Download Earth Science Final Review

Earth Science Final Review
June 2009
What the test looks like:
• Bring (2) #2 pencils; I will provide rulers,
calculators and any other tools to complete exam
• About 75-85 multiple choice
• Practical application section ~6 stations where
you interpret and/or apply.
• Short answer section
• NO Ipods or leaving the room during exams!
Atmosphere Topics
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Layers of Atmosphere
Composition of Atmosphere
Air Pressure
Air Density
Thermal Profile
Atmospheric Stratophication
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Tropo = Changing or Turning
Closest layer to the surface of the
Earth
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Meso = Middle
Temperature decreases with altitude.
– Top of Mesosphere -90 C
This layer protects Earth from space
debris.
– ‘Shooting stars’ occur here
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Thermo = Heat
Temperature increases with altitude.
1/1000th the density of air at the
surface
No definite end to thermosphere
– Slowly blends with outer space
(exosphere)
Temperature up to 1,800 C.
Layers Animation
Atmospheric
Composition
Nitrogen - 78% -. Living things need it to make
proteins. Nitrogen cannot be used
directly from the air. The Nitrogen Cycle is
nature's way of supplying the needed
nitrogen for living things.
B. Oxygen - 21% - Used by most living things.
Essential for respiration (animals). It is
necessary for combustion or burning.
C. Argon - 0.9% - Used in light bulbs.
D. Carbon Dioxide - 0.03% - Plants use it to
make oxygen. Acts as a blanket and
prevents the escape of heat into outer
space. Evidence suggests that the burning
of fossil fuels such as coal and oil are
adding more carbon dioxide to the
atmosphere.
E. Water Vapor - 0.1 to 4.0% - Essential for life
processes. Also prevents heat loss from
the earth.
F. Trace gases - gases found only in very small
amounts. They include neon, helium,
krypton, and xenon.
Energy Absorption/Deflection
Atmospheric Pressure: Barometer
• All this mass, does it exert
pressure? Absolutely!
• Instrument used to measure
changes in air pressure
– Two Types:
• Mercury
• Aneroid
• Units
– Inches of Mercury
– Millibars
– Psi
• Pounds per Square Inch
weather
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Precipitation
Humidity and FOG
Dew Point and Calculations
Cloud Formation
Forecasting
Fronts
Air Masses
Water Cycle
Acid Rain
Station Models
Hydrologic Cycle
Humidity
• Humidity– Measure of the
amount of water
vapor in the air.
• Relative Humidity– % of water vapor
in air compared
to the maximum
amount the air
could hold.
– Changes with
temperature.
• Warm air can
hold more water
vapor than cold
air.
Dew Point and
Cloud Formation
• Dew Point Temperature– Temperature at which water vapor
forms into water droplets or ice
crystals.
– Clouds form when water
vapor in the air becomes
liquid or ice crystals
(condensation).
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Air Rises
Cools as it rises (6.5 -10
deg/Km)
Condensation Nuclei Present
Water Vapor Condenses onto
nuclei
CLOUDS
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Cumulus Clouds– Fluffy, Cotton Balls
– Low Level Clouds
– Usually indicate fair weather
• Cumulus = Heap or Mass
• Nimbus = Rain
Stratus
– “to spread out”
– Mid Level Clouds
– Usually cover almost all of the sky
• Can thicken and produce rain or
snow (nimbostratus)
Cirrus
– High Level Clouds
– Wispy, “Mares Tails”
– Made of Ice Crystals
Nimbus/Nimbo = Rain
– Cumulonimbus
– Nimbostratus
Alto = high level cloud
– Altostratus
– Altocumulus
Station Models
Isobar (pressure) Mapping
Isotherm (temperature) Mapping
Understanding pressure
systems
Weather Phenomenon
Prior to the Passing of the Front
Contact with the Front
After the Passing of the Front
Temperature
Cool
Warming suddenly
Warmer then leveling off
Atmospheric Pressure
Decreasing steadily
Leveling off
Slight rise followed by a decrease
Winds
Precipitation
South to southeast
Showers, snow, sleet or drizzle
Variable
Light drizzle
South to southwest
None
Clouds
Cirrus, cirrostratus, altostratus, nimbostratus, Stratus, sometimes
and then stratus
cumulonimbus
Clearing with scattered stratus, sometimes
scattered cumulonimbus
Weather Phenomenon
Prior to the Passing of the Front
Contact with the Front
After the Passing of the
Front
Temperature
Warm
Cooling suddenly
Cold and getting colder
Atmospheric Pressure
Decreasing steadily
Leveling off then increasing
Increasing steadily
Winds
South to southeast
Variable and gusty
West to northwest
Precipitation
Showers
Heavy rain or snow, hail
sometimes
Showers then clearing
Clouds
Cirrus and cirrostratus changing
later to cumulus and
cumulonimbus
Cumulus and cumulonimbus
Cumulus
Climate
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Global Warming
Imaginary Continent
Global Wind
Sources of CO2
Carbon Footprint
Global Warming
Global Winds
Imaginary Continent
CO2 and Footprint
Determine your carbon footprint and
compare to other countries
Determine your carbon footprint
specific to pounds of CO2 emitted/year
National Geographic: 6 degrees would change the world
Groundwater and Surface Water
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Weathering and Erosion
Porosity and Permeability
Groundwater
Brownfields
Oceanography
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Currents
Waves
Density
Chemical Composition
Tides
Sources of Water
SONAR
Gyres
Dynamic Earth
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Earth Layers
Continental Drift
Seafloor Spreading
Plate Tectonics
Earthquakes
Volcanism
Plate Boundaries
Geology
• Geologist- one who studies rocks
• Minerals- molecular components that
combine to form rocks
• Rock Cycle
• Types of Rocks