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Name Class Date Earth’s Environmental Systems—pp 62-96Before you read the chapter, answer each question with information you know. Afteryou complete the chapter, re-answer the questions using information you learned.How Do the Nonliving Parts of Earth’sSystems Provide the Basic Materials to Support Life?What I LearnedWhat I Know3.1 What propertiesof matter are mostimportant to environ-mental systems?3.2 What types ofsystems play rolesin environmentalscience?3.3 What are thecharacteristics ofEarth’s geosphere,biosphere, atmo-sphere, and hydro-sphere?3.4 How do nutri-ents cycle throughthe environment?BIOGEOCHEMICAL CYCLES—QUIZLET VOCABULARYbiogeochemical cycles: cycles by which nutirents circulate through an ecosystem using biotic and abiotic componentscarbon cycle: the circulation and reutilization of carbon atoms especially via the process of photosynthesis and respirationcellular respiration: the process by which cells produce energy from carbohydrates; atmospheric oxygen combines with glucose to form water and carbon dioxidecondensation: the process by which molecules of water vapor in the air become liquid waterconsumers: organisms, mainly animals, that must eat other organisms to obtain nutrientsde-nitrifying bacteria: the process in the soil when "fixed" nitrogen turns back into free nitrogen and get released back into the airdecomposers: organisms, such as bacteria and fungi, that break down wastes and dead organismsemissions: pollutants/greenhouse gases that are released into the atmosphere by burning of fossil fuelseutrophication: addition of phosphorus to bodies of water in the amount that can lead to the overgrowth of producers, usually algaeevaporation: the process by which water changes from liquid form to an atmospheric gasgroundwater: water that fills the cracks and spaces in underground soil and rock layerslaw of conservation of matter: matter may be transformed from one type to another, but it cannot be created or destroyednitrogen cycle: the circulation and reutilization of nitrogen in both inorganic and organic phasesnitrogen fixing bacteria: bacteria that lives in roots of legumes and convert atmosphere nitrogen into ammonianutrients: matter that organisms require for their life processesphosphorus cycle: The movement of phosphorus atoms from rocks through the biosphere and hydrosphere and back to rocksphotosynthesis: process by which plants use the sun's energy to convert water and carbon dioxide into sugarsprecipitation: the falling to earth of any form of water (rain or snow or hail or sleet or mist)primary producers: organisms, including plants and algae, that produce their own foodrespiration: a breathing process in which plants and animals consume oxygen and release carbon dioxiderun-Off: water that flows over the ground surface rather than soaking into the groundtranspiration: the emission of water vapor from the leaves of plantswater cycle (hydrologic cycle): the continuous cycle of the transfer of water through an ecosystem, which involves evaporation, transpiration, condensation, and precipitationThe Changing Size of the Dead ZoneThe hypoxic zone, or area of low oxygen, inthe Gulf of Mexico varies in size from year toyear. The National Oceanic and AtmosphericAdministration (NOAA) supports researchthat measures and monitors the size of thedead zone in the Gulf of Mexico annually.The graph below shows the results of suchresearch. This data help scientists determinewhich factors cause the dead zone to grow orshrink.Most analyses show that the biggest factorin the size of the dead zone is the amount ofnitrogen and other nutrients that reaches theGulf from the Mississippi River watershedeach spring. The U.S. Geological Survey(USGS) measures the amount of nitrogenthat reaches the Gulf each year and correlatesthat amount with the size of the dead zone.Its scientists have found that when theamount of nitrogen increases, the size ofthe dead zone increases. Currently there areseveral plans to reduce the size of the deadzone to an acceptable level, indicated by theAction Plan Goal line on the graph.Although the dead zone is fueled bynitrogen runoff, scientists know that short-term weather patterns can also have aneffect on the size of the hypoxic region.For example, when the region experiencesperiods of extreme weather, the heavy windsand wave activity cause more oxygen toinfuse into the waters—counteracting theeffects of nitrogen runoff and slowing thegrowth of the dead zone. Scientists feel itis important to track and account for theseshort-term effects, in the model they aredeveloping to study the dead zone as well.This way, they will be able to establish a linkbetween fertilizer runoff and size of the deadzone without having the data skewed due toweather effects. Establishing a good modelwith all the data available can help achievethe goals needed to reach acceptable levels.With the dead zone reduced in size, the Gulfof Mexico can then be restored for fishingand recreation.Name Class Date Use the information from The Changing Size of the Dead Zone to