Made with ScholarlyTurn your own files into flashcard decks like this
Earth Systems + Experiments + Graphs: Study Guide (with Quiz)
1) The Four Earth Systems (know what each includes)
Earth scientists study Earth as 4 interacting systems that exchange matter and energy.4 interacting systems that exchange matter and energy.
Untitled Flashcards
Geosphere (solid Earth)
Includes/components: rocks, soil, mountains, volcanoes, crust, mantle, core
Key variables: rock type, erosion rate, plate movement, earthquakes, volcano activity
Example: plate tectonics causes earthquakes and forms mountains
Hydrosphere (all water)
Includes/components: oceans, rivers, lakes, groundwater, glaciers/ice caps, water vapor
Key variables: water temperature, salinity, flow rate, ice melt, ocean currents
Example: the water cycle moves water via evaporation and precipitation
Atmosphere (gases around Earth)
Includes/components: nitrogen, oxygen, carbon dioxide, clouds, air layers
Key variables: temperature, air pressure, humidity, wind speed, greenhouse gas levels
Example: greenhouse gases trap heat and affect climate
Biosphere (all living things)
Includes/components: plants, animals, fungi, bacteria, humans, ecosystems
Key variables: population size, biodiversity, growth rate, photosynthesis rate
Example: plants use photosynthesis to make food
Big takeaway: A change in one system often causes changes in the others.
2) How the Earth Systems Interact (must-know examples)
Memorize these four interactions:
Atmosphere ↔ Hydrosphere: evaporation and precipitation
Hydrosphere ↔ Geosphere: rivers erode rock and move sediment
Biosphere ↔ Atmosphere: plants absorb $\text{CO}2$ and release $\text{O}2$
Geosphere ↔ Biosphere: soil supports plant growth
Fast practice prompt: “If _ changes in the atmosphere, what happens to the other 3 systems?”
3) Controlled Experiments (definitions + how to identify)
Controlled experiment: a test where only one variable is changed at a time while all others are kept the same, so results are due to the thing being tested.
Key terms
Independent variable (IV): the variable you change on purpose
Dependent variable (DV): the variable you measure/observe (response to the IV)
Control group: group that does not receive the IV change (baseline)
Experimental group: group that does receive the IV
Constants: factors kept the same for all groups (fair test)
Data types
Quantitative data: numerical (cm, $^\circ$C, seconds)
Qualitative data: descriptive (color, texture, behavior)
Quick identification tip:
IV answers: “What did we change?”
DV answers: “What did we measure?”
4) Graph Types + When to Use Them
Line graph: shows continuous change over time (or another continuous variable)
Scatter plot: shows the relationship/correlation between 2 variables (points not connected)
Bar graph: compares amounts across categories/groups
Pie chart: shows proportions/percent of a whole
5) Slope on an Earth Science Line Graph (rate of change)
Slope tells the rate the dependent variable changes as the independent variable changes.
Slope formula
Example (Atmosphere: temperature vs year)
2000: $14.0^\circ\text{C}$
2010: $14.6^\circ\text{C}$
What slope means
Positive slope: increasing over time
Negative slope: decreasing over time
Steep slope: fast change
Flat slope: little/no change
Analysis statement template (write this on tests)
“Between $x1$ and $x2$, $y$ (DV) changed by _ at a rate of ** units per __**.”
QUIZ (with answers)
A) Earth Systems (Multiple Choice)
Which Earth system includes glaciers and groundwater?
A. Geosphere B. Hydrosphere C. Atmosphere D. Biosphere
Which is a key variable of the atmosphere?
A. Salinity B. Plate movement C. Wind speed D. Rock type
Soil supporting plant growth is an interaction between:
A. Hydrosphere ↔ Atmosphere B. Geosphere ↔ Biosphere C. Biosphere ↔ Hydrosphere D. Atmosphere ↔ Geosphere
Plants absorbing $\text{CO}2$ and releasing $\text{O}2$ is primarily:
A. Biosphere ↔ Atmosphere B. Hydrosphere ↔ Geosphere C. Atmosphere ↔ Hydrosphere D. Geosphere ↔ Atmosphere
B) Controlled Experiments (Short Answer)
Define a controlled experiment in one sentence.
In an experiment testing how amount of water affects plant height:
IV = __
DV = __
Name two constants: __ and __
Circle the type of data:
“The solution turned cloudy.” (Quantitative / Qualitative)
“The temperature increased by $3^\circ$C.” (Quantitative / Qualitative)
C) Graphs + Slope (Show work)
Which graph is best for showing temperature change over 12 months?
A. Pie chart B. Bar graph C. Line graph D. None
A line graph shows CO₂ (ppm) over time.
2015: 400 ppm
2025: 420 ppm
Calculate slope in ppm/year.
) Interpret this slope sentence-style (use units): If slope is $-2\ \text{cm/year}$ for glacier thickness vs time, what does it mean?
ANSWER KEY
B
C
B
A
A scientific test where only one variable is changed while others are kept constant so any effect is due to that variable.
IV = amount of water; DV = plant height; constants examples: type of soil, sunlight, temperature, plant species, pot size (any 2)
Cloudy = Qualitative; Increased by $3^\circ$C = Quantitative
C
$$m=\frac{420-400}{2025-2015}=\frac{20}{10}=2\ \text{ppm/year}$$
) Glacier thickness is decreasing by $2$ cm each year (on average) over the time interval.
(NEED HELP MEMORIZING)