AP Environmental Science Unit 4 Quiz

Unit 4: Earth Systems and Resources

• This unit covers Earth systems and resources
• Essential knowledge is adapted from the College Board AP Environmental Science Course and Exam Description.

4.1: Plate Tectonics

• Convergent boundaries form mountains, island arcs, earthquakes, and volcanoes
• Divergent boundaries cause seafloor spreading, rift valleys, volcanoes, and earthquakes
• Transform boundaries result in earthquakes.
• Maps showing plate distributions help locate volcanoes, island arcs, earthquakes, hot spots, and faults.
• Earthquakes happen when stress overcomes a locked fault, releasing stored energy.

4.2: Soil Formation and Erosion

• Soils form when parent material weathers, transports, and deposits
• Soils are categorized by horizons based on their composition and organic material.
• Soils can erode due to wind or water.
• Protecting soils protects water quality because soils effectively filter and clean water.

4.3: Soil Composition and Properties

• Water holding capacity varies with soil types, influencing land productivity and fertility.
• Particle size and composition affect soil porosity.
• Different soil types have various porosities and permeabilities, and different compositions
• Methods exist to test soil's chemical, physical, and biological properties, helpful in irrigation and fertilizer decisions
• A soil texture triangle aids in identifying and comparing soil types based on clay, silt, and sand percentages.

4.4: Earth's Atmosphere

• Earth's atmosphere is comprised of major gases in different proportions.
• Oxygen is 21%, Nitrogen is 78%, and other gases are 1%.
• Atmospheric layers are categorized by temperature gradients: troposphere, stratosphere, mesosphere, thermosphere, and exosphere.

4.5: Global Wind Patterns

• Global winds result from intense solar radiation at the equator, density differences, and the Coriolis effect.
• These patterns are grouped into cells that move warm and cold air around the globe (Hadley, Ferrel, and Polar cells)

4.6: Watersheds

• Watershed characteristics encompass area, length, slope, soil, vegetation types, and divides separating neighboring watersheds.
• Water flowing through watersheds originates from precipitation, snowpack, and groundwater.

4.7: Solar Radiation and Earth's Seasons

• Incoming solar radiation (insolation) serves as a primary energy source for Earth, with seasonality and latitude influencing intensity.
• The angle of the sun's rays directly correlates to solar radiation intensity.
• The tilt of Earth's axis impacts solar radiation received, resulting in seasons and varying daylight hours.
• Solar radiation received at a location varies seasonally. The location receives maximum solar radiation during the longest summer day and minimum solar radiation during the shortest winter day.
• The amount of solar radiation a location receives per unit area is greatest at the equator and decreases towards the poles.

4.8: Earth's Geography and Climate

• Weather and climate are influenced by the sun's energy, geology, geography, and ocean temperatures.
• Elevation plays a significant role in precipitation patterns, creating rain shadows.
• Climate types and regions are determined via geographic factors.

4.9: El Niño and La Niña

• El Niño and La Niña are phenomena linked to changing ocean surface temperatures in the Pacific Ocean.
• These phenomena impact global rainfall, winds, and ocean circulation patterns.
• These phenomena are influenced by geological and geographic factors.