Water Cycle & Landforms
Term for naturally forming resources like water, soil, and sunlight?
Natural resources
What is the greenhouse effect?
Gases trap heat in the atmosphere keeping Earth warm for life.
Define renewable and nonrenewable resources with examples.
Renewable: reusable (sun); Nonrenewable: limited (coal).
Define biodiversity.
Variety of species in an ecosystem.
One human activity positively affecting environment?
Planting trees or using renewable energy.
What is a habitat and why is it important?
A habitat is where an organism lives; it provides food, water, and shelter.
Name three greenhouse gases and their role.
Carbon dioxide, methane, water vapor; they absorb and trap heat.
Why are fossil fuels nonrenewable and what happens when burned?
Form over millions of years; burning releases CO2 and pollution.
How does overpopulation affect resources and ecosystems?
Excess organisms use resources faster than replenishment, harming ecosystems.
Why is it hard for organisms to survive in dry climates?
Water scarcity limits survival and reproduction.
How can deforestation lead to desertification and erosion?
Removing trees destabilizes soil, causing erosion and loss of moisture leading to desertification.
Compare conduction, convection, and radiation with examples.
Conduction: direct touch (pan); Convection: liquid/gas (boiling water); Radiation: empty space (sunlight).
One advantage and disadvantage of solar or wind energy?
Clean and renewable but costly and weather-dependent.
Difference between background and mass extinction
Background: slow species loss; Mass: rapid loss of many species.
How can resource use cause pollution and habitat destruction?
Mining, farming, building remove habitats and pollute.
Give one type of water pollution and its impact.
Chemical pollution, like pesticides, can make water toxic to aquatic life.
How does thermal energy change ice to water to gas?
Adding energy melts ice to water, then evaporates it to gas.
What is an ore and why mine it? Give an example.
Valuable mineral deposit; mined for graphite in pencils.
Two ways humans harm ecosystems and impact on biodiversity?
Adding CO2 and poaching reduce species and biodiversity.
Predict effects of introducing an invasive species.
Native species could decline or die, biodiversity decreases, and the ecosystem may collapse.
Choose one: deforestation, urbanization, or desertification. Explain how it harms the environment and what natural process is connected to it.
Example: Deforestation harms habitats, reduces CO₂ absorption, and is connected to erosion and soil depletion.
Predict what will happen to Earth’s temperature and ecosystems if greenhouse gases continue to increase.
Earth will warm (global warming), disrupting land and ocean ecosystems and harming biodiversity.
Create an alternative energy plan using info from the passage that reduces fossil fuel damage.
Use solar panels, wind turbines, and hydroelectric dams to produce electricity without burning fossil fuels.
Describe two conservation strategies from the passage and explain how each protects resources for the future.
Examples: 1) Protect endangered species in captivity to grow populations. 2) Preserve habitats and create laws/treaties to protect ecosystems.
Devise a plan for sustainably using water in a community while protecting local ecosystems.
Limit water usage, recycle and treat wastewater, avoid over-extracting rivers/lakes, and implement conservation practices.