Geosphere
the 3 types of rock in the rock cycle
metamorphic, igneous, and sedimentary
Which domain of life contains organisms that are exclusively made up of eukaryotic cells?
Eukarya
What are two of the unique properties of water?
high surface tension, high heat capacity, universal solvent, adhesion and cohesion
Name three kinds of air pollutants
+100 pts for symbols
Particulate matter (PM), nitrogen oxides (NOx), Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs), Carbon Monoxide (CO)
What are three disciplines (scientific fields of study) that are connected to Environmental Science?
Almost anything can be related: Physics, Sociology, Chemistry, Engineering, Political Science, Biology, Ecology
The main difference between minerals and rocks?
a rock is one or more minerals bonded, and a mineral is one or more elements bonded to form an inorganic structure
What are the five characteristics all living things need in order to be considered “living”?
Life span, DNA, cell, response to environment, exchange matter and energy
What is thermohaline circulation?
Global oceanic circulation patter that is driven by differences in temp (thermos-) and salinity (-haline) of saltwater. Regulates earths climate by distributing heat.
what is the term for the southern oscillation cycle responsible for transferring moisture and heat across the pacific, impacting regions worldwide?
El Nino/La Nina
Explain Conservation of Energy
Energy cannot be created/destroyed but it can be transformed from one kind of substance to another
What are three factors that affect soil formation?
What are the 7 categories of classification for classification in the Domain Eukarya?
Kingdom, Phylum, Class, Order, Family, Genus, Species
Where is earths largest fresh water storage/reservoir?
First largest reservoir is ice, second largest is groundwater.
What is the difference between weather and climate? AND What is a problem that can arise when people confuse climate and weather?
“Climate change isn’t real because it’s snowing/raining”
Weather is the (immediate) state of the atmosphere at a specific time and place, while climate is long-term trends in weather over time.
An example of a positive feedback loop
chickens > eggs > chickens
albedo: warmer climate melts ice > lowering the albedo > melting more ice.
ripening of fruit
What is one major reservoir and flux in the carbon cycle. AND how do we define reservoirs and fluxes?
Reservoirs: excess of carbon stored until it’s released via flux
Fluxes: the movement of carbon between different reservoirs
Explain what a top-down controlled ecosystem is
+100 pts for a specific example
Ecosystem where population and behavior of organisms at higher trophic levels regulate the structure of the entire ecosystem.
Wolves-elk-plants
Sharks-parrotfish-algae-coral
What does a hydrograph measure? AND what are the units?
Rate of flow (discharge) vs time past a specific point in a watershed. Units = CFS (cubic feet per second)
Name the three Milankovitch cycles that affect insolation and therefore long-term climate (scientific names).
Eccentricity, obliquity (tilt), and precession (wobble)
Name three density driven forces on earth
- Thermohaline circulation
- Cold water sinks
- Hot air rises
- Earths layers, crust on top, core at center
- Subduction in plate tectonics
Name 3 types of mining and 3 challenges associated with mining
Mountaintop removal, pit mining, placer mining, underground mining, surface mining, solution (in-situ leaching), etc.
pollution, habitat destruction/fragmentation, social impacts, deforestation, exploited frontline communities, acid mine drainage, soil degradation, erosion, etc.
How does genetic drift contribute to evolutionary change?
It causes changes in the genetic makeup of populations over time. Can lead to the loss/fixation of certain gene variants.
What are the primary causes of eutrophication in aquatic systems, and what strategies can be implemented to mitigate it?
Caused by excess nutrients (nitrogen and phosphorus) from agriculture/livestock runoff and sewage.
Better wastewater management, reducing fertilizer/pesticide use, restoring wetlands, etc.
How do Hadley cells influence the distribution of life zones on earths surface AND what are two of these zones?
Creating distinct climate patterns, the circulation pattern shapes different life zones (biomes). Desert, subtropics, grassland, savanna, etc.
For each of Earth’s spheres, name one impact that pollution can have on that sphere.
Hydrosphere: increasing acidity, Particles, nutrient pollution, water quality..
Geosphere: acid rain erosion, degredation of rocks/minerals, overexploited resources..
Atmosphere: climate change, weakened protective ozone, smog, particulate matter..
Biosphere: flora and fauna extinction, reduction in efficiency of plant/animal life/reproduction, human health, clean water/food impacts..