Atmosphere & Energy
This layer of the atmosphere is where weather occurs and where most clouds form.
Troposphere
Which sphere is the layers of gases surrounding Earth, composed mainly of nitrogen and oxygen?
Atmosphere
The continuous movement of water into the air, onto land, and back to water sources is called the _____.
Water cycle
Pollution discharged from a single identifiable source (like a factory pipe) is called what?
Point-source pollution
Label #1 on a cross-section of Earth typically points to which outermost layer (continents and oceans)?
Crust
Name the layer of the atmosphere that contains the ozone layer and where temperature increases with altitude.
Stratosphere
Which sphere includes all living things on Earth, from root systems to deep ocean life?
Biosphere
What is the term for water treatment that makes water safe to drink? (Use the single word used in the review content.)
Potable (meaning safe to drink)
Which human-made chemical family contributed to ozone depletion and is found in some older spray cans and refrigerators?
Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs)
Which layer is about 2,900 kilometers thick and lies between the core and the crust?
Mantle
Identify the process by which the Sun’s energy travels through space to warm Earth’s surface (one of the three main energy transfer methods).
Radiation
Which sphere includes rocks and minerals—from molten rock inside Earth to sand on beaches?
Geosphere
What is eutrophication and what effect does it usually have on oxygen levels in water? (Short answer)
Eutrophication is an over-abundance of nutrients (often from runoff) that causes algal blooms and leads to decreased oxygen levels (hypoxia) in the water.
Name THREE major human uses for water (select three).
Residential, industrial, agricultural (also recreational can be used; the review specifically lists residential, recreational, industrial, agricultural)
Label #3 on a cutaway Earth that points to the liquid iron-nickel layer corresponds to which part of Earth's interior?
Outer core
List 3 greenhouse gases?
Water Vapor
CO2
Methane
Which sphere is the total amount of water on Earth including surface, underground, and in the air?
Hydrosphere
Distinguish between point-source pollution and nonpoint-source pollution; give one example of each.
Point-source pollution: pollution from a single, identifiable source (example: factory discharge pipe). Nonpoint-source pollution: runoff from many diffuse sources (example: agricultural runoff).
What is leachate and how is it related to landfills? (One-sentence answer)
Leachate is the polluting liquid that forms when water percolates through a landfill and dissolves chemicals from decomposing garbage.
Label #4 points to a dense ball of mostly iron with temperatures around 4000–5000°C. What is this part called?
Inner core
Explain why warming of a body of water (thermal pollution) can cause large fish kills. Provide the reason in one sentence.
Warming reduces the amount of dissolved oxygen in water, causing stress or death for fish.
Identify the interaction shown when evaporation from the ocean forms clouds that later fall as precipitation and run off into rivers. Name the two spheres involved.
Atmosphere and Hydrosphere (evaporation from the hydrosphere enters the atmosphere; precipitation returns water)
A diagram shows evaporation over the ocean. What is the most likely effect of this process on nearby land? (Choose the correct effect from increased drought, decreased erosion, increased precipitation, decreased solar energy and justify briefly.)
Increased precipitation — evaporation increases moisture in the air which can lead to more precipitation over nearby land.
Which pollutant-emissions source cannot be controlled by humans? Explain briefly.
Natural sources (lightning, volcanoes, wildfires, forests) — these are natural and cannot be controlled by humans.
Explain the difference between primary succession and secondary succession and give one example of each (one sentence each).
Primary succession: development of a new ecosystem where none existed before (example: colonization of new volcanic rock). Secondary succession: re-colonization after a disturbance that leaves soil intact (example: regrowth after a wildfire).