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

• Layers of Atmosphere• Composition of Atmosphere• Air Pressure• Air Density• Thermal Profile

Atmospheric Stratophication• Tropo = Changing or Turning• Closest layer to the surface of the

Earth

• Meso = Middle• Temperature decreases with altitude.

– Top of Mesosphere -90 C• This layer protects Earth from space

debris.– ‘Shooting stars’ occur here

• 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

• 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).

1. Air Rises2. Cools as it rises (6.5 -10

deg/Km)3. Condensation Nuclei Present4. Water Vapor Condenses onto

nuclei

CLOUDS• 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 decreaseWinds South to southeast Variable South to southwestPrecipitation Showers, snow, sleet or drizzle Light drizzle None

Clouds Cirrus, cirrostratus, altostratus, nimbostratus, and then stratus

Stratus, sometimes 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

CloudsCirrus and cirrostratus changing later to cumulus and cumulonimbus

Cumulus and cumulonimbus Cumulus

Climate

• Global Warming• Imaginary Continent• Global Wind• Sources of CO2• Carbon Footprint

Global Warming

Global Winds

Imaginary Continent

CO2 and Footprint

Determine your carbon footprint specific to pounds of CO2 emitted/year

Determine your carbon footprint and compare to other countries

National Geographic: 6 degrees would change the world

Groundwater and Surface Water

• Weathering and Erosion• Porosity and Permeability• Groundwater• Brownfields

Oceanography

• Currents• Waves• Density• Chemical Composition• Tides• Sources of Water• SONAR• Gyres

Dynamic Earth

• 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