Unit 4 Flashcards
lithosphere
uppermost layer of the earth, contains continental and oceanic crust and the uppermost mantle
* rigid
asthenosphere
upper part of the mantle that is below lithosphere
* weak
tectonic plates
lithosphere is broken into pieces
* most made of 7 major plates
* smaller plates also exist
divergent motion
plates moving away from each other
convergent motion
plates moving directly towards each other
transform motion
plates rubbing against each other horizontally
- plates w these boundaries usually are in oceans and fracture zones
rate of crust creation and destruction?
the rate is the same
convergent plate boundaries
= destruction
* where subduction zones are
types of convergent plate boundaries and info
- more dense crust subducts
- melting of the rock in the earth happens because of the water from the ocean
- boundaries are
— ocean-ocean
— ocean-continental
— continental-continental
ocean-continental boundary
can result in
* thickening of crust
* continental volcano arcs
* eruptions
* mountains
ocean-ocean boundary
creates island volano arcs
- usually in deep ocean trench
continental-continental boundary
- mountain building
- folds and deforms the rock
divergent plate boundaries (ocean? land?)
for the ocean:
constructive = new ocean floor
* also called spreading centers
* creates ridges
for continental::
* can cause landmass to split
which ocean has larger ridge growth?
pacific ridges grow/spread faster than atlantic
convection
the process of conveying movement in a gas or liquid in which the warmer parts move up and the cooler parts move down in a cycle (think boiling water)
what drives plate movement?
convection
how are volcanoes created?
Magma rises from the hot spots and erupts as lava through cracks in the Earth’s surface forming volcanoes.
abiotic physical weathering
1 - water
2 - wind
3 - temperature variations
biotic physical weathering
1 - roots of plants
2 - burrowing animals
chemical weathering and its benefits?
def: changes in chemical makeup (oxidation, carbonation)
benefits:
- releases important nutrients
- part of phosphorus cycle
anthropogenic chemical weathering
combustion of fossil fuels leads to acid rain which:
- acidifies trees and soil
- hurts health
- decays limestone and marble
what kind of soil has more organic material and nutrients?
mature soil
old soil may be _____ _____
nutrient poor
order of soil horizons
OAEBCR
O Horizon
Organic:
- decomposed material
- found most in rainforests
- lowest part is called humus
A Horizon
Topsoil:
- organic mixed with minerals
- MOST biological activity
E Horizon
Eluviated:
- acidic soil
- metals and nutrients are leached from above
B Horizon
Subsoil:
- mineral material where they have accumulated
C Horizon
- least weathered and closest to parent material
Forest soil
- thick o layer
- e layer
RAINforest soil
- thin O layer
- thin A layer
Desert soil
- no O layer
- thin A layer
- thick B layer
Grassland soil
thick A layer
Soil services
- plants growth
- nutrient cycling
- habitat
- water storage
properties of soil decided by
- parent material
- climate: (too cold = undecomposed material) (humid tropics = weathering, leaching, decomposing)
- topography
- organisms
anthropogenic soil degredation
topsoil is plowed and removed … increases erosion
compaction of soil causes
- drying (water cant circulate)
- waterlogging (water stays in top layer so oxygen can’t circulate)
- resistance to root development
less vegetation means what for erosion?
more erosion (which causes less vegetation, etc.. loop)
soil particles from biggest to smallest
sand -> silt -> clay
permeability highest to lowest
sand -> silt -> clay
permeability is ability for soil to let water pass through it
porosity
% space left in the soil sample
(think different gym balls in a cart)
best soil type for plants? why?
loam because it has good water holding capacity and and good drainage (balanced porosity and permeability)
Earth’s spheres of life support
- atmosphere
- hydrosphere
- biosphere
- geosphere
Atmospheric pressure is caused by
weight of the air
as altitude increases
pressure and density decrease
atmosphere is made up of:
80% Nitrogen and 20% Oxygen
(other minor gases)
what layer of the atmosphere has the most life forms? where does the most weather occur?
trophosphere
where is the ozone layer located?
stratosphere
where do meteors burn up?
mesosphere
where do satellites orbit?
thermosphere
order of the atmosphere layers
trophosphere - stratosphere - mesosphere - thermosphere - exosphere
how are atmosphere layers arranged?
temperature
how to find temperature changes in atmosphere?
put 3 fingers up, start trophosphere on tip of pointer finger, trace to find other temps
trophosphere - decreases (because air becomes thinner)
stratosphere - increases (because ozone layer traps heat)
mesosphere - decreases (becomes thinner)
thermosphere - increases (high radiation, but feels cold because sparse air molecules)
properties that determine air circulation
- air density
- water vapor capacity (warm air has higher capacity)
- Adiabatic heating/cooling of air (rising = expansion and cooling) (sinking = compaction and heating)
- latent heat release (energy released when substance changes forms, in this case when condensation happens)
order of cells from equator to pole
hadley > ferrel > polar
which winds are closer to the equator? which are closer to the poles?
trade winds are closer to the equator
westerlies are closer to the poles
coriolis effect
curving an objects path because of the earth’s rotation
goes RIGHT in the NORTH
goes LEFT in the SOUTH
oceanic gyres
circular current systems created by the rotation and wind patterns
characteristics of a watershed
- area (drainage basin)
- length (principle flowpath)
- slope (momentum of runoff)
- soil
- vegetation (has a riparian zone which is transition between water and land and buffers the water from runoff of pollutants)
- divides (separates watersheds)
rotation
one day / 24 hrs
revolution
1 year
tilt of axis
23.5 degrees
what causes seasons?
tilt of the earth’s axis, rays hit more directly
what is the set of short-term atmospheric conditions—typically those occurring over hours or days—for a particular area?
weather
what is an area’s general pattern of atmospheric or weather conditions measured over long periods of time ranging from decades to thousands of years?
climate
order of climates from equator to poles
tropical > subtropical > temperate > sub polar > polar
what decides climates?
- air circulation
- ocean currents
- tilt of the earth
- mountain ranges
- proximity to water
upwelling
upward movement of water that brings up nutrients and cool water, often along west coast
El Niño
- trade winds weaken or change direction
- upwellings weaken
- warm water moves east in the pacific
- decrease in nutrients
- alter weather (hot hot)
La Niña
(think girl power)
- trade winds strengthen
- upwellings strengthen
- warm water moves west in the pacific
- alter weather (ice ice bb) + more hurricanes
likes to make things worse in the winter: cold places get even colder and warm places get even warmer
where is humus located?
the o horizon
