1) What Is Earth System Science?

Warm-up Quiz 1

1) What is Earth System Science?

– The study of Earth as an interacting set of components.

2) What is the difference between a hypothesis and a theory?

– best guess vs. well supported explanation

3) T or F? Science is always objective.

– F: scientist’s notions and viewpoint influence, tho’ scientific method helps to minimize subjectivity

4) What is the global water cycle (hydrologic cycle)?

– the continual movement of water between Earth’s subsystems; associated with the movement of heat and matter

Warm-up Quiz 2

1) Give some examples of electromagnetic radiation.

– x-rays, visible light, microwaves, etc.

2) Why do satellites only record (near-)surface ocean conditions?

– water is not very transparent

3) What is the difference between geostationary and polar-orbiting satellites?

– orbit W-E (with rotation) vs. N-S (over poles)

4) What are the three main types of rocks?

– igneous, sedimentary, metamorphic

5) What is the name for the transformation of one rocks type into another?

– the rock cycle

Warm-up Quiz 3

1) True or False - continents are stable pieces of land.

False - they move across the globe with time

2) What two pieces of evidence convinced scientists?

sea floor spreading & paleomagnetism

3) How is convection involved in the process?

magma rises and spreads, forming new crust; old crust descends

4) What happens where plates converge?

subduction (one slides under the other) or collision (resulting in mountain formation)

5) What geological phenomena are associated with plate tectonics?

Many, including earthquakes, volcanoes, moving of continents, mountain formation, etc.

Warm-up Quiz 4

1) What three main types of particles make up atoms? (Hint: they have different charges.)

a) positively charged = proton (p+), b) no charge = neutron (no), c) negatively charged = electron (e-)

2) Atoms are a little like tiny solar systems. Explain.

The electrons orbit the nucleus (p+ + no).

3) A boulder balances at the edge of a cliff. What type of energy does it possess?

potential energy

4) Two objects attract each other according to their mass and distance. What is this force called?

Gravity

5) Water molecules carry slight + & - charges. What properties does this lead to?

high specific heat, floating ice, good solvent, cohesion

Warm-up Quiz 5

1) Where is the hottest air in a room found?

•at the ceiling

2) What will happen when a cold air mass meets a warm air mass?

•warm air rises over the cool, itself cools down &drops its moisture

3) Seasonal differences on Earth are caused by what?

•the tilt and the curved surface of the Earth

4) What is the difference between climate & weather?

•generalization of weather patterns vs. short-term

5) What are the two main determinants of climate?

•temperature & precipitation