Name: ________________________________ Date: ___________ Period: _______ #:_____
Earth and Earth’s Atmosphere Study Guide
1.
List and describe the 5 Earth systems.
Hydrosphere – water
Geosphere – hard surfaces on Earth
Biosphere – all living things
Atmosphere – gases
Cryosphere – frozen water
2. Where does most interaction between the non-living Earth systems occur?
On Earth’s surface
3. What is the difference between lava and magma?
Magma is melted rock under the surface.
4. What are 2 things you would find in the geosphere? In the biosphere?
Geosphere – a cliff, rocks
5.
Biosphere – pine trees
How much of Earth’s freshwater is contained in the cryosphere?
79%
6. What is responsible for clouds and precipitation?
Water Vapor
7.
Where is the most of the mass of the atmosphere stored?
Troposphere
8. Where does the water cycle begin?
No where
9. What happens during condensation?
Water vapor changes to a liquid
10. Define the term transpiration.
Water vapor is released by plants through their leaves
11. List the three layers of the Earth from outside to inside.
Crust, mantle, and core
*Be able to identify precipitation, evaporation, and condensation – reference water cycle wheel.
Name: ________________________________ Date: ___________ Period: _______ #:_____
12. Where is water stored? (list 3 locations)
Underground, in the atmosphere, on Earth’s surface
13. Where is groundwater stored?
In cracks and pores beneath Earth’s surface
14. Where does the rock cycle take place? (2 Earth systems)
Deep inside the geosphere and on Earth’s surface
15. Where is the ozone layer located?
Stratosphere
16. Define the term transpiration.
Water vapor is released by plants through their leaves
17. What is the source of all energy in our atmosphere?
Sun
18. What happens when Earth receives energy from the sun? (3 things)
1. Some is absorbed by the atmosphere
2. Some is absorbed by land and water on Earth’s surface
3. Some is reflected back into space
19. What percentage of nitrogen is found in Earth’s atmosphere?
78% Nitrogen / 21% Oxygen
20. How are the layers of the atmosphere distinguished?
Altitude, temperature, and composition
21. List the 5 layers of Earth’s atmosphere starting with the layer closest to Earth’s surface. Provide a
short description for each.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Troposphere – contains the weather and most of the mass
Stratosphere – contains the ozone layer
Mesosphere – temperature decreases
Thermosphere – contains the ionosphere
Exosphere – transitional region
22. Why is the ozone layer important?
The stratosphere absorbs much of the UV rays. If there were holes in the ozone
layer we would have larger amounts of people being diagnosed with skin cancer.
*Be able to identify precipitation, evaporation, and condensation – reference water cycle wheel.
Name: ________________________________ Date: ___________ Period: _______ #:_____
23. What would happen to Earth’s concentration of UV rays if the ozone layer disappeared?
There would be a higher concentration of UV rays
24. What is a result of too much exposure to ultraviolet light?
Tan or sunburn
25. What happens to air pressure and temperature as you go higher in the atmosphere?
Air pressure will decrease the higher you go up in the atmosphere
Temperature will decrease the higher you go up in the troposphere
26. Define the 3 methods of energy transfer in the atmosphere.
1. Convection – transfer of heat by the flow of heated material.
2. Radiation – in the form of rays or waves
3. Conduction – molecules bump into one another
27. How is energy transferred?
When molecules collide during conduction
28. How does conduction differ from convection?
Convection is heat transferred from warm, low-pressure air to cooler, highpressure air. Conduction is when molecules bump into one another
*Be able to identify precipitation, evaporation, and condensation – reference water cycle wheel.