Earth Systems and Resources
Grace Taylor
9 min read
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Study Guide Overview
This study guide covers Earth's systems and resources, focusing on tectonic plates, soil formation and erosion, the atmosphere's layers and human impacts, solar radiation and seasons, Earth's geography and climate (including rain shadows), and El Niño and La Niña weather patterns. Key terms include convergent, divergent, and transform faults, soil horizons, ozone layer, greenhouse gases, and the difference between climate and weather.
#AP Environmental Science: Earth Systems & Resources - The Night Before 🚀
Hey there, future environmental champion! Feeling the pre-exam jitters? Don't sweat it! This guide is designed to be your ultimate last-minute resource, packed with everything you need to ace the Earth Systems and Resources section of the AP Environmental Science exam. Let's get started!
#🌍 Big Ideas: Earth's Systems and Resources
This unit is all about understanding how Earth's systems work together and how we interact with them. Think of it like a giant, interconnected puzzle 🧩. We'll be diving into:
- Tectonic Plates: How the Earth's crust moves and shapes our world.
- Soil: The foundation of terrestrial life.
- Atmosphere: The layers of gases that protect and sustain us.
- Climate & Geography: How solar radiation and landforms influence weather and climate.
- El Niño & La Niña: The Pacific Ocean's impact on global weather patterns.
Let's break it down, shall we?
#🌋 Plate Tectonics
- The Earth's crust is divided into plates that move due to the molten core.
- Where plates meet are called faults.
Image: Tectonic plates of the world
#Types of Faults:
- Convergent Faults: Plates collide 💥. Think mountains, earthquakes, and volcanoes.
- Divergent Faults: Plates move apart ↔️. Think seafloor spreading, earthquakes, and volcanoes.
- Transform Faults: Plates slide past each other ➡️⬅️. Think earthquakes.
Convergent = Coming together Divergent = Drifting apart Transform = Translating (sliding)
Understanding these faults helps us predict where earthquakes and volcanoes are likely to occur.
Practice Question
Which type of plate boundary is most likely to form a mountain range?
A) Transform B) Divergent C) Convergent D) All of the above
Answer: C
Seafloor spreading is a characteristic of which type of plate boundary?
A) Transform B) Divergent C) Convergent D) Both A and C
Answer: B
Describe the three main types of plate boundaries. For each type, explain the geological features that are commonly associated with it and provide an example of a real-world location where that type of boundary can be found.
Scoring Breakdown: 1 point for correctly identifying and describing convergent boundaries (e.g., plates colliding, mountain formation, volcanoes). 1 point for providing a real-world example of a convergent boundary (e.g., the Himalayas). 1 point for correctly identifying and describing divergent boundaries (e.g., plates moving apart, seafloor spreading, rift valleys). 1 point for providing a real-world example of a divergent boundary (e.g., the Mid-Atlantic Ridge). 1 point for correctly identifying and describing transform boundaries (e.g., plates sliding past each other, earthquakes). 1 point for providing a real-world example of a transform boundary (e.g., the San Andreas Fault).
#🌱 Soil Formation and Erosion
Soil is formed through weathering, erosion, deposition, and decomposition.
Image: Soil horizons
#Key Processes:
- Weathering: Breaking down rocks into smaller pieces by wind, water, or biological actions.
- Erosion: Moving those broken pieces from one place to another (often by water).
- Deposition: Dropping the eroded material in a new location.
- Decomposition: Adding organic matter (dead plants and animals) to the soil.
WED = Weathering, Erosion, Deposition
#Soil Horizons (Layers):
- O Horizon: Organic matter (the top layer).
- A Horizon: Topsoil (nutrient-rich).
- B Horizon: Subsoil.
- C Horizon: Weathered bedrock.
- R Horizon: Bedrock (the base).
Don't confuse weathering and erosion! Weathering breaks it down, erosion moves it.
Human activities, like large-scale farming, have dramatically increased soil erosion rates.
Practice Question
Which soil horizon is known for its high concentration of organic matter?
A) A horizon B) B horizon C) O horizon D) C horizon
Answer: C
Which of the following is the process by which rocks are broken down into smaller pieces?
A) Erosion B) Deposition C) Weathering D) Decomposition
Answer: C
Describe the process of soil formation, including the roles of weathering, erosion, deposition, and decomposition. Explain how human activities, such as agriculture, can impact this process and lead to soil degradation.
Scoring Breakdown: 1 point for describing the role of weathering in breaking down rocks. 1 point for describing the role of erosion in transporting soil particles. 1 point for describing the role of deposition in accumulating soil material. 1 point for describing the role of decomposition in adding organic matter to the soil. 1 point for explaining how agriculture can lead to soil erosion through practices like plowing and deforestation. 1 point for explaining how agriculture can lead to soil degradation through nutrient depletion.
#💨 Earth's Atmosphere
Understanding the layers of the atmosphere and human impacts is crucial for the exam.
