Deck 1: The Earth System

Question 1

Describe a system that you encounter in everyday life that maintains a dynamic equilibrium with negative feedbacks. Make sure you describe in detail examples of perturbations and how the system responds to maintain balance.

Answer 1

One example of a system that maintains a dynamic equilibrium with negative feedbacks in everyday life is the regulation of body temperature in the human body. The hypothalamus in the brain acts as a control center for maintaining a stable internal body temperature around 98.6°F (37°C).

When the body is exposed to external perturbations such as extreme cold or heat, the temperature receptors in the skin and internal organs send signals to the hypothalamus to initiate a response. For example, if the body is exposed to cold temperatures, the blood vessels near the skin surface constrict to reduce heat loss, and the muscles may shiver to generate more heat through metabolic processes. On the other hand, if the body is exposed to high temperatures, the blood vessels near the skin surface dilate to release heat, and sweat glands produce sweat to cool the body through evaporation.

In both cases, the negative feedback mechanism comes into play. If the body temperature drops too low, the hypothalamus signals the muscles to stop shivering and the blood vessels to dilate, allowing more heat to escape and helping to raise the body temperature back to the set point. Conversely, if the body temperature rises too high, the hypothalamus signals the sweat glands to stop producing sweat and the blood vessels to constrict, reducing heat loss and helping to lower the body temperature back to the set point.

This dynamic equilibrium is crucial for maintaining homeostasis in the body, ensuring that the body's metabolic processes can function optimally within a narrow temperature range. The negative feedback loop in the regulation of body temperature allows the body to respond to perturbations and maintain balance, even in changing environmental conditions.

Question 2

Why is the peer-review process essential to the scientific method? What does this tell us about scientific "controversies" and advancing scientific understanding?

Answer 2

The peer-review process is essential to the scientific method because it ensures that research and findings are rigorously evaluated by experts in the field before they are published. This helps to maintain the credibility and reliability of scientific research by identifying any potential flaws or biases in the study design, analysis, or interpretation of results.

This process tells us that scientific controversies are a natural and necessary part of the advancement of scientific understanding. When new research challenges existing theories or findings, it can lead to debate and disagreement within the scientific community. Through peer-review, these controversies can be addressed and resolved by allowing other experts to critically evaluate the evidence and methodology. This ultimately contributes to the refinement and improvement of scientific knowledge and understanding.

In this way, the peer-review process helps to ensure that scientific controversies are not only recognized but also addressed in a systematic and transparent manner, leading to the advancement of scientific knowledge and understanding.

Question 3

__________ is the science that studies the whole planet as a system of innumerable interacting parts and focuses on the changes within and among those parts.

Answer 3

Earth system science

Question 4

__________ is the continuous or repetitive collection of information about a target-Earth, in this case-from a distance.

Question 5

A __________ is any portion of the universe that can be isolated from the rest of the universe for the purpose of observing and measuring changes.

Question 6

The amount of matter (or energy) that is transferred from one reservoir to another, and the rate at which it is transferred, is called a __________ .

Question 7

The nearest thing to an isolated system in the real world is a __________ in which the boundary permits the exchange of energy, but not matter, with the surroundings.

Question 8

A is a simple, convenient graphical representation of a system.

Question 9

When the flux of matter into a reservoir matches the flux out of that reservoir, we say that the reservoir is at __________ .

Question 10

If the flux of some substance into a reservoir is greater than the flux of that substance out of the reservoir, then we refer to the reservoir as a __________ .

Question 11

The average length of time material spends in a reservoir is called its __________ .

Question 12

The place where Earth's four reservoirs interact most intensively is called the __________ its most important characteristic is that it supports life and allows life to exist on this planet.

Question 13

The __________ is the solid Earth, composed principally of rock (by which we mean any naturally formed, nonliving, firm coherent aggregate mass of solid matter that constitutes part of a planet) and regolith (the irregular blanket of loose, uncemented rock particles that covers the solid Earth).

Question 14

The __________ is the totality of Earth's water, including oceans, lakes, streams, underground water, and all the snow and ice.

Question 15

The perennially frozen parts of the hydrosphere are collectively referred to as the __________ .

Question 16

The __________ is the mixture of gases-predominantly nitrogen, oxygen, argon, carbon dioxide, and water vapor-that surrounds Earth.

Question 17

The __________ includes all of Earth's organisms, as well as any organic matter not yet decomposed.

Question 18

A __________ occurs when the output of the system also serves as an input and leads to changes in the state of the system.

Question 19

A system that is self-regulating is said to have the property of homeostasis, which implies a state of __________ , or balance.

