Earth's Systems & Atmosphere
What are the four major parts of the Earth system?
The atmosphere, biosphere, geosphere, and hydrosphere.
True or false: The particles that make up matter are always moving, even when an object appears to be still.
True
A metal fork becomes warmer when left in a bowl of hot soup. What type of energy transfer occurs through direct contact?
Conduction
Which part of Earth receives the most direct sunlight throughout the year on average?
The equator
A scientist uses a model to compare air particles in a very cold place and a very hot place. In which place would the air particles have greater average kinetic energy?
The hot place
A gust of wind carries dust and pollen through the air. What are these tiny airborne particles called?
Aerosols
What type of energy does a moving particle have because of its motion?
Kinetic energy
Earth receives energy from the Sun across the vacuum of space. What type of energy transfer makes this possible?
Radiation
What causes the Northern and Southern Hemispheres to experience opposite seasons?
Earth's tilted axis as Earth orbits the Sun
A student tracks the temperature of the air every two hours. At which measurement time would the air particles have the greatest average kinetic energy: when the temperature is lowest or when it is highest?
When the temperature is highest
In which layer of the atmosphere do clouds, storms, and most weather occur?
The troposphere
Two cups of water are measured at 18°C and 29°C. Which cup has particles with the greater average kinetic energy?
The cup at 29°C.
Warm air rises above a heater while cooler air sinks toward it. What type of energy transfer is occurring
Convection
When it is summer in the Northern Hemisphere, what season is it in the Southern Hemisphere?
Winter
Two identical containers of water begin at the same temperature. One is placed in a room at 24°C, and the other is placed in a room at 30°C. After some time, the second container reaches a higher temperature. What conclusion can be made about the average kinetic energy of its water particles compared with the first container?
The water particles in the second container have greater average kinetic energy because its final temperature is higher.
Name the five main layers of Earth's atmosphere, starting with the layer closest to Earth's surface.
Troposphere, stratosphere, mesosphere, thermosphere, and exosphere.
A pot of water and a small cup of water are both at 40°C. Which one generally has more total thermal energy, and why?
The pot of water, because it contains more water and therefore more particles with thermal energy
A warm object is placed against a cooler object. In which direction will heat energy transfer?
From the warmer object to the cooler object
Sunlight enters Earth's atmosphere, but not all of its energy reaches Earth's surface. What are two things that can happen to the energy that does not reach the surface?
It can be absorbed or reflected by the atmosphere.
Two identical beakers of water receive different amounts of ice. Beaker X receives a small amount of ice, while Beaker Y receives a larger amount. Assuming the starting water temperatures and amounts are the same, which beaker will generally have the lower final water temperature?
Beaker Y, because the larger amount of ice can absorb more thermal energy as it warms and melts.
A tree releases pollen that travels through the air. Which two Earth systems are interacting?
The biosphere and the atmosphere
A scientist records air temperatures of 10°C in the morning and 24°C in the afternoon. What does the increase in temperature indicate about the average kinetic energy of the air particles?
The average kinetic energy of the air particles increased.
A student places a warm ceramic bowl in contact with cooler water. Eventually, the bowl and water reach the same temperature. What does this tell you about the transfer of thermal energy?
Thermal energy transferred from the warmer material to the cooler material until they reached thermal equilibrium. Once they were at the same temperature, there was no net heat transfer between them.
Two locations receive sunlight at different angles. Location A receives more direct sunlight, while Location B receives sunlight at a lower angle. Which location's surface will generally heat up more, and why?
Location A, because more direct sunlight concentrates energy over a smaller surface area
Ocean currents and moving air transfer energy from warmer regions toward cooler regions. A snowball also absorbs energy from a warmer hand and begins to melt. What scientific principle do both situations demonstrate?
Heat transfers from warmer areas or objects to cooler areas or objects.