Forest Carbon
A single tree falls over in the forest from heavy winds. Describe the impact to atmospheric carbon.
There will be no change to atmospheric carbon. That single tree will store whatever carbon it has. It will no longer photosynthesize and will eventually decay, but this single trrr won't impact atmospheric carbon.
Identify two landscape regions through which the Hudson River flows.
Adirondack Mountains
Hudson River Valley
Hudson Highlands
Manhattan Prong
Piedmont Province (?-I'll accept)
According to the graph, what is the half life of Uranium-238?
4,500 million years or 4.5 billion years
What is the name of the movement of material in the asthenosphere that drives plate tectonics-as represented by the white arrows in the diagram?
Convection
At approximately what point in Earth's history does Oxygen first appear?
Around 2.7-1.8 billion years ago.
Describe the process that trees use to make energy for food and describe how this process is responsible for a decrease in atmospheric carbon.
Photosynthesis. Plants take in CO2 and use it to make glucose. This glucose contains carbon and will be stored as sugars in the plant.
How would a heavy rain event along the Hudson impact runoff and surface erosion?
it would increase both
If a meteorite sample is found to have about 70% of its original U-238 remaining, approximately how old is the sample?
2,250 million or 2.25 billion years old
What is the relationship between depth, pressure, density and temperature in Earth's interior?
As depth increases, temperature, density and pressure all increase.
Which organism first led to oxygen on Earth?
photosynthetic bacteria (cyanobacteria)
Identify two processes shown in this diagram that will contribute to an increase in atmospheric carbon.
decomposition
combustion through fire
How would a heavy rain event impact the salinity of the Hudson River near the point where it enters the ocean?
It would decrease salinity (make it less salty)
How does the rate of decay for Carbon-14 compare to the rate of decay for Uranium-238?
Carbon-14 decays at a faster rate compared to U-238. Carbon-14 has a half life of 5,730 years.
Which type of tectonic plate boundary is shown in the middle of the diagram?
Divergent
What is the evidence of Oxygen first appearing on Earth that can be seen in the rock record?
Banded iron formations. The iron formations are reddish in color because they rusted due to oxygen in the atmosphere. No oxygen, no rust.
Through which specific human activities will atmospheric carbon increase? Identify two.
clearcutting of an entire forest
burning fossil fuels in transportation
slash and burn agriculture
combustion of coal to generate electricity
State a claim about how a heavy rain event could decrease water quality in the Hudson River.
Chemicals and fertilizers could runoff into the Hudson River.
Sewage treatment plants could overflow and runoff into Hudson River.
What is the decay product of Uranium-238?
Lead-206
Where in the diagram would you expect to find the newest igneous rock?
Along the middle of the divergent plate boundary (at the point of divergence).
What is the process that caused oxygen levels on Earth to change?
photosynthesis
Identify an environmental consequence of too much atmospheric carbon dioxide in two of Earth's systems.
Atmosphere-global temperatures icrease (global warming)
Ocean acidification
Explain why the salinity of the Hudson River is higher in NYC compared to Poughkeepsie.
NYC is on the Atlantic Ocean which is salt water, and Poughkeepsie is about 45 miles north of NYC where the river is mostly freshwater.
To determine the age of a wooden tool from around 5,000 years ago, which radioactive isotope would be the most useful?
Carbon-14.
Which type of boundary is shown at the far left and far right of the diagram?
Convergent w/subduction
How have oxygen levels on Earth changed over Earth's entire 4.6 billion years?
Steady, then a rise to a peak around 300 million years ago, then a decline and holding steady.