Question 20

A __________ cycle describes the movement of any chemical element or chemical compound that cycles through the biosphere and plays a role in its stability, as well as cycling through other Earth reservoirs.

Question 21

Studying a population of animals in isolation of other units is an example of Earth system science.

Question 22

Satellite observations from space are critical to Earth system science.

Question 23

Graphical Information Systems deal only with data from satellites.

Question 24

Systems can only be defined for processes that are happening currently.

Question 25

Models are also smaller representations of the original object.

Question 26

Models of systems can be physical representations of the original object.

Question 27

It is necessary to know the amount of matter within a reservoir to understand if it's in steady state.

Question 28

All matter within a given reservoir must be physically connected within a system.

Question 29

A reservoir that is a sink is not in steady state.

Question 30

Fossil fuels are considered to be sequestered inside the geosphere.

Question 31

The Earth is considered a closed system.

Question 32

Even though the Earth is a closed system, some mineral resources are unlimited.

Question 33

Water vapor is considered to be part of the hydrosphere.

Question 34

The anthroposphere has only existed for about 250 years.

Question 35

The rock cycle is involved with the formation of soil.

Question 36

Biogeochemical cycles always involve the biosphere.

Question 37

There is no place on Earth that humans have not changed.

Question 38

Hypotheses are based on our prior understanding of the natural world and how it works.

Question 39

Scientific laws can never be disproven.

Question 40

Uncertainty implies a lack of scientific knowledge.

Question 41

Which of the following studies falls under the category of Earth system science?

A) A single mountain range
B) An isolated population of animals
C) The atmosphere
D) A lake
E) Studying the rain, rivers and ground-water flow of an island

Question 42

Which of the following studies is not an example of remote sensing?

A) Cloud images from geostationary satellites
B) Infrared images of the ocean's surface from satellites
C) Measuring high-altitude ozone concentrations with a balloon
D) Visible light images from a plane

Question 43

A beaker of water with a clear, closed top is an example of a ___________ system.

A) isolated
B) open
C) closed
D) geographic information

Question 44

A beaker of water with a closed top and made of insulating material is an example of a ___________ system.

A) isolated
B) open
C) closed
D) geographic information

Question 45

A beaker of water with an open top is an example of a ___________ system.

A) closed
B) open
C) isolated
D) geographic information

Question 46

All of the following could be used as flux units when describing a system with a box model:

A) Molecules per day
B) Gigatonnes per year
C) Cubic meteres per second
D) Kilometers per hour
E) Moles per hour

Question 47

The boxes in a box model are

A) sinks
B) reservoirs
C) sources
D) fluxes

Question 48

Residence time is

A) the average length of time material spends in a reservoir
B) the average length of time material spends in transit from one reservoir to another
C) the average length of time material spends within the entire closed system
D) the average length of time material spends only in the lithosphere

Question 49

The situation where materials have a very long residence time in a reservoir is called:

A) isolated
B) sink
C) source
D) sequestration
E) closed

Question 50

Because the Earth is a closed system, which of the following statements is most accurate:

A) The mineral resources on this planet are all we have and-for the foreseeable future-all we will ever have.
B) No energy is entering or leaving the system.
C) If changes are made in one part of a system, the results of those changes eventually will never affect other parts of the system.
D) The Earth is constantly increasing in mass.

Question 51

Which of the following places is not in the life zone of the Earth:

A) In the midst of the Sahara desert
B) The tops of the highest mountains
C) The deepest reaches of the ocean
D) On the frozen glaciers of Antarctica
E) The deep (greater than 10 km) interior of the Earth

Question 52

The ___________ is the solid Earth, composed principally of rock (by which we mean any naturally formed, nonliving, firm coherent aggregate mass of solid matter that constitutes part of a planet) and regolith (the irregular blanket of loose, uncemented rock particles that covers the solid Earth).

A) biosphere
B) geosphere
C) atmosphere
D) hydrosphere
E) cryosphere

Question 53

The ___________ is the totality of Earth's water, including oceans, lakes, streams, underground water, and all the snow and ice.

A) biosphere
B) geosphere
C) hydrosphere
D) atmosphere
E) cryosphere

Question 54

The perennially frozen parts of the hydrosphere are collectively referred to as the ___________.

A) biosphere
B) hydrosphere
C) geosphere
D) cryosphere
E) atmosphere

Question 55

The ___________ is the mixture of gases-predominantly nitrogen, oxygen, argon, carbon dioxide, and water vapor-that surrounds Earth.