Image: Layers of the atmosphere
#Layers of the Atmosphere (from outer to inner):
- Exosphere
- Thermosphere
- Mesosphere
- Stratosphere (contains the ozone layer)
- Troposphere (where greenhouse gases are located)
#Human Impacts:
- Stratosphere: CFCs have depleted the ozone layer, leading to increased UV radiation.
- Troposphere: Burning fossil fuels has increased greenhouse gases, causing global warming.
Troposphere = Terrestrial life and Trouble (greenhouse gases) Stratosphere = Shield (ozone layer)
CFCs are bad for the ozone, greenhouse gases are bad for the climate.
Practice Question
Which layer of the atmosphere contains the ozone layer?
A) Troposphere B) Mesosphere C) Stratosphere D) Thermosphere
Answer: C
Which of the following is a major contributor to the depletion of the ozone layer?
A) Carbon dioxide B) Methane C) Chlorofluorocarbons D) Water vapor
Answer: C
Describe the structure of Earth's atmosphere, including the major layers and their characteristics. Explain how human activities have impacted both the stratosphere and the troposphere, and discuss the consequences of these impacts.
Scoring Breakdown: 1 point for correctly identifying and describing the layers of the atmosphere (e.g., troposphere, stratosphere, mesosphere, thermosphere, exosphere). 1 point for describing the role of the ozone layer in the stratosphere. 1 point for explaining how CFCs have depleted the ozone layer. 1 point for explaining how the burning of fossil fuels has increased greenhouse gases in the troposphere. 1 point for discussing the consequences of ozone depletion (e.g., increased UV radiation, skin cancer). 1 point for discussing the consequences of increased greenhouse gases (e.g., global warming, climate change).
#☀️ Solar Radiation and Earth's Seasons
Solar radiation is unevenly distributed due to seasons and latitude.
Image: Earth's tilt and seasons
- Latitude: Distance from the equator. Closer to the equator = more direct sunlight = warmer.
- Seasons: Caused by Earth's tilt on its axis. The hemisphere tilted towards the sun experiences summer.
Remember that the tilt of the Earth is what causes seasons, not the distance from the sun.
#🗺️ Earth's Geography and Climate
Climate is long-term trends, while weather is short-term conditions.
- Climate: Long-term patterns (30+ years of averages).
- Weather: Short-term events (like "It's raining today").
#Rain Shadows:
- Mountains block precipitation, creating dry regions (deserts) on the leeward side.
Don't mix up weather and climate! Climate is the long-term average, weather is what's happening right now.
#🌊 El Niño and La Niña
El Niño and La Niña are important climate patterns that affect global weather.
- El Niño: Warmer-than-normal surface waters in the tropical Pacific Ocean.
- La Niña: Cooler-than-normal surface waters in the tropical Pacific Ocean.
These patterns impact global weather, causing floods in some areas and droughts in others.
El Niño = Elevated temperatures La Niña = Lack of heat
Practice Question
Which of the following best describes the climate pattern known as El Niño?
A) Cooler-than-normal surface waters in the Pacific Ocean B) Warmer-than-normal surface waters in the Pacific Ocean C) Increased rainfall in all regions of the world D) Decreased rainfall in all regions of the world
Answer: B
What causes the seasons on Earth?
A) The distance of the Earth from the Sun B) The tilt of the Earth's axis C) The rotation of the Earth on its axis D) The shape of the Earth's orbit
Answer: B
Explain the difference between El Niño and La Niña, including their effects on global weather patterns. Additionally, discuss how geographic features, such as mountains, can influence local climate through the formation of rain shadows.
Scoring Breakdown: 1 point for correctly describing El Niño as a period of warmer-than-normal surface waters in the Pacific Ocean. 1 point for correctly describing La Niña as a period of cooler-than-normal surface waters in the Pacific Ocean. 1 point for explaining how El Niño can lead to increased rainfall in some regions and drought in others. 1 point for explaining how La Niña can lead to different weather patterns compared to El Niño, such as increased hurricane activity in the Atlantic. 1 point for explaining how mountains create rain shadows by blocking precipitation on their leeward side. 1 point for discussing how the rain shadow effect leads to drier conditions on one side of the mountain range.
#🎯 Final Exam Focus
#High-Priority Topics:
- Plate Tectonics: Types of faults and their effects.
- Soil: Formation, horizons, and human impacts.
- Atmosphere: Layers, ozone depletion, greenhouse gases.
- Climate vs. Weather: The difference and factors influencing them.
- El Niño & La Niña: Their effects on global weather.
#Common Question Types:
- Multiple-choice questions testing your understanding of key terms and processes.
- Free-response questions requiring you to explain concepts and analyze relationships between different systems.
#Last-Minute Tips:
- Time Management: Don't spend too long on one question. Move on and come back if you have time.
- Read Carefully: Pay close attention to the wording of questions.
- Use Diagrams: Draw diagrams to help you visualize concepts in FRQs.
- Stay Calm: You've got this! Take deep breaths and trust your preparation.
You're ready to rock this exam! Go get 'em! 💪
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