The Water Cycle
What process turns liquid water into water vapour?
Evaporation
Name the four main spheres of the Earth system.
Atmosphere, Hydrosphere, Biosphere, Geosphere
When rain causes erosion of rocks, which two spheres are interacting?
Hydrosphere and Geosphere
What is the difference between weather and climate?
Weather is short-term conditions; climate is long-term patterns.
What gas do plants take in during photosynthesis?
Carbon dioxide (CO₂)
What is it called when water vapour turns back into liquid droplets in the atmosphere as clouds?
Condensation
Which sphere contains all living organisms?
Biosphere
A volcanic eruption releases gases into the air. Which spheres interact here?
Geosphere and Atmosphere
What is a natural factor that influences Earth’s climate?
1. Uneven heating of Earth's surface by the sun
2. Heat absorption and emission rates (land vs water)
3. Earth's axis tilt
4. Topography
5. Composition of the atmosphere
What is a carbon source?
Something that releases more carbon into the atmosphere than it absorbs (e.g. volcanoes, animals, fossil fuels)
What part of the water cycle occurs when rain, snow, or hail falls to Earth?
Precipitation
What is the sphere made up of rocks, soil, and the Earth’s interior called?
Geosphere
How does the hydrosphere interact with the atmosphere in the formation of clouds?
Water from the hydrosphere evaporates and condenses in the atmosphere to form clouds.
What causes different seasons on Earth?
Earth's axis tilt
What is a carbon sink?
Something that absorbs more carbon than it releases into the atmosphere (e.g. ocean, trees, soil)
How does the Sun drive the water cycle?
It provides energy that causes evaporation and powers movement of water through the system.
Name 3 different places on Earth that you will find water as a:
1. Solid
2. Liquid
3. Gas
1. Polar ice caps, glaciers, snow
2. Oceans, rivers, lakes, groundwater
3. Atmosphere, clouds (early formation)
Why is it useful for scientists to study Earth as a system of interconnected spheres rather than separate parts?
Because changes in one sphere affect others—understanding connections helps predict and manage environmental changes.
How does the ocean help regulate global climate?
It absorbs and redistributes heat through ocean currents.
How is carbon stored in the geosphere?
In fossil fuels, rocks, and sediments.
Explain how deforestation can affect the water cycle.
It reduces transpiration and disrupts local rainfall patterns by lowering moisture returned to the atmosphere.
What are the layers of the atmosphere?
Troposphere
Stratosphere
Mesosphere
Thermosphere
Exosphere
Describe an example of how human activity can trigger interactions between multiple spheres.
Example: Burning fossil fuels (biosphere/geosphere) releases gases into the atmosphere, affecting the hydrosphere and climate.
How could changes in global wind or ocean patterns impact ecosystems?
They could shift rainfall, temperature, and food availability, disrupting habitats and biodiversity.
Explain how the carbon cycle links the biosphere, atmosphere, and hydrosphere.
Carbon moves between living things (biosphere), air (atmosphere), and oceans (hydrosphere) through photosynthesis, respiration (e.g. breathing), and absorption.