Earth Systems
What are the four major Earth systems called?
Geosphere, hydrosphere, atmosphere, and biosphere
What type of rock forms when melted rock cools and hardens?
Igneous rock
What is the name of the extremely hot, mostly solid layer beneath Earth's crust?
Mantle
What instrument measures air pressure?
Barometer
A rock is broken into tiny pieces, carried downstream by a river, and deposited on a beach. Name the three geoscience processes involved.
Weathering, erosion, and deposition
Which Earth system includes all living organisms, such as plants, animals, and bacteria?
Biosphere
What is the process called when rocks are broken down into smaller pieces?
Weathering
What is molten rock called when it reaches Earth's surface?
Lava
What type of cloud is often associated with thunderstorms?
Cumulonimbus clouds
If Earth's interior were no longer hot enough to drive mantle convection, what major geologic process would eventually be affected?
Mantle convection and plate tectonics would be affected, changing the movement of tectonic plates over time
What is the name of the layer of gases surrounding Earth?
Atmosphere
What is the difference between weathering and erosion?
Weathering breaks down rock; erosion transports the broken material
What is the main source of Earth's internal heat?
Leftover heat from Earth's formation and heat released by radioactive decay.
What happens to warm air when it becomes less dense than the surrounding cooler air?
It rises
Two cities are at the same elevation, but one is near the ocean and the other is far inland. Which city is likely to have smaller temperature changes throughout the year, and why?
The coastal city, because the ocean heats and cools more slowly than land
Which Earth system includes oceans, rivers, lakes, and groundwater?
Hydrosphere
What slow-moving process causes continents to change position over millions of years?
Plate tectonics, driven in part by processes within Earth's interior
What natural event occurs when built-up energy is suddenly released along a fault?
Earthquake
What is the boundary between two different air masses called?
Front
A weather forecast predicts falling air pressure, increasing winds, and darkening clouds. What type of weather might be approaching?
A storm or other unsettled weather, potentially including thunderstorms depending on the conditions
How can a volcanic eruption affect both the atmosphere and the biosphere?
It can release ash and gases into the atmosphere and harm or alter living organisms and habitats
What type of plate boundary forms when two tectonic plates move away from each other?
Divergent plate boundary
What type of renewable energy uses heat from inside Earth to generate electricity or warm buildings?
Geothermal energy
Why does water vapor condense into tiny droplets when air cools to its dew point?
The air becomes saturated with water vapor, causing condensation into liquid droplets
Earth receives energy from the Sun, but its interior also contains enormous amounts of energy. What is one major difference between these two energy sources?
Solar energy comes from the Sun and powers weather and much of Earth's surface activity; geothermal energy comes from Earth's internal heat and helps drive processes such as mantle convection.