Define crust
the Earth's rocky outermost layer
Define air mass
What is a natural resource?
material found in nature that humans are other living things can use
A river carves a deeper canyon. Identify the interacting systems.
hydrosphere & geosphere
How are mountains formed?
(1)when two plates are pushed together (2) one side of the continental boundary moves up while the other side moves down.
the average weather pattern of a region over time is known as the ______?
climate
Water, wind, and sunlight are considered what type of resource?
renewable resource
A local pond becomes polluted by the runoff of a nearby factory. What are the 2 interacting systems?
hydrosphere & biosphere (humans)
How are volcanoes formed?
Moving plates form volcanoes. They tend to erupt when one plate is pushed under another plate. the plate melts under extreme heat and pressure. The melting forms magma, which may rush toward Earth's surface when a crack or the pressure gets too strong.
What are the dangers of thunderstorms?
lightning, strong winds, & flash floods
A word that means "at risk of becoming extinct"?
endangered
A hurricane develops over the Atlantic Ocean. Identify the interacting systems.
hydrosphere & atmosphere
What is a landslide, and what causes it?
A sudden movement of a large amount of rocks and soil down a slope.
Landslides can be caused by: earthquake vibrations, volcanic eruptions, heavy rains, human activity
What are the important details of a tornado?
They are the strongest type of thunderstorm.
They can change direction abruptly, moving in one direction and then another.
They can break buildings, uproot trees and lift cars into the air.
What happens to animals as a result of deforestation?
they are forced to move, and may not be able to find another habitat
A landslide occurs. Name the 2 interacting systems.
geosphere & hydrosphere (heavy rains)
Describe the differences between active, dormant, and extinct volcanoes.
Active: currently erupting or has recently erupted
dormant: has not erupted for some time, but is believed to erupt in the future
extinct: believed to not erupt again
A hurricane and blizzard each fall under a category of a storm. Name those categories.
hurricane: tropical
blizzard: winter/snow storm
Oil, natural gas, coal, and nuclear energy are considered what type of resource?
nonrenewable resource
A tornado affects the soil of a prairie by moving it from one place to another. What are the 2 systems that are interacting?
atmosphere & geosphere