Earth’s Structure and Processes
Weather and Climate
Human Impact on the Environment
Natural Resources and Conservation
Earth’s Systems and Cycles
100

What is the name for the rigid mechanical or functional layer of the Earth that includes the crust and upper mantle.

Lithosphere

100

What is the name of the process when water vapor turns into liquid water in the atmosphere?

Condensation

100

How can urban development affect natural habitats?

It can destroy or fragment habitats, making it hard for plants and animals to survive

100

What does it mean to conserve natural resources?

Bonus: What is a sustainable rate of harvesting a renewable resource?

To use them carefully so they don’t run out

Bonus: We can harvest one unit of a resource for every one unit that is created.

100

Describe the connection between the water cycle and climate change.

Warming increases evaporation and changes precipitation patterns, leading to more extreme weather events

200

What causes earthquakes?

The sudden release of stored energy along fault lines, built up from the movement of tectonic plates.

200

What is the difference between weather and climate?

Weather is short-term atmospheric conditions; climate is long-term patterns

200

Describe one environmental problem caused by improper land use, such as poor farming practices or deforestation.

Soil erosion, which removes fertile topsoil and can lead to less productive land and pollution of nearby water bodies

200

Why is recycling important?

It reduces waste and saves natural resources

200

Describe how volcanic eruptions affect the atmosphere.

They release gases and ash that can cool the Earth temporarily

300

Which mathematical model best describes Earth’s orbit around the Sun?

An elliptical path

300

What causes tides on Earth?

The gravitational pull of the Moon and Sun

300

Which sustainable agriculture practice helps restore soil nutrients after planting the same crop repeatedly?

Crop rotation

300

Explain the impact of mining on the environment.

It can cause habitat destruction and pollution

300

How does nitrogen get into the soil?

Through nitrogen fixation by bacteria

400

Explain why the Earth’s mantle is important in plate movement.

The mantle’s convection currents move tectonic plates

400

How do ocean currents affect climate?

Oceans redistribute heat, moving warm water towards the poles, and bringing colder water towards the equator. This allows some areas to experience warmer or cooler climates than they normally would at their latitudes.

400

What protections does the Clean Air Act provide?

It regulates pollutants that pose risks to human health and the environment

400

Why is there no single best renewable energy source for all places?

Different energy sources work better in different climates and locations

400

What is an example of a secondary pollutant?

Pollutants formed by chemical reactions of primary pollutants in the atmosphere

500

Describe how volcanoes form at convergent plate boundaries.

One plate subducts under another, melting rock creates magma that rises to form volcanoes

500

How does an increase in greenhouse gases lead to changes in global weather patterns? Explain one possible effect on storms or precipitation.  

More trapped heat increases storms’ strength and frequency or alters rainfall, causing droughts or floods

500

How can pollution in rivers and lakes affect humans and wildlife?

It can make water unsafe to drink and harm fish and other aquatic animals

500

According to water footprint studies, what dietary change most helps reduce water use?

Replacing beef with plant-based proteins like beans and lentils

500

Why are PFAS called “forever chemicals”?

They persist in the environment and do not break down easily