Unit 4 Flashcards

1
Q

Core

A

dense mass of solid nickel, iron, and radioactive elements that release a lot of heat.

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2
Q

Mantel

A

liquid layer of magma around the core
-kept liquid by the heat from the core

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3
Q

Asthenosphere

A

a solid flexible outer layer of the mantel, beneath the lithosphere

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4
Q

Lithosphere

A

a thin brittle layer of rock floating on top of the mantel (broken into tectonic plates)

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5
Q

Crust

A

the outermost layer of the lithosphere (earth’s surface)

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6
Q

Divergent plate boundary

A

-plates move away from each other
-rising magma plume from mantel forces the plates apart

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7
Q

What do divergent boundaries form?

A

mid ocean ridges, volcanos, sea floor spreading, rift valleys

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8
Q

Convergent plate Boundaries

A

-plates move towards each other
-leads to subduction zones where one plate is forced beneath another

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9
Q

Convergent Boundaries form what?

A

Mountains, island arcs, earthquakes, volcanos

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10
Q

Transform Boundaries

A

-plates slide past each other in opposite directions

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11
Q

What do transform Boundaries form

A

earthquakes (the lithosphere shakes)

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12
Q

Ring of fire

A

a pattern of volcanos all around the pacific plate

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13
Q

Transform faults

A

lily locations of earthquakes

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14
Q

Hotspots

A

areas of especially hot magma rising up to the lithosphere
-cause mid-ocean islands (Iceland, Hawaii) when they break through the crust

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15
Q

What three components determine soil texture

A

Sand, Silt, and Clay

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16
Q

Humus

A

The main organic part of soil (dead leaves, broken down biomass, dead animals, waste)

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17
Q

What are three abiotic components of soil??

A

Air, Water, Nutrients

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18
Q

How are weathering and erosion different?

A

Weathering is the breakdown of rock by rain or wind
erosion is the transport the sediments broken down through weathering

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19
Q

How dose soil effect ground water?

A

Soil filters rainwater and runoff by trapping pollutants so ground water can remain clean.

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20
Q

How to plants benefit the soil?

A

Plants roots keep soil in place, and can take in some of the water abasorbed by the soil to overall increase infiltration

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21
Q

How does soil form from below the earths surface?

A

parent material is weathered to produce smaller fragments of silt, clay, and sand

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22
Q

How does soil form from the earths surface?

A

organic matter and humus are broken down
erosion deposits soil particles from other areas, adding to soil

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23
Q

What are the layers of soil from top to bottom

A

O-Horizon: a layer of organic matter (roots, leaves, animal waster) on top of the soil
A-Horizon: A layer of humus and minerals from parent material, this layer has the most biologic activity
B-Horizon: A lighter layer made of minerals with little to no organic matter
C-Horizon: the layer of least weathered soil, closest to the parent material

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24
Q

What are three types of soil degradation?

A

Loss of topsoil: due to till or loss of vegetation topsoil is dried out and nutrients are lost, making it easily eroded.
Compaction: soil is compressed by machines, livestock, or humans. This causes pore space within the soil to be lost, and this dry soil to be eroded.
Nutrient Depletion: repeated growing of crops causes the nutrients in soil to become deficient so future growth is hindered.

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25
Q

Soil texture

A

the % of sand, silt, and clay in a sample of soil

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26
Q

Porosity

A

how much (volume) of water that a soil sample can hold

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27
Q

Permeability

A

the opposite of porosity-how easily water drains through the soil
more sand=more permeable
more clay=less permeable

28
Q

What is the ideal soil for most plant growth?

A

Loam

29
Q

What two factors effect soil fertility-

A

Nutrients and water

30
Q

Name a few factors that increase and decrease water holding capacity.

A

Increase:
-compost/humus/organic matter
-root structures
-Aerated soil
-Clay content

Decrease:
-compact soil
-topsoil erosion
-sand
-root loss

31
Q

Name a few factors that increase and decrease nutrient holding capacity.

A

Increase:
-organic matter
-decomposers
-clay (negative charges bind to positive nutrients)

Decrease:
-acids (leach positively charged nutrients)
-excessive rain
-excessive farming
-topsoil erosion

32
Q

78% of the atmosphere is made of what gas

A

Nitrogen (mostly in the form of N2 which is not usable by plants without being fixed)

33
Q

What are the layers of the Atmosphere (outermost to innermost) ?

