Geosphere
Q: What is the geosphere made of?
A: Rocks, minerals, and all of Earth's solid layers
Q: What percentage of Earth is covered by water?
A: About 75% (three-fourths)
Q: What is the atmosphere?
A: The layer of gases surrounding Earth
Q: What is the biosphere?
A: The part of Earth where life exists
Q: Name two of Earth's four main spheres
A: Geosphere, hydrosphere, atmosphere, biosphere (any two)
Q: Name the three main layers of Earth
A: Core, mantle, and crust
Q: Where is about 97% of Earth's water found?
A: In the oceans
Q: What gas makes up about 78% of Earth's atmosphere?
A: Nitrogen
Q: What is an ecosystem?
A: All living things and nonliving things interacting in a particular place
Q: When rain falls from clouds to the ground, which two spheres are interacting?
A: Atmosphere and hydrosphere
What forms when hot molten magma reaches Earth's surface and cools?
A: Rocks
Q: Name three places where freshwater can be found on Earth
A: Rivers, lakes, streams, underground, glaciers (any three)
Q: What gas do humans and animals breathe in from the atmosphere?
A: Oxygen
Q: Name two things living organisms in the biosphere need from other spheres
A: Water, air, nutrients, sunlight, etc. (any two)
Q: How does the hydrosphere interact with the biosphere?
A: Living things need water to survive
Q: What is another name sometimes used for the top layer of the geosphere?
A: Lithosphere
Q: What is the special name for the part of the hydrosphere that is frozen?
A: The cryosphere
Q: How does the atmosphere protect Earth?
A: It burns up meteors that would otherwise fall to Earth
Q: How do plants in the biosphere affect the atmosphere?
A: They produce oxygen and take in carbon dioxide
Q: When a glacier melts and causes flooding, which three spheres are interacting?
A: Cryosphere, hydrosphere, and geosphere
Q: How do volcanoes demonstrate interaction between the geosphere and atmosphere?
A: They release gases and ash particles into the air
Q: Describe one way the hydrosphere interacts with the geosphere.
A: Water erodes rock, creates landforms, or causes mudslides
Q: What layer of the atmosphere is where weather occurs?
A: The troposphere
Q: How might a volcanic eruption affect the biosphere?
A: It can destroy habitats or kill plants and animals
Q: Why is it important to understand how Earth's spheres interact?
A: To understand climate change, weather patterns, and how to protect Earth's resources