Plate Tectonics
**Which type of boundary creates mid-ocean ridges?**
- Choices:
- A. Convergent
- B. Divergent
- C. Transform
- D. Subduction
B: Divergent
What is the top layer of soil called?
O Horizon
What is a watershed?
An area of land where all water drains to a common point
Which atmospheric layer contains the weather?
Troposphere
Which of the following is NOT a cause of soil degradation?
- A. Overgrazing
- B. Deforestation
- C. Urban development
- D. Composting
D. Composting
What is the Earth's lithosphere composed of?
Crust and upper mantle
Name two causes of soil erosion.
Deforestation and overgrazing
What is the process of water filtering into the ground called?
Infiltration
What gas makes up most of the atmosphere?
Nitrogen (78%)
The process that drives the movement of tectonic plates is:
- A. Gravity
- B. Ocean currents
- C. Convection in the mantle
- D. Earth’s rotation
C. Convection in the mantle
What type of plate movement creates mountains?
Convergent boundary (continental-continental)
Which soil horizon contains most nutrients and organic matter?
A Horizon (Topsoil)
Name one aquifer in the United States.
Ogallala Aquifer
Which layer contains the ozone layer?
Stratosphere
Describe one way that human activities can disrupt the water cycle and one environmental cons
Urbanization increases runoff → leads to flooding, erosion
Name one real-world example of a transform boundary.
San Andreas Fault
How does agriculture affect soil quality?
Depletes nutrients, increases erosion
How does urbanization affect runoff?
Increases surface runoff and decreases infiltration
What happens to temperature as altitude increases in the troposphere?
Temperature decreases
Where would you most likely find nutrient-rich soil?
- A. Rainforest
- B. Desert
- C. Temperate grassland
- D. Tundra
C. Temperate grassland
How do subduction zones lead to volcanic activity?
One plate is forced below another, melts, and magma rises
Describe one method of soil conservation.
Terracing, contour plowing, or cover crops
How can overuse of groundwater lead to sinkholes?
Withdrawal causes ground to collapse where support is lost
Describe how temperature inversion can trap pollutants.
Warm air above traps cooler air and pollution near the surface
Explain how removing vegetation from a hillside could impact two Earth systems.
Geosphere (soil erosion), Hydrosphere (more runoff, sediment in water bodies)