A) biosphere
B) cryosphere
C) hydrosphere
D) geosphere
E) atmosphere

Question 56

The ___________ includes all of Earth's organisms, as well as any organic matter not yet decomposed.

A) biosphere
B) cryosphere
C) hydrosphere
D) geosphere
E) atmosphere

Question 57

Which gas has a much lower concentration on Earth compared to Mars and Venus due to the process of photosynthesis?

A) oxygen
B) nitrogen
C) carbon dioxide
D) water vapor
E) argon

Question 58

Which gas in the Earth's atmosphere is a product of life?

A) water vapor
B) nitrogen
C) oxygen
D) carbon dioxide
E) argon

Question 59

Which of the following is an example of a positive feedback?

A) an unpaid credit card balance that accrues interest
B) the heating/cooling system of a house
C) the human body cooling by sweating
D) the level of a lake filled by rain and drained by a stream

Question 60

Which of the following statements best characterizes Earth systems?

A) Earth systems tend toward self-regulation and a state of equilibrium.
B) Earth systems are most often governed by positive feedbacks.
C) Earth systems maintain a state of perfect equilibrium, even on local scales.
D) Earth systems are always open systems.

Question 61

In the hydrological cycle, water moving from the surfaces of land, water, and plants back to the atmosphere is:

A) respiration
B) precipitation
C) surface runoff
D) evaporation

Question 62

In the hydrological cycle, water coalescing into channels and runs off the land surface toward the oceans is:

A) evaporation
B) surface runoff
C) precipitation
D) respiration

Question 63

In the hydrological cycle, water moving from the atmospheric reservoir to the land or ocean is:

A) respiration
B) surface runoff
C) evaporation
D) precipitation

Question 64

Why is the energy cycle different from many other Earth cycles?

A) It describes the movement of energy through the system, rather than the movement of materials.
B) It tends toward self-regulation and a state of equilibrium.
C) It is can be separated in many subsystems.
D) It can be represented by a box model.

Question 65

The processes of weathering, erosion, transport, deposition, metamorphism, melting, crystallization, volcanism, and uplift of mountains are part of which cycle?

A) energy cycle
B) rock cycle
C) hydrologic cycle
D) carbon cycle
E) nitrogen cycle

Question 66

Which of the following are all biogeochemical cycles?

A) Nitrogen, oxygen, rock
B) Carbon, nitrogen, rock
C) Carbon, oxygen, rock
D) Carbon, nitrogen, oxygen

Question 67

Which of the following is the most common cause of human influence on biogeochemical cycles?

A) dumping of waste in landfills
B) atmospheric emissions of pollution
C) Building bridges over rivers
D) Drilling for oil in Alaska

Question 68

In the carbon cycle, carbon moving from the atmosphere to the biosphere is called:

A) evaporation
B) respiration
C) fossil fuel combustion
D) photosynthesis

Question 69

In the carbon cycle, carbon moving from the biosphere to the atmosphere is called:

A) photosynthesis
B) respiration
C) fossil fuel combustion
D) evaporation

Question 70

The term that describes the changes produced in the Earth system as a result of human activities is:

A) negative feedback
B) positive feedback
C) global change
D) equilibrium
E) open system

Question 71

Which of the following is an example of the complete scientific method?

A) Using satellites to map city lights at night
B) Considering past temperature patterns on the Earth and stating the Sun is causing the changes without testing further predictions.
C) Observing that volcanic eruptions are associated with cooler global temperatures.
D) Using knowledge of chemistry to predict the ozone hole, and then making measurements that agree with these predictions.

Question 72

Which of the following methods would not be useful for testing a hypothesis?

A) analyzing the same data used to formulate the hypothesis
B) controlled experiments in a laboratory
C) further observations and measurements
D) development of a mathematical model

Question 73

Which of the following is the correct order of the sequence?

A) law, hypothesis, theory
B) hypothesis, law, theory
C) theory, law, hypothesis
D) law, theory, hypothesis
E) hypothesis, theory, law

Question 74

Peer review is important in which steps of the scientific method

A) Gathering data
B) All steps
C) Formulating a hypothesis
D) Testing the hypothesis
E) Formulating a theory

Question 75

If there are uncertainties in aspects of an Earth system, which of the following statements is most true?

A) The scientific method is not helpful for making any policy decisions.
B) This implies a lack of knowledge, and no conclusions can be drawn from what is known about the system.
C) Policy makers should not accept the findings of scientists until they are absolutely certain about their predictions.
D) It is normal for uncertainty to exist in our knowledge of a highly complex and changing system.