Unit 4 Forces that Change the Earth

Question 1

Catastrophic Event

Answer 1

Extreme weather events such as floods, hurricanes, and tornadoes; classified by the extent and intensity of their impact on the ecosystem

Question 2

Ecosystem

Answer 2

A community of organisms and their nonliving environment

Question 3

Flood

Answer 3

A rising of body of water that submerges normally dry land

Question 4

Hurricane

Answer 4

A tropical cyclone with wind speeds categorized from 74 to 249 MPH

Question 5

Tornado

Answer 5

A violently rotating column of air extending from a thunderstorm to the ground with wind speeds categorized from 40 to 318 MPH

Question 6

Ecoregion

Answer 6

A relatively large area that is characterized by distinctive plant and animal communities, climate, and ecological features

Question 7

Weathering

Answer 7

The mechanical or chemical processes that break down into smaller pieces

Question 8

Sediments

Answer 8

Earth material that is broken down by processes of weathering, can be eroded and deposited by the agents of water, wind, ice, and gravity

Question 9

Erosion

Answer 9

The process by which water, ice, wind, and gravity remove and transport sediments from one place to another

Question 10

Deposition

Answer 10

The process by which gravity, water, wind, and ice deposit weathered and relocated sediments

Question 11

Topography

Answer 11

A description of land surface area with reference to elevation variations

Question 12

Watershed

Answer 12

An area of land where the surface water and groundwater drains into a particular body of water, separated from each other by drainage divides

Question 13

Drainage Divide

Answer 13

A geographical barrier, such as a ridge, hill, or mountain, separating one watershed land area from another

Question 14

Surface Water

Answer 14

Water from precipitation that drains into a gully that flows into a stream, which in turn flows into a river, lake, reservoir, estuary, wetland, or the ocean

Question 15

Groundwater

Answer 15

Water that collects in cracks and pores in underground soil and rock layers

Question 16

Water Table

Answer 16

The top of the saturation zone, below which water fills all open spaces between the rock

Question 17

Zone of Aeration

Answer 17

The upper portion of soil and rock that can be temporarily filled with water as the water enters the ground but then moves deeper

Question 18

Saturation Zone

Answer 18

Below the water table where all spaces not filled with solid material fill with water

Question 19

Aquifer

Answer 19

A layer of permeable rock that allows water to flow through

Question 20

Permeable Rock

Answer 20

Allows water movement to flow through the material, the opposite of impermeable

Question 21

Subsidence

Answer 21

Sunken land surface due to underlying compression of earth material as a result of the removal of ground water

Question 22

Point-Source Water Pollution

Answer 22

A single identifiable and localized source of water pollution such as wastewater discharge into a stream

Question 23

Non-Point Source Water pollution

Answer 23

Pollutants introduced into surface or ground water that are without a specific location source, such as water flowing over a lawn that has been fertilized and into a drain