Plate Tectonics
Soil
Atmosphere, Global Wind Patterns, and Watersheds
Solar Radiation and Earth Seasons and Earth's Geography and Climate
El Nino and La Nina and Random
100

Describe Convergent plate boundaries

Plates push together, which then causes volcanoes and it will release magma from the earth's surface

100

What areas tend to have the most soil erosion?

Farm land because they don't have great coverage so the soil will erode away

100

What are the gases in the Earth's atmosphere?

Nitrogen, Oxygen, and trace gases

100

What are two other factors that affect weather and climate?

Geology- rock formations and geography- natural and human made borders

100

What does insolation mean?

Solar radiation received

200

Describe Divergent plate boundaries

Plates push away from each other, which then typically causes sea floor spreading. 

200

If I have 35% silt, 35% sand, and 30% clay, then what soil type is it?

Clay loam

200

How does global wind patterns affect environmental conditions?

The earth is unevenly heated which causes the different poles and equator to have different temperatures which causes different biomes and ecosystems

200

How does the sun's energy affect the earth's surface?

Insolation from incoming solar radiation becomes the main source of the Earth's energy. The latitude that is directly horizontal to solar radiation gets the most solar energy.

200

What are the environmental effects of La Nina

Extreme version of normal conditions


Dry areas are too dry


Wet areas are too wet/stormy

300

Describe Transform plate boundaries

Plates tend to slide past each other, which causes earthquakes from the pressure building and then releasing underground.

300

What is erosion and what are negative effects from it?

The movement of soil. This can cause flooding, pollution, and can damage infrastructures

300

Explain the atmospheric layers and how temperature correlates with them

Stratosphere has a rise in temp due to the ozone. Troposphere has a higher temp in the lower part than the upper part due to the suns rays. The mesosphere temperature drops again due to thinning atmosphere. Thermosphere receives UV and X-ray radiation, so the temp rises, but still thin air 

300

How do we get seasons?

The tilt of the earth leads to seasons. This is because then as the earth rotates different parts will be closer or farther from the sun and will experience the different wind patterns. 

300

Explain El Nino 

Warm water builds up along the equator. This warms the atmosphere which allows the moisture rich air to rise and develop into rainstorms. Trade winds weaken and warm water is pushed back east. Colder water doesn't upwell as much

400

How does an earthquake form?

When two plates slide past each other, plates lock up at the fault lines. Energy will then build which then will release which causes the earhquake.

400

Describe the 3 types of soil particles and how they correspond to water holding capacity

Sand is the largest particle size so its easiest for water to pass through it. Silt is the second largest, so water still passes through. Clay is a very small particle size so water doesn't pass through as well. So water passes through easiest in soils that have more sand than the other two

400

Explain the factors that determine global wind patterns

The earth's rotation (Coriolis effect) circulates air, uneven heating due to solar radiation, and the different cells that move cold air and heat from the different poles

400

Describe the mountains and rain shadow effect

It creates a region of land to become drier. This is because the windward side is blocked by mountains and air loses moisture. This results in a desert/drier area

400

Explain La Nina

Trade winds become stronger which pushes cold water up due to upwelling and then pushes warm water towards the west. Rainfall increases

500

What place is experiencing a ton of volcanic pop-ups?

Hawaii

500

Describe the soil horizons and how they are characterized

O- organic matter, A- surface horizon, B- Subsoil, C- Substrata, R- Bedrock. As you go down the soil horizons, the organic matter is not as soluble and organic

500

What are the characteristics of a watershed?

Area – how much space it covers


Length – how far source and final location of drainage


Slope – topography of the watershed


Soil – amount of sand or clay


Vegetation – determines amount/type of runoff


Adjoining watersheds – where these drain into

500

How do the oceans transfer and hold heat?

Oceans absorb large amounts of heat from solar radiation and will transport it between poles

500

What are the environmental conditions of El Nino

Trade winds shift


Surface near South America is warmer, less oxygen, fishing is bad


Rainy conditions is US, South America can experience mudslides due to storms


Upwelling occurs off Australian coast