EARTH'S SPHERES
what sphere includes all of Earth's water (oceans, rivers, glaciers)?
hydrosphere
what is the gas form of water called?
water vapour
what is the process of water turning to vapour?
evaporation
what is the difference between weather and climate?
weather is short-term; climate is long-term average
what human activity leads to increased CO2 in the atmosphere?
burning fossil fuels
which layer of the atmosphere contains the ozone layer?
stratosphere
what process do plants use to absorb carbon dioxide?
photosynthesis
what is the process of respiration in living organisms?
breaking down glucose to release energy (ATP)
name a factor that affects Earth's climate.
tilt of Earth's axis / topography / composition of atmosphere
what happens when land ice (like glaciers) melt?
it adds water to oceans and causes sea levels to rise
name the sphere that includes all rocks and soil on Earth.
lithosphere
what type of bacteria converts nitrogen gas into a usable form?
nitrogen-fixing bacteria
what is nitrogen fixation?
converting nitrogen gas into ammonium by bacteria
what is the natural greenhouse effect?
gases trap heat in the atmosphere, keeping Earth warm
how does deforestation impact the water cycle?
less transpiration -> less rainfall -> more drought
which two spheres interact when a bird flies through the air?
biosphere and atompshere
what happens to carbon when an organism dies?
what is the term for bacteria converting nitrogen into nitrogen gas?
denitrification
what major event began the enhanced greenhouse effect?
the industrial revolution
what is acid rain and how is it formed?
rain mixed with sulphur / nitrogen from pollution -> acidifies ecosystems
how can a tsunami affect all four of Earth's spheres?
causes damage to lithosphere, floods biosphere, alters atmosphere, and disrupts hydrosphere.
explain how runoff and eutrophication can reduce biodiversity.
runoff adds nutrients -> algal blooms -> oxygen drops -> organisms die
what is the term for water passing through soil to enter the water table?
percolation
what is the enhanced greenhouse effect and what causes it?
it's extra heat trapped by added greenhouse gases from human activities like burning fossil fuels and deforestation
how does permafrost melting worsen climate change?
releases stored carbon -> more CO2 -> more warming