Flashcards
ENERGY AND THE CYCLES OF LIFE
Cards in this deck (21)
- 1What is the biosphere?the regions of the surface and atmosphere of the earth or another planet occupied by living organisms.
- 2How does the water cycle work?Water evaporates from oceans and lakes due to heating by the Sun, moves through the atmosphere as invisible water vapor, condenses to from visible clouds, fog and mist, and falls as rain, snow and other form of precipitation. The rain runs across the land into streams and rivers and so does the snow once it melts. Most of the precipitation makes its way back to the oceans and lakes to repeat the cycle again.
- 3What happens to some of the snow that does not melt?It is captured in glaciers or polar icecaps for long periods.
- 4What happens to some of the water that does not make its way back into the ocean and lakes?It seeps underground into aquifers such as artesian basins.
- 5What are the three states water exists in?Liquid ( water ), Solid ( ice ) and Gas ( water vapor )
- 6What is ice's special quality?Ice is less dense than liquid water which means it floats in water.
- 7What would happen if that special quality didn't exist?The ice would sink to the bottom of the ocean after forming on the surface.
- 8What would happen without the insulating layer offered by the ice wasn't there?More and more of the ocean would freeze, and life on Earth would be difficult or impossible for most organisms.
- 9What is one special quality about liquid water?It has a very large heat capacity.
- 10What happens to the water when it cools down?It releases large amounts of energy back into the environment.
- 11Why would steam from the mouth of a boiling kettle burn you more than boiling liquid water?It is because a very large amount of energy is added to the water when it changes from liquid to gas.
- 12What are the processes in the water cycle that include the change of state?1- The evaporation of water from the surface of the ocean
2- The condensation of water vapor clouds
3- The formation of snow and hail in clouds. - 13What do these processes involve?They involve large energy transfer.
- 14Where does energy for all these processes come from?From the Sun.
- 15What absorbs the energy?The Earth's surface and atmosphere.
- 16What is the carbon cycle?It is a natural process of circulation of carbon between the atmosphere and living organisms.
- 17How much carbon dioxide forms a part of the Earth's atmosphere?Only 0.04% of the Earth's atmosphere is carbon dioxide.
- 18What happens when living organisms die?They are decomposed by bacteria and other decomposer organisms.
- 19What are decomposer organisms?Organisms that break down the dead bodies of other organisms
- 20What is nitrogen?It is the most common gas in the air.
- 21How much of the atmosphere does nitrogen make up?About 78%.