A

Exosphere
thermosphere
Mesosphere
stratosphere
troposphere

34
Q

Exosphere

A

outermost layer of atmosphere where the atmosphere merges with outer space
-few gas particles

35
Q

Thermosphere

A

-hottest layer
-temperature increases due to absorption of highly energetic solar radiation
-absorbs UV % X-rays
-charged gas molecules glow under solar radiation to form the northern lights

36
Q

Mesosphere

A

The middle layer

37
Q

Stratosphere

A

-Thickest O3 (ozone) layer
-Absorbs UV-B and UV-C rays which cause cancer (this is good ozone
-top layer is warmed by UV rays like a swimming pool

38
Q

Troposphere

A

-Most gas is found in this layer
-some O3 is found here but it is harmful to organisms (causes reparatory issues)
-Weather occurs here

39
Q

Warm air holds ______ moisture than cold air.

A

more

40
Q

what direction does the earth rotate

A

counterclockwise

41
Q

Wind between 0-30 degrees moves ______ to _______.

A

East to west (northeast and southeast trade winds)

42
Q

Wind between 30-60 degrees moves ____ to ______.e

A

West to east (westerlies)

43
Q

Is there high or low pressure at 0 and 60 degrees?

A

there is low pressure at 0 and 60 degrees.

44
Q

is there high or low pressure at 30 degrees?

A

there is high pressure at 30 degrees

45
Q

Air moves from _______ pressure to _________ pressure.

A

from high pressure to low pressure

46
Q

Watershead

A

all of the land that drains into a specific body of water.

47
Q

More vegetation=______ infiltration and ground water recharge

A

more

48
Q

gentler slope= ______ erosion

A

less

49
Q

How does clearcutting effect water quality?

A

Clearcutting gets rid of the roots that hold soil in place, so more erosion will occur. This erosion increases turbidity in streams and rivers causing plants and animals to suffer.
Clearcutting also increases temp. because shade is destroyed, and sediment warms water.

50
Q

Insolation

A

incoming solar radiation

51
Q

Intensity of Insolation depends on what two factors

A

-angle- how directly the rays hit earth.
-how much atmosphere the rays must pass through

52
Q

Urban heat island

A

urban areas are hotter than rural areas due to the low albedo of blacktops (they absorb a lot of heat)

52
Q

June and December Solstice

A

N or S hemisphere is maximally tilted towards the sun (summer or winter)

53
Q

March and September Equinox

A

N and S hemisphere are equally tilted towards the sun (spring and fall)

54
Q

Albedo

A

the portion of light that is reflected by a surface.
high albedo=more light is reflected

55
Q

What is the earths main source of energy

A

incoming solar radiation (insolation)

56
Q

Windward side of mountain

A

-warm, moist air from the ocean hits windward side of mountain
-lush vegetation

57
Q

Leeward side of mountain

A

-dry desert like conditions

58
Q

Gyers

A

large, circular ocean patterns due to global wind (clockwise in northern hemisphere, counterclockwise in southern hemisphere)

59
Q

Upwelling Zones

A

areas of oceans where wind blows warm surface water away from a land mass, drawing up cooler deeper water that is nutrient rich.

60
Q

El Nino

A

the direction of wind in the equatorial pacific changes causing a change in pressure and ocean currents

61
Q

Thermohaline circulation

A

the currents connecting all of the world’s oceans based on the rising and sinking of water based on salinity and temp.

62
Q

Normal equatorial pacific conditions

A

-trade winds blow East to west.
-Upwelling of the coast of South America (good for fisheries)
-warm rainy weather in Australia and Southeast Asia
-low pressure in Australia and Southeast Asia

63
Q

El Nino conditions

A

-Trade winds blow West to East
-Warm rainy weather in South America
-cooler, drier weather in Australia and Southeast Asia
-High pressure is Australia and Asia
-Low pressure in South America
(opposite of normal conditions)

64
Q

La Nina conditions

A

-Increased upwelling in south America
-warmer and rainier than normal in Australia and Asia
(basically, normal conditions, but extreme)

65
Q
A