Earth as a System
Name the four major Earth systems.
Biosphere, Hydrosphere, Geosphere, Atmosphere
What is radiant energy?
Energy that travels in waves (no matter needed)
Which heat transfer occurs by direct contact?
Conduction
What is evaporation?
liquid water changing into a gas.
What is Earth’s main energy source?
The sun
Explain why Earth is open to energy but mostly closed to matter.
Energy enters and leaves Earth (mainly from the Sun), but matter is recycled within Earth’s systems.
Identify two examples of radiant energy.
Sunlight , solar radiation, thermal energy ,X-ray
Which heat transfer occurs by fluid or gas movement? What does it produce?
Convection //// Currents
Predict how deforestation could affect Earth’s cycles.
Less transpiration, more runoff, increased CO₂, disrupted carbon storage.
What type of energy does your body rely on?
Chemical
What is the greenhouse effect?
Trapping of heat by greenhouse gases.
Compare mechanical and thermal energy with examples.
Thermal energy is heat from moving particles; mechanical energy is energy of motion like wind, waves, or rivers.
How does burning fossil fuels affect climate?
It increases greenhouse gases and warming.
How does carbon move from plants to animals?
By animals eating plants or other animals
What type of energy is stored in fossil fuels and released when they are burned?
Chemical Energy
Give a real-world example of two Earth systems interacting.
The Sun heats the ocean (hydrosphere), causing evaporation into the atmosphere.
Explain how chemical energy is stored and released
It is stored in chemical bonds (food, fuels) and released during chemical reactions.
Explain how unequal heating of Earth creates wind.
Warm air rises and cool air sinks, creating pressure differences that move air.
What is the other way, besides evaporation, water turns into water vapor in the water cycle?
Transpiration
Explain why nitrogen fixing bacteria are vital for life.
They are the only organism with nitrogenase, an enzyme that can break Nitrogen gas's triple bond.
Explain how the water cycle connects at least three Earth systems.
Water evaporates into the atmosphere, falls on land, flows through rivers, and is used by living organisms.
Explain how solar energy can become mechanical energy.
The Sun heats air, air rises, and wind forms.
Give one example how the ocean and atmosphere exchange energy
evaporation and storms
The process of weathering can take millions of years.
Give the example of latent heat I talked about in class
Sweating