Earth's Spheres
What are the four main spheres of Earth?
The geosphere, biosphere, hydrosphere, and atmosphere.
What percentage of Earth's water is salt water?
Approximately 97% of Earth's water is salt water.
What is the term for the process by which plants take in carbon dioxide from the air?
What is photosynthesis?
What do we call the process by which plants convert sunlight into energy?
What is photosynthesis?
What is the smallest unit of matter that makes up everything around us?
What is a particle?
How does the biosphere interact with the atmosphere?
Plants in the biosphere take in carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and release oxygen.
Where can you find most of the fresh water on Earth?
Most of Earth's fresh water is found in glaciers and ice caps.
Name one way that decomposers contribute to the movement of matter in an ecosystem.
They break down dead organisms and recycle nutrients back into the soil.
How do animals use the energy they get from food?
Animals use energy for body repair, growth, motion, and to maintain body warmth.
When you heat a substance, what happens to the particles in that substance?
The particles move faster and spread apart.
Describe one way the hydrosphere affects the geosphere.
Water can erode rocks and shape the land, changing the geosphere over time.
How does fresh water in rivers and lakes contribute to the water cycle?
Fresh water evaporates from rivers and lakes, forming clouds which eventually lead to precipitation.
How do animals contribute to the movement of matter in an ecosystem?
Animals eat plants and other animals, and their waste returns nutrients to the soil.
Why is sunlight considered the primary energy source for life on Earth?
Sunlight is the starting point for energy transfer in ecosystems, fueling photosynthesis in plants.
What is it called when matter is not created or destroyed in a chemical reaction?
What is the Law of Conservation of Mass?
What is the role of the geosphere in the water cycle?
The geosphere provides land where water can flow, collect, or evaporate.
What is the main source of fresh water for human consumption?
Groundwater from aquifers is the main source of fresh water for human consumption.
Describe how energy flows through an ecosystem using matter.
Energy flows from the sun to plants (producers), then to animals (consumers), and finally to decomposers.
Describe how energy from the sun eventually becomes energy for animals.
Sunlight is absorbed by plants, which convert it into chemical energy; animals then eat plants or other animals to obtain this energy.
Name one physical property that can help identify a material.
What is color, texture, or density?
How do human activities impact the interaction between the atmosphere and the biosphere?
Pollution from human activities can harm plants and animals, affecting their survival and the quality of air in the atmosphere.
Create a simple graph showing the distribution of salt water and fresh water on Earth.
Students should draw a pie chart or bar graph illustrating that 97% is salt water and 3% is fresh water, with subdivisions (like glaciers, groundwater, etc.) for the fresh water.
Explain the role of the environment in the movement of matter among plants, animals, and decomposers.
The environment provides resources like water and nutrients that are essential for growth and energy transfer.
: How does energy from the sun affect the growth of plants?
unlight provides the energy needed for photosynthesis, allowing plants to produce food and grow.
When you mix baking soda and vinegar, what type of change occurs, and do new substances form?
What is a chemical change, and yes, new substances form (carbon dioxide gas).