answer the questionsbelow.1.According to the bar graph, when did scientists begin taking measurements of the dead zone?2.What is the largest area that the dead zone has covered? In which year did it occur?3.Why is it useful to represent this information in a bar graph?4.What is the acceptable size of the dead zone area according to the Action Plan Goal?5.What information from the USGS has been used to determine the factors that affect thesize of the dead zone? What information was learned?6.Does the existence of a dead zone in the Gulf of Mexico change what youthink about the Big Question: “How do the nonliving parts of Earth’s systems provide thebasic materials to support life?”Find out more about the changing size of the dead zone. Work in small groups and use theInternet and other resources to research plans to reduce the size of the dead zone in the Gulfof Mexico. Think about the plans you investigate and determine which one or ones are mostlikely to work. Present your findings to the class.The 21st Century Skills used in this activity include Critical Thinking and Problem Solving,Communication and Collaboration, and Information Literacy.Log on for more information and activities on the CentralCase, The Gulf of Mexico’s Dead Zone.3.2 Systems in Environmental Science—PP 72-75Key ConceptsAn output of one of Earth’s systems is often also an input to that or another system.Earth’s geosphere, biosphere, atmosphere, and hydrosphere are defined according totheir functions in Earth’s systems.Reading StrategyAs you read the lesson, complete each statement by writing in the correct word or words.1.A is a network of parts, elements, or components that interactwith and influence one another.2.Systems receive and process of energy, matter, or information, andproduce of energy, matter, or information.3.Systems do not have well-defined , which makes it difficult todecide where one system ends and another begins.4.Systems may exchange energy, , and/or information with othersystems.5.Inputs into Earth’s systems can include both energy andgeothermal energy.6.An event that is both a cause and an effect is a cyclical process known as a, and can be either positive or negative.7.A predator-prey relationship in which the two populations rise and fall in response to eachother is an example of a feedback loop.8. feedback loops enhance stability by canceling an action once itreaches an extreme.9.Erosion is an example of a feedback loop.10.Positive feedback loops are relatively in nature butin environmental systems that people have changed.11.Scientists divide Earth into spheres, which are often described by their rather than by their location.12.Earth’s geosphere is made up of all the at and below the surface ofEarth.13.The sphere of the Earth that consists of all the planet’s living or once-livingthings and the nonliving parts of the environment with which they interact is the.14.The outermost layer of Earth and the geosphere is known as the .15.The hydrosphere includes all water on Earth, including all forms of liquid, solid, and.16.Earth’s spheres both overlap and .17.An earthworm tunneling through the soil is an example of the biosphere interacting withthe Interacting Systems18.Use the concept of a computer system to explain why it is difficult to determine cleardistinct boundaries to a system. Include sample descriptions in your answer.19.Give an example of each type of input into Earth’s systems.20.Explain how a negative feedback loop works. Use a thermostat as an example.21.Describe the effects of a positive feedback loop.22.Contrast the two different types of feedback loops in terms of how they affect the stabilityof a system.23. Write in the boxes to complete the following on how the human bodyrelies on a negative feedback loop to respond to heat and cold.Name Class Date Earth’s “Spheres”For Questions 24–26, write True if the statement is true. If the statement is false, replacethe underlined word to make the statement true. Write your changes on the line.24.The lithosphere is part of the geosphere.25.A human being is part of Earth’s lithosphere.26.The hydrosphere includes water in Earth’s atmosphere.27.How are Earth’s spheres defined?28.What are the components of Earth’s geosphere?29.What materials make up Earth’s biosphere?30.Give an example of how two of Earth’s spheres overlap or interact.Answer the questions to test your knowledge of lesson concepts. You can check yourwork using the answers on the bottom of the page.pare negative feedback and positive feedback loops.32.Give examples of each of Earth’s spheres from the environment in which you live.Name Class Date 3.3—Hydrosphere—PP 80-82Key ConceptsWater cycles through the lithosphere, biosphere, and atmosphere endlessly.The HydrosphereFor Questions 7–12, match each term with the statement that best describes it.7.evaporation8.transpiration9.precipitation10.condensation11.aquifer12.water tablea.the process by which water in a lakebecomes water vaporb.the upper limit of fresh water storedundergroundc.the process by which water vapor in theair becomes dewd.the process by which blades