Geologic History & Evolution
What major event 541 million years ago marked a rapid increase in biodiversity and hard shells?
The Cambrian Explosion.
Tree roots growing into cracks and breaking apart rocks is an interaction between which two spheres?
The Biosphere (roots) and the Geosphere (rocks).
When wood burns, carbon reacts with oxygen to form what gas?
Carbon Dioxide CO2
Approximately how many million years ago did the Mesozoic Era end and the "Age of Mammals" (Cenozoic Era) begin?
Approximately 66 million years ago
What does environmental "sustainability" mean?
Meeting our current needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet theirs.
What does the term "megafauna" refer to?
Giant or large-bodied animals (like mammoths, saber-toothed cats, or giant sloths).
Plant roots absorbing nutrients from the soil is an interface between which two spheres?
The Biosphere (plants) and the Geosphere (soil/nutrients).
What is the fundamental rule of the "Law of Conservation of Mass"?
Matter cannot be created or destroyed, only rearranged; the mass of the reactants must equal the mass of the products.
Name the three most common renewable energy sources
Wind, Hydro, Solar
What is the fundamental difference between a renewable and a nonrenewable resource?
The rate of replenishment; renewable resources regenerate quickly, while nonrenewable resources take millions of years.
What was killed in the K-Pg extinction?
Dinosaurs
Beavers building dams to turn a flowing river into a pond is an interaction between which spheres?
The Biosphere (beavers) modifying the Hydrosphere (river) and Geosphere (land/sediment).
What is the difference between a physical change and a chemical change in matter?
In a physical change, only the appearance changes; in a chemical change, a new substance is created.
How do greenhouse gases contribute to global warming?
By trapping heat (radiation) in the atmosphere that would otherwise escape into space.
What is the main global objective of the Paris Agreement?
To foster global cooperation and set targets to limit global temperature rise.
During which geological period did the supercontinent Pangea begin to break apart?
The Triassic Period.
Which two spheres interacting resulted in the Grand Canyon
The Hydrosphere and Geosphere
Which process removes CO2 from the atmosphere and stores it in plant biomass?
Photosynthesis.
How do tree rings serve as scientific data for climatologists?
Their width reflects past local environmental conditions like annual rainfall, drought, and temperature.
How does rapid population growth impact the sustainability of future ecosystems?
It dramatically increases the consumption rate of finite natural resources, creating more waste and habitat loss.
Why did small, burrowing mammals survive the K-Pg extinction while the dinosaurs died out?
They required much less food during the global food chain collapse and could shelter underground.
Beavers building dams to turn a flowing river into a pond is an interaction between which 3 spheres?
The Biosphere (beavers) modifying the Hydrosphere (river) and Geosphere (land/sediment).
How does massive deforestation affect the atmosphere's carbon levels?
It decreases the biosphere's overall ability to absorb and store CO2, leaving more in the atmosphere.
The Paleocene, Eocene, and Oligocene are all geological epochs that belong to which specific geological period?
The Paleogene Period.
Why do international climate pacts (like Glasgow or Paris) often struggle to succeed?
They struggle with consistent implementation and enforcement across sovereign nations.