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Physical geography > Water and carbon cycle 1 - Natural systems > Flashcards

Water and carbon cycle 1 - Natural systems Flashcards

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1
Q

What 5 things are systems made of

A

Stores, flows, boundaries, inputs and outputs

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2
Q

What are inputs

A

When matter or energy is added to the system

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3
Q

What are outputs

A

When matter or energy leaves the system

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4
Q

What are stores / components

A

Where matter or energy builds up

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5
Q

What are flows / transfers

A

Where matter or energy moves from one side to the other

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6
Q

What are boundaries

A

The limits of a system

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7
Q

What do systems have to be

A

Either open or closed

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8
Q

What’s an open system

A

Both energy and matter can enter and leave the system - there’s inputs and outputs

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9
Q

What’s an example of an open system

A

Drainage basins

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10
Q

Why are drainage basins open

A

Energy from the sun enters and leaves the system. Water is an input as precipitation and as an output as river discharge

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11
Q

What’s a closed system

A

Matter can’t enter or leave the system it can only cycle between stores. Energy can enter and leave - it can be an input and output

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12
Q

What is an example of a closed system

A

The carbon cycle

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13
Q

Why is the carbon cycle closed

A

Energy is an input from photosynthesis and an output as respiration, but the amount of carbon remains the same as there are no inputs or outputs of matter

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14
Q

What happens when the inputs and outputs are balanced

A

The system is in equilibrium

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15
Q

What does equilibrium mean?

A

Flows and processes happens but always in the same way so there is no overall change to the system

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16
Q

What does dynamic equilibrium mean

A

In reality there are small variations of inputs and outputs, they’re so small that the system still remains balanced as the outputs and inputs balance each other out

17
Q

When do systems establish a new dynamic equilibrium

A

When there are long term changes to the balance of inputs and outputs can cause a system to change and establish a new dynamic equilibrium

18
Q

What does this trigger

A

Positive or negative feedback

19
Q

What does positive feedback do

A

Amplify the change in inputs or outputs

20
Q

What does this mean

A

The system responds by increasing the effects of change, moving the system away from its previous state of dynamic equilibrium

21
Q

What does negative feedback do

A

Counteracts the change in the inputs or outputs

22
Q

What does this mean

A

The system responds by decreasing the effects of change, keeping the system closer to its previous state

23
Q

What type of system is the earth

A

closed

24
Q

Why is it a closed system

A

It has energy as an input from the sun and an output to space but matter isn’t an input or output to space

25
Q

How is the earth broken down

A

Into subsystems

26
Q

How many sub systems are there

A

5

27
Q

What are the 5 subsystems

A

1) Cryosphere
2) Lithosphere
3) Biosphere
4) Hydrosphere
5) Atmosphere

28
Q

What is the cryosphere

A

Includes all parts of the Earth’s systems where it is cold enough for water to freeze eg - glacial landscapes

29
Q

What is the Lithosphere

A

The outermost part of the earth. Includes the crust and upper parts of the mantle

30
Q

What is the biosphere

A

The part of the earths system where living things are found. It includes all the living part =s of the earth eg - plants, animals, bacteria

31
Q

What is the hydrosphere

A

Includes all water on earth. May be liquid form (lakes and rivers), solid form (ice stored in the cryophere) or gas (water vapour in atmosphere) can be saline or fresh

32
Q

What is the atmosphere

A

The layer of gas between the earths surface and space, held in place by gravity

33
Q

How are these subsections all interlinked

A

By the cycles and process that keep the earth system as a whole running as normal

34
Q

What moves between the sub sections

A

Matter and energy

35
Q

How do they move

A

The output of 1 cycle is the input of another and so on

36
Q

What does this movement mean

A

That the earth is cascading (water falling)

37
Q

What does a change in one system mean

A

It affects what’s happening in others

Physical geography (16 decks)

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