Earth´s Major Systems
What is the name of the layer of air that surrounds the Earth?
The atmosphere.
What are the four main Earth systems?
Atmosphere, Hydrosphere, Geosphere, and Biosphere.
What is the name of the largest body of water on Earth?
The ocean.
What is the name of the star at the center of our solar system?
The Sun
Which Earth system includes oceans, rivers, lakes, and rain?
The hydrosphere.
Which two Earth systems are interacting when rain falls and plants grow?
Atmosphere and Biosphere.
What do we call animals like fish, whales, and dolphins that live in the ocean?
Marine animals.
Which planet is known as the Red Planet?
Which planet is known as the Red Planet?
What do we call the Earth system that includes plants, animals, and all living things?
The biosphere.
A volcano erupts. Which two systems are interacting when ash goes into the air?
Geosphere and Atmosphere.
Why are coral reefs important in the ocean ecosystem?
Because they provide shelter and food for many marine animals.
A _____ is a ball of hot gases that gives off light and other types of energy.
Star.
What Earth system is made of rocks, soil, mountains, and land?
The geosphere.
During a hurricane, which Earth systems are involved?
Atmosphere, Hydrosphere, Geosphere, and sometimes Biosphere.
How much of the Earth's surface is covered by oceans and what are the three ocean ecosystems?
70% and the open ocean, Coral reefs and the deep ocean.
Why the sun appears larger and brighter than other stars in the sky?
Because it is the closest star to Earth.
When a volcano erupts (geosphere), it sends ash into the air (atmosphere). Which other Earth system can be affected, and how?
The biosphere, because ash can harm plants and animals.
A forest fire starts due to lightning. How does it affect other Earth systems?
It affects the Biosphere (plants and animals), the Atmosphere (smoke in the air), and the Geosphere (soil and land).
What can happen to ocean ecosystems if people throw too much trash into the water?
Marine animals can get hurt, and the water becomes polluted.
Mention each season of the year and explain what causes them.
Winter, spring, summer and fall.
The seasons happen because the Earth is tilted on its axis and it orbits the Sun.
As the Earth moves around the Sun during the year:
When your part of the Earth is tilted toward the Sun, it gets more sunlight and warmth, that’s summer.
When your part is tilted away from the Sun, it gets less sunlight, that’s winter.
Spring and fall happen in between, when the tilt is changing and sunlight is more balanced.