over land. It is warm and dry.