The Four Spheres
Which sphere includes all living organisms on Earth?
Biosphere
Which gas makes up approximately 78% of the atmosphere?
Nitrogen
What is the average weather of a place over a long period of time called?
Climate
What is the process called when liquid water changes into water vapor?
Evaporation
What are the three main types of rocks?
Which sphere includes all the water on Earth?
Hydrosphere
What is the lowest layer of the atmosphere called?
Troposphere
What is a large region characterized by its climate, plants, and animals called?
Biome
What process allows plants to make their own food using sunlight?
Photosynthesis
What type of rock forms when melted rock cools and hardens?
Igneous
What are the four spheres of Earth?
Geosphere, atmosphere, hydrosphere, biosphere
In which layer is the ozone layer found?
Stratosphere
Which biome is known for very little rainfall?
Desert
Which cycle involves bacteria changing nitrogen into forms that plants can absorb?
Nitrogen cycle
Sandstone, limestone, or shale
A volcano releases gases into the air. Which two spheres are interacting?
Geosphere and atmosphere
Which layer is the coldest, and which layer is the hottest?
Mesosphere (coldest); (Thermosphere (hottest)
Which two biomes are generally found closest to the equator?
Tropical rainforest and tropical grassland
During which cycle do plants absorb carbon dioxide and release oxygen?
Carbon dioxide-oxygen cycle
What two things cause existing rocks to change into metamorphic rocks?
Heat and pressure
What three spheres are interacting in the water cycle?
Geosphere, hydrosphere, and atmosphere.
Name all five layers of the atmosphere in order, starting from Earth's surface.
Troposphere, stratosphere, mesosphere, thermosphere, exosphere
What are three factors that help determine the characteristics of a biome?
Climate, plants, and animals
How can plants and animals get nitrogen?
A rock forms from sediments that are pressed together and cemented in layers. Later, it is exposed to heat and pressure and changes. What type of rock does it become?
Metamorphic rock