System Squad
What are the four major Earth systems?
Geosphere, atmosphere, hydrosphere, biosphere
What are the three main types of rocks?
Igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic
What causes tectonic plates to move?
Convection currents in Earth’s mantle
What causes Earth’s seasons?
Earth’s tilt and revolution around the Sun
What happens when rain erodes soil and carries it to rivers?
The hydrosphere and geosphere interact through erosion and sediment transport
Which Earth system includes all living things?
Biosphere
Which type of rock forms when magma or lava cools?
Igneous rock
What type of boundary forms when plates move apart?
Divergent boundary
Which part of Earth gets the most direct sunlight year-round?
The equator
How do ocean currents affect the atmosphere?
They move heat around the planet, influencing climate and weather patterns
How do the hydrosphere and atmosphere work together to create weather?
Water evaporates into the atmosphere, forms clouds, and returns as precipitation
How can a sedimentary rock become metamorphic?
Through heat and pressure deep within Earth
What landform forms when two continental plates collide?
Mountains
Why does the Northern Hemisphere have winter when the Southern Hemisphere has summer?
Each hemisphere is tilted toward or away from the Sun at different times
How do human activities connect to Earth’s systems?
Pollution and deforestation affect the atmosphere, biosphere, and hydrosphere
Give an example of how the biosphere and geosphere interact.
Plant roots (biosphere) break down rocks (geosphere)
What process breaks down rocks into smaller pieces?
Weathering
What causes earthquakes?
Stress builds up and releases as plates slide or collide
How does Earth’s rotation affect global weather?
It causes the Coriolis effect, influencing wind and ocean currents
How does the water cycle link the atmosphere and geosphere?
Precipitation moves water from air to land, then runoff returns it to oceans
Explain how all four Earth systems interact during a volcanic eruption.
Volcano (geosphere) releases gases (atmosphere), ash affects water (hydrosphere) and organisms (biosphere)
How does the rock cycle show that Earth’s materials are always changing?
Rocks transform between types through melting, cooling, weathering, and pressure
How do plate movements create volcanoes?
Subducting plates melt and magma rises to the surface
How could changes in Earth’s tilt affect climate?
A larger tilt makes seasons more extreme; a smaller tilt makes them milder
Why is understanding system interactions important?
It helps predict environmental impacts and design sustainable solutions