Earth Systems Science: Spring Exam Review

Day 1: Topography, Plate Tectonics, and Weathering

Landforms

• Point A (Mountain Peak/Hill) and Point B (Depression/Valley) identification on a topographic map.

Coastal Changes

• Dubai's coast modified through artificial islands affecting coastal erosion and marine ecosystems.

Tectonic Plate Boundaries

• Divergent: Plates move apart.
  • Volcanoes: Yes
  • Trenches: No
  • New Ocean Floor: Yes
• Convergent: Plates collide.
  • Volcanoes: Yes
  • Trenches: Yes
  • New Ocean Floor: No
• Transform: Plates slide past each other.
  • Volcanoes: No
  • Trenches: No
  • New Ocean Floor: No

Weathering and Erosion

• Leaching: Chemical weathering dissolving soluble substances, leading to caves and sinkholes.
• River Erosion: Rivers create canyons/valleys through water flow, erosion, deposition, and mass wasting.

Sand Dunes

• Formed by wind transporting and depositing sand in areas with minimal vegetation.

Glaciers

• Transport boulders, scraping the Earth’s surface and affecting the lithosphere.

Day 2: Climate Effects and Oceanography

Mitigation

• Definition: Making something less severe.
• Water Usage Mitigation in Farming: Drip irrigation, soil health improvement, irrigation scheduling, crop selection, water harvesting.

Freshwater Ecosystems

• Mining: Causes water depletion, pollution, disrupts water cycle.
• Agriculture: Overuse from irrigation, fertilizer runoff.
• Urban Development: Reduces groundwater recharge, increases flood risk.

Ocean and Atmosphere

• Thermocline: Rapid temperature change; found in mid-latitude oceans/lakes.
• Halocline: Rapid salinity change; where freshwater meets saltwater.

Polar Ice Caps

• Sea Level: Rising due to melting freshwater.
• Reflectivity: Reduced ice, more sunlight warming Earth.
• Greenhouse Gases: Releasing trapped methane.

Coriolis Effect

• Winds/ocean currents deflected by Earth's rotation.
• Influences three-cell model climates (Hadley, Ferrell, Polar).

Ocean Circulation

• Water density affects global conveyor belt, with cold water sinking and warm water rising.

Climate Mechanisms and Feedback Loops

• Mechanisms: Processes causing climate change.
• Albedo: Reflectivity influencing Earth’s temperature.
• Upwelling: Nutrient-rich water rises, supporting ecosystems.
• Feedback Loops:
  • Positive: Methane release from melting glaciers.
  • Negative: Cloud formation reflecting sunlight.

Greenhouse Effect

• Heat retention in Earth’s atmosphere via greenhouse gases.

Ozone Layer

• Formation: Ozone molecules form in the stratosphere.
• Benefits: Protects biosphere from UV radiation.
• Destruction: By chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs).

Urbanization

• Creates urban heat islands.
• Contributes to increased flooding due to impermeable surfaces.

Day 3: Earth Systems and Heat Transfer

Earth’s Spheres in Natural Phenomena

• Biosphere: Organic matter in erosion and volcanic soil.
• Hydrosphere: Water’s role in erosion, cloud formation.
• Geosphere: Sediment and volcanic activity.
• Atmosphere: Gas exchanges and weather patterns.

Climate Records

• Oxygen Isotopes: Changes in ice cores indicate past climates.
• Sediment Cores: Indicate Earth’s history/microbiology.

Heat Transfer

• Methods: Conduction, convection, radiation.
• Hydrosphere and Atmosphere: Heat transfer influences weather.

El Niño and La Niña

• El Niño: Warm ocean temperatures, increased rainfall.
• La Niña: Cool temperatures, drier conditions.

Milankovitch Cycles

• Eccentricity: Earth’s orbital shape over 100,000 years.
• Axial Tilt: Changes in Earth's tilt over 41,000 years.
• Precession: Earth’s wobble over 25,000 years.

Ocean Temperature Effects

• Sea Levels: Rise due to thermal expansion.
• Storm Severity: Warmer water fuels hurricanes.
• Algal Growth: Increased growth affecting ecosystems.

Vocabulary

Unit 1: Formation and Composition of the Earth

• Atmosphere, Biosphere, Geosphere, Hydrosphere: Definitions of Earth's layers.
• Comets, Meteorites, Asteroids: Definitions and characteristics.

Unit 2: Paleontology

• Sedimentation, Fossilization, Stratigraphy: Definitions and significance.
• Geologic Time Scale, Dating Methods: Concepts of absolute and relative dating.

Unit 3: Plate Tectonics

• Plate Boundaries, Subduction, Volcano Types: Definitions and effects.

Unit 4: Water

• Mass Wasting, Erosion, Weathering: Processes and impacts.
• Coriolis Effect: Deflection of currents due to Earth’s rotation.

Unit 5: Weather & Climate

• Weather vs. Climate: Short vs. long-term atmospheric conditions.
• Greenhouse Gases, Albedo, ENSO: Definitions and their roles in climate.

Unit 6: Human Impact

• Climate Change, Carbon Cycle, Renewable Resources: Definitions and human influences.

Other Relevant Words

• Phenomenon, Kinetic Energy, Anthropogenic: Definitions and context.

This review serves as a comprehensive study guide for understanding various earth science topics in preparation for the exam.