Astro
The orbit is elliptical with the star at one focus of the ellipse.
convergent, subduction
Peat forms from partially decayed vegetation that is compacted and prevented from completely oxidizing. It usually forms in swampy or boggy areas. What is the maximum rate of harvest for sustainably produced peat?
___ units for every unit produced.
One unit of peat can be harvested for every unit that is produced.
Why is England warmer than it should be at it's latitude?
The warm Gulf Stream brings warm water towards the northern latitudes, causing a milder climate for England that it would normally have.
The average temperature of Earth has increased approximately 0.8 degrees Celsius in the last 100 years. What do scientists attribute this temperature increase to?
Increased use of fossil fuels.
The moon goes through phases as it revolves around Earth. During which phase of the moon would it be possible for a solar eclipse to occur?
New moon
Over time, lava rock from an old volcano is worn down and broken into small pieces. These small pieces pile up and are cemented together to form new rock. What is the classification for the new rock?
Sedimentary
Explain where renewable and non-renewable resources are generally found.
Renewables are mostly found above ground, and non-renewables are mostly found below Earth's surface.
Greenhouse gases in the atmosphere absorb infrared radiation from Earth's surface and re-radiate some of it back into space. Which gases have the most significant impact on the temperature of Earth's atmosphere?
Carbon dioxide and water vapor
Biomes include both biotic and abiotic elements. Name some abiotic factors that might be at play in an estuary.
Temperature, water salinity, tidal pattern
The axis of Earth is tilted at an angle of 23.5 degrees from the vertical position. What is the main result of this tilt?
Seasons
Which characteristic of a rock's structure results directly from the action of erosion?
A. Color
B. Type
3. Shape
4. Age
3. Shape
Saltwater intrusion can occur in aquifers near coastlines. Coastline aquifers become more vulnerable to saltwater intrusion when freshwater recharge rates are low, or withdrawal rates are high. Which of the following would be most affected by saltwater intrusion.
A. Small coastal town experiencing rain
B. Coastal agricultural area using periodic irrigation
C. Large inland region of growing cities and farms
D. Growing coastal city experiencing drought
D. Growing coastal city experiencing drought
Why does the force of a hurricane diminish after it moves over land?
The supply of warm, moist air decreases.
Nonnative flathead catfish that prey on smaller fish were accidentally introduced into the Yadkin River in North Carolina. What would the likely effect on the ecology of the Yadkin River be?
They could reduce the native fish populations.
What is the primary means through which the sun warms the Earth?
transfer of energy by electromagnetic waves
A farmer has a steeply sloping pasture that is eroding. What should he do to stop the immediate erosion of the topsoil?
Increase the amount of vegetation on the sloping pasture.
During the past decade, the water table in the aquifer of a town has dropped. Which of the following project proposals would most likely help the aquifer recharge with water?
A. Creation of a dam to create a reservoir
B. Installing automatic sprinklers on city property
C. Drilling of new wells to replace the old wells
D. Replacement of cement parking lots with gravel and tile
D. Replacement of cement parking lots with gravel and tile
What chemical has been controlled in an attempt to reduce the depletion of the ozone layer?
use of chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs)
Ethanol is an alternative fuel made from corn. What is one of the unfavorable effects of using ethanol as a fuel?
decrease in farm land available for food production
A blueberry bush uses energy from the sun to make carbohydrates. Arrange the energy transformations in the correct order.
Radiant, Chemical, and Nuclear.
nuclear energy → radiant energy → chemical energy
Several horses grazed in a fenced area across from a home. On rainy days, soil would wash down a slope and run toward the home. After the horses were moved a few years later, the soil no longer washed down when it rained. What could account for this change?
The grass grew and kept the sail intact.
A student created a diagram of farmland with runoff from cornfields to a nearby pond. What was the student probably trying to model?
how fertilizers can get into ponds and cause algae blooms
An area is described as having mild temperatures in the summer and being cool and rainy in the winter. On a day in May, the area experienced snow. Describe this day in terms of weather and climate.
The weather was different from the normal climate for the area.
Most of the trash in the USA is currently disposed of in one of three ways: 32.5% is recycled or composted, 12.5% is incinerated (burned), and 55% is put into landfills. Name a change that a town could make to decrease it's ecological footprint?
an increase in recycling and decreases in incineration and landfill use