Earth's Spheres
Name the 5 main Earth spheres.
Hydrosphere, Biosphere, Cryosphere, Atmosphere, Geosphere
Who proposed the theory of continental drift?
Alfred Wegener.
What causes a tsunami?
Typically, by an earthquakes or volcanic eruption that displace large amounts of seawater.
What are the 3 main types of rocks?
Igneous, Sedimentary, and Metamorphic.
What are the main gases in the atmosphere?
Nitrogen and oxygen.
Which sphere contains all frozen water?
Cryosphere
What evidence did Wegener use to support his idea? Must list all 3 to earn all points.
Fossils, mountain formations, and the fit of continents (like puzzle pieces).
How can volcanoes affect global climate?
Ash and gases block sunlight, cooling the Earth.
Which rock type is most likely to contain fossils?
Sedimentary rock.
What process changes water vapor into droplets?
Condensation.
How do the hydrosphere and geosphere interact?
Rain from the hydrosphere erodes the rocks in the geosphere.
How is plate tectonics different from continental drift?
Continental drift says continents move; plate tectonics explains how (via moving plates on the mantle).
What caused the 2018 Indonesian tsunami?
Landslides triggered by a 7.5 magnitude earthquake in Palu Bay.
What process forms sedimentary rocks?
Sediments compact and cement together over time.
What role did hairspray play in the “Cloud in a Jar” experiment?
It provided condensation nuclei for water vapor to form droplets.
How does the atmosphere help the biosphere survive?
Provides gases like oxygen and carbon dioxide needed for life.
How would biodiversity be different if Pangaea never broke apart?
Fewer species due to less isolation; less diversity.
Which eruption caused “the year without a summer”?
Mount Tambora (1815).
What happens when sedimentary rock experiences heat and pressure?
It becomes metamorphic rock.
Why did the cloud disappear when ice was added?
Cooling stopped evaporation, reducing vapor for the cloud to form.
How does the cryosphere help regulate Earth’s temperature?
Ice and snow reflect sunlight, helping keep Earth cool.
Describe what Earth’s climate was like during the time of Pangaea.
Hot “greenhouse Earth” with little ice, high CO₂, and widespread deserts inland.
How do tsunamis impact both people and ecosystems? Provide 3 examples.
They destroy habitats, cause flooding, kill plants/animals, and displace human populations.
Explain how the rock cycle connects to Earth’s spheres.
Rocks (geosphere) are weathered by water (hydrosphere) and air (atmosphere) and support life (biosphere).
How does this lab model real cloud formation in the atmosphere?
Warm, moist air rises and cools, condensing on dust to form clouds — just like in the jar.