/
AI Flashcards
Save to my account
Sign up
AI Flashcards
Science Exam Unit 1 Prep
Study
1
Question
What is the Biosphere?
Answer
Made up of all living things on Earth, including plants, animals, bacteria. There is interdependence between different parts of the living world.
2
Question
What is the Lithosphere?
Answer
Outermost rocky layer of the Earth, consisting of mantle and crust. It is made of solid rock and minerals.
3
Question
What is the Hydrosphere?
Answer
A collection of all Earth's water lying over, on or under the surface as oceans, seas, lakes and rivers. It includes water found in soil and air. The cryosphere is a subsection of the Hydrosphere containing all ice and snow.
4
Question
What is the Atmosphere?
Answer
Layer of gases that surrounds Earth. It includes all breathable air, Co2, etc. and is where weather occurs.
5
Question
Define the carbon cycle.
Answer
The carbon cycle is the continuous movement of carbon atoms between the Earth's atmosphere, biosphere (living organisms), lithosphere (rocks and sediments), and hydrosphere (oceans).
6
Question
Describe the two types of carbon.
Answer
Organic – found in plants, animals, and soil Inorganic – Found in other places e.g. the ocean, CO2, atmosphere
7
Question
Which processes release carbon into the atmosphere?
Answer
Respiration, Decomposition, Combustion, Warm water ocean exchange
8
Question
Which processes return carbon to other spheres?
Answer
Photosynthesis, Cool water ocean exchange, Fossilization
9
Question
What is a carbon sink?
Answer
Any feature of the environment that absorbs carbon from the atmosphere and/or stores it e.g. in fossils, ocean, soil and forests.
10
Question
What is the greenhouse effect?
Answer
When the sun emits short-wavelength radiations, some are absorbed by the Earth. The Earth will re-emit this heat as longer wave radiation that is trapped by greenhouse gases such as natural CO2.
11
Question
What is the enhanced greenhouse effect?
Answer
It's an extreme version of the natural greenhouse effect caused by an increasing percentage of greenhouse gases thanks to human activities. It leads to less energy escaping, causing a positive feedback loop.
12
Question
Give examples of 4 greenhouse gases.
Answer
Carbon Dioxide (CO2), Methane (CH4), Nitrous Oxide (NO2), Water Vapor (H2O).
13
Question
How does increasing atmospheric temperature impact the hydrosphere (or cryosphere)?
Answer
Ice is very good at reflecting radiation. As the Earth warms, ice melts, meaning less reflection. More light gets absorbed, heating the Earth further, making more ice melt (positive feedback loop).
14
Question
What are the processes of the water cycle?
Answer
Evaporation, Condensation, Precipitation, Run-off, Infiltration, Groundwater-flow, Plant-uptake, Evapotranspiration, Sublimation.
15
Question
Why is the water cycle a global system?
Answer
Water that evaporates from the ocean may fall on land, water runs-off through many countries back to the ocean, ocean + air currents circulate water (and water vapor across the globe.
16
Question
What is the natural water cycle?
Answer
The natural cycle is balanced as without interference, the amount of water from every process remains roughly stable across each part of the cycle.
17
Question
What are 3 human impacts on the natural water cycle?
Answer
1. Deforestation: reduces evapotranspiration and changes the rainfall patterns. 2. Urbanization: Concrete and asphalt stop infiltration and also increase run-off. 3. Climate change: Combustion adds greenhouse gases, warms the climate, increases evaporation and changes the rainfall patterns.
18
Question
Use of Indigenous Ecology Knowledge.
Answer
Indigenous Australians have long understood how fire affects ecosystems. Controlled burning promotes regrowth, prevents large fires, and supports biodiversity.
19
Question
How are indigenous burning techniques used in modern day Australia?
Answer
Western scientists now use these methods to manage land and have businesses pay to earn carbon credits for reducing emissions counteracting any or all effect from their emissions (e.g. Tiwi Islanders).
20
Question
How is climate change defined and what do climate scientists believe the main cause for it is?
Answer
Climate change is the long term changes to the temperature of the Earth. Main causes are linked to human activities such as the main 3: carbon emissions, methane emissions and deforestation.
21
Question
How do large amounts of carbon dioxide affect the atmosphere?
Answer
They are greenhouse gases so they trap heat on the earth like a greenhouse would rather than letting it dissipate out and so the climate changes after a prolonged period of time.