of grassrelease water vapore.rain or snowf.the place where fresh water collectsunderground13.On the lines below, write a paragraph that describes the distribution of salt water and freshwater on Earth.14.Describe two human activities that can affect the water cycle.17.Give an example of how water moves through the water cycle in liquid, gaseous, and solidforms.3.4 Biogeochemical Cycles—PP 83-89Key ConceptsNutrients cycle through the environment endlessly.Producers play vital roles in the cycling of carbon through the environment.The phosphorus cycle keeps phosphorus availability naturally low.The nitrogen cycle relies on bacteria that make nitrogen useful to organisms andbacteria that can return it to the atmosphere.Nutrient Cycling1.What is the law of conservation of matter?2.Which four nutrients cycle through all of Earth’s spheres and organisms?The Carbon CycleFor Questions 3–5, write True if the statement is true. If the statement is false, replace theunderlined word or words to make the statement true. Write your changes on the line.3.Only a producer can use the sun’s energy or chemical energy tomake food.4.The products of photosynthesis are oxygen and carbon dioxide.5.Bacteria, fungi, and other organisms that break down waste arecalled consumers.6.Why is cellular respiration important for life on Earth?7.What impact do humans have on the carbon cycle?8.Why do scientists think there is an undiscovered carbon sink somewhere?The Phosphorus Cycle9.Why is phosphorus important to living things?10.Where is phosphorus stored?11.How do people obtain phosphorus?12.How does the release of large amounts of phosphorus by humans cause problems?The Nitrogen CycleFor Questions 13–17, circle the letter of the correct answer.13.Most of the nitrogen on Earth is located in theA.biosphere.C.atmosphere.B.geosphere.D.hydrosphere.14.Which of the following crops increases the amount of usable nitrogen in soil?A.cornC.legumesB.wheatD.tomatoes15.The Haber-Bosch process enabled people toA.fix nitrogen artificially.C.clean up nitrogen pollution.B.create natural nitrogen.D.acquire nitrogen from plants.16.Name two ways nitrogen can be fixed naturally for plant use.17.What happens to nitrogen during the process of denitrification?Organize Information18.Fill in the compare/contrast table with information about the different biogeochemical cycles.Carbon CyclePhosphorus CycleNitrogen CycleRole asNutrientEventsof CycleEXTENSION Explain how water plays a role in each of these biogeochemical cycles.Answer the questions to test your knowledge of lesson concepts. You can check yourwork using the answers on the bottom of the page.19.Describe how photosynthesis and cellular respiration help drive the carbon cycle.20.Explain how the hydrosphere and geosphere participate in the phosphorus cycle.Chapter Vocabulary ReviewMatch each term with its definition.1.tectonic plate2.macromolecule3.aquifer4.primary producer5.feedback loop6.hydrocarbon7.landform8.atom9.nutrient10.eutrophication11.law of conservation of matter12.erosion13.consumera.soil removal by water, wind, ice, orgravityb.an organism that must eat otherorganisms to obtain nutrientsc.a protein, nucleic acid, carbohydrate, orlipidd.an overgrowth of producers often causedby the release of phosphoruse.an organism that can produce its ownfoodf.an organic compound that contains onlyhydrogen and carbong.a large section of lithosphere that movesacross Earth’s surfaceh.the basic unit of matteri.a mountain, island, or continent thatforms above and below an ocean’s surfacej.a cyclical process that can be eitherpositive or negativek.an underground water reservoirl.matter needed by an organism to livem.that matter can be transformed butnot created or destroyedName Class Date Using Lawn FertilizerApproximately 60 million lawns are fertilized each year in the United States. About 15 poundsof nitrogen are used to fertilize each lawn. In this activity, you will learn how to calculate thetotal amount of nitrogen used to fertilize various numbers of lawns.Calculating Total Amounts of Nitrogen AppliedDetermine the number of lawns for your classmates, town, and state. Record your resultsin the second column of the table. (Hint: Assume that each household in your town andstate has a lawn and that each lawn is one-third acre.)Fertilizer ApplicationNumber ofLawnsPounds ofNitrogenYour 1/3-acre lawn 115The lawns of your classmates The lawns in your town All the lawns in your state All the lawns in the United States 60,000,000You can find the total amount of nitrogen applied to lawns by multiplying the number oflawns by the amount of nitrogen applied per lawn, 15 pounds.The calculation of the totalamount of nitrogen used infertilizing the lawns of a classof 25 students is modeled at theright:The total amount of nitrogen applied to the lawns ofstudents in a class of 25 students is 375 pounds.2.Use the model above to calculate the total amount of nitrogen applied to lawns by eachgroup in the table. Write your answers in the third column.×25 lawns×15 lb/lawn=375 lb ................
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