Download Environmental Changes Test Review Key

Name: __________________________________Date: _____________________________ Period: ____
Environmental Changes Test Review Key
Define the following vocabulary terms below.
Review your notes (44-47), labs and worksheets for this unit as well. 
o
Weathering- breaking down of rock, soil, and minerals through contact with the earth
o
Erosion- a type of weathering in which surface soil and rock are worn away by wind, water, and
glaciers
o
Deposition- soil, rock, or sediments are added to a land form or land mass
o
Condensation- water vapor collects in clouds. As clouds cool the water vapor condenses into
water drops
o
Precipitation- water falls to the earth from clouds- mainly as rain, but sometimes as snow, sleet, or
hail
o
Transpiration- process by which plants lose water out of their leaves; gives evaporation a bit of a
hand in getting the water vapor back up into the air
o
Evaporation- process where heat energy from the sun causes water in puddles, streams,
rivers, seas, or lakes to change from a liquid to a water vapor
o
Watershed- an area of land from which all runoff drains or "sheds" to the same river, lake, or
other body of water
o
Water Table- underground depth at which point the ground is totally saturated with water
o
Ground Water- flows underground as springs or underground rivers, stored in an aquifer
o
Surface Water- water on the surface of the Earth
o
Runoff- water travels downhill and enters into rivers and lakes
o
Aquifer- a body of saturated rock or sediment through which water can move easily
Name: __________________________________Date: _____________________________ Period: ____
o
Succession- series of predictable changes that occur in a community over time
o
Primary Succession- begins in area WITHOUT soil, usually after a natural disaster such as
volcanoes, landslides and flooding. Begins with a pioneer species, that doesn’t need soil, like
lichen. Review steps in notes.
o
Secondary Succession- shorter succession (skips step 1), begins in an area WITH soil (remember SS); typically after a forest fire or harvest
o
Pioneer species- first organism to live in a new ecosystem; starts succession
o
Climax community- a stable group or plants and animals that is the END result of succession
process; high levels of biodiversity exist and it is undisturbed by humans
o
Biodiversity- high level of variety among organisms
o
Eutrophication- process of body of water becoming rich in nutrients
Complete the table for each energy source listed. List at least two pros and cons for each energy source.
ENERGY
SOURCE
RENEWABLE
OR
NONRENEWABLE?
PROS
CONS
Petroleum/Oil
NONRENEWABLE
•
•
•
Considered to be highly
efficient
Widely used
Delivery system already exists
*SAME FOR ALL FOSSIL FUELS*
•
•
•
Non-renewable
Emits pollutants into the
air when burned
Explosive and potentially
dangerous
*SAME FOR ALL FOSSIL FUELS*
Natural Gas
NONRENEWABLE
Coal
NONRENEWABLE
Nuclear
NONRENEWABLE
•
•
Low greenhouse gas levels
Large power-generating
capacity
•
•
•
•
Non-renewable
High construction cost
High risks in an accident
Not easy or safe to ship
Name: __________________________________Date: _____________________________ Period: ____
Solar
Wind
RENEWABLE
& INEXHAUSTIBLE
RENEWABLE
& INEXHAUSTIBLE
•
Very little air pollution because
it is not burned
•
•
•
Renewable
Non-polluting
Low maintenance
•
•
•
Intermittent
Expensive
Produce low grade
energy
•
•
•
Clean Energy
Renewable
Power essentially free once
infrastructure is paid for
•
•
Inconsistent
Wind from turbines and
land needed make them
only good in rural areas
Wildlife fatalities
•
Water
(Hydroelectric)
RENEWABLE
& INEXHAUSTIBLE
•
•
•
Little to no pollution
Renewable
Little cost after building dam
•
•
•
Building the power
station is VERY expensive
Flooding disrupts the
ecosystem
Dams prevent fish from
swimming upstream

What is the order of the natural processes that change the earth’s surface?
Weathering Erosion Deposition

Understand how humans impact the world around us- including the watersheds and ecosystems (you can
find this information in Anthropogenic Changes Notes)

List the 3 R’s of conservation (and understand their importance!)- Reduce, Reuse and Recycle