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Questions and Answers
What is the result of the Coriolis Effect on moving air and fluids in the Northern Hemisphere?
Which of the following best describes the difference between weather and climate?
What type of plate boundary occurs when two plates collide?
What type of plate interaction causes the formation of the Himalayas?
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What is the primary cause of tsunamis?
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Which cycle is primarily responsible for the transformation and movement of nitrogen necessary for proteins and nucleic acids?
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Which greenhouse gases are included in the content of the atmosphere?
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What is the primary source of energy that fuels the Earth’s processes?
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Which of the following is not considered a major biogeochemical cycle?
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What effect does nitrogen pollution typically have on natural environments?
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What major environmental limit is indicated by the concentration of CO2 in the atmosphere?
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Which layer of the atmosphere is known for containing the ozone layer that absorbs UV radiation?
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What percentage of the Earth's atmosphere is comprised of oxygen?
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Study Notes
Biogeochemical Cycling
- Involves biological, geological, and chemical interactions.
- Five major cycles: Carbon, Nitrogen, Phosphorus, Sulfur, and Water (hydrologic).
Carbon Cycle
- Global circulation of carbon between living and non-living environments.
- Major processes include:
- Photosynthesis
- Carbon dioxide dissolving into the ocean
- Respiration
- Soil processes
- Combustion of fossil fuels
Nitrogen Cycle
- Nitrogen is essential for proteins and nucleic acids (DNA).
- The atmosphere is 78% nitrogen gas (N2), but most organisms cannot use this form.
- Five steps in the nitrogen cycle, each requiring bacteria for transformation.
- Nitrogen pollution in natural environments can lead to eutrophication (over-fertilization).
Planetary Boundaries
- Environmental limits within which humanity can operate safely.
- Key boundaries include:
- Climate change (CO2 concentration and Earth's energy balance)
- Atmosphere aerosol loading (air pollution)
- Stratospheric ozone depletion
- Change in biosphere integrity (loss of biodiversity and extinction rates)
- Land-system change (deforestation)
- Ocean acidification
- Freshwater use
- Biogeochemical flows (phosphorus and nitrogen outflow from fertilizers)
- Introduction of novel entities (synthetic chemicals like plastics)
Hydrologic Cycle
- Over 71% of the Earth's surface is covered by water.
- Oceans contain 97% of the Earth's water.
- Water distribution is dynamic, driven by heat, evaporation, cloud formation, and precipitation.
Solar Radiation
- Fuels are derived from captured solar energy.
- Albedo refers to the reflection of solar energy off Earth's surface.
- Dark surfaces have low albedo (e.g., forests and oceans).
- Light surfaces have high albedo (e.g., ice caps).
Atmosphere
- Composition:
- 21% Oxygen
- 78% Nitrogen
- 1% Argon, Carbon dioxide, Neon, and Helium
- Greenhouse gases: CFCs, CO2, CH4
- Interaction between the atmosphere and solar energy influences weather and climate.
Atmosphere Layers
-
Troposphere (0-12 km)
- Where weather occurs
- Temperature decreases with altitude
-
Stratosphere (12-50 km)
- Temperature increases with altitude (very stable)
- Ozone layer absorbs UV radiation
- Where jets fly
- Mesosphere (50-80 km)
- Thermosphere (80-500 km)
- Exosphere (500 km and up)
Coriolis Effect
- The influence of Earth's rotation on the movement of air and fluids.
- Deflects movement to the right in the Northern Hemisphere and to the left in the Southern Hemisphere.
Global Ocean
- Prevailing winds drive ocean currents and create gyres.
- The Ocean Conveyor Belt affects regional and potentially global climate.
Weather and Climate
- Weather: The atmospheric conditions at a given place and time.
- Climate: The average weather conditions over a period of years.
- Two most important factors: temperature and precipitation.
Internal Planetary Processes
- Plate tectonics: The study of how lithospheric plates move over the asthenosphere.
-
Plate boundaries: Where two plates meet.
- Divergent: Plates move apart.
- Convergent: Plates collide.
- Transform: Plates move horizontally, opposite but in parallel.
-
Convergent Plates: Three possible combinations:
- Oceanic crust vs. oceanic crust: Subduction of one plate (e.g., Japanese Islands)
- Oceanic crust vs. continental crust (e.g., Taiwan)
- Continental crust vs. continental crust (e.g., Himalayas)
Earthquakes
- Caused by the release of accumulated energy as rocks in the lithosphere shift or break.
- Occur along faults.
- Energy is released as seismic waves.
- Measured on the Richter scale.
- Side effects include landslides and tsunamis.
Tsunami
- Giant underwater wave caused by an earthquake, volcanic eruption, or landslide.
- Travels at speeds exceeding 800 km/h.
Volcanoes
- Magma pushing through the Earth's crust reaching the surface becomes lava.
- Occur at:
- Subduction zones (e.g., Indonesia)
- Spreading plates (e.g., Atlantic Rift)
- Above hotspots (e.g., Hawaii)
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Description
This quiz covers the essential concepts of biogeochemical cycling, examining the interactions between biological, geological, and chemical processes. It highlights the major cycles, including carbon and nitrogen, and their impact on the environment. Additionally, you'll explore the implications of planetary boundaries on ecological safety.
