Earth Science Feedback Loops

As the Earth warms, increased evaporation produces more clouds. Clouds increase albedo, reflecting more light away from the Earth. The temperature falls. Rates of evaporation fall.

• Positive Feedback Loop

• Negative Feedback Loop

Tags

NGSS.HS-ESS2-2

A thermostat in a central heating system can determine the temperature of your living room. It switches the air conditioner on when the temperature increases to a predetermined level and shuts it off when it cools to another level. The room temperature remains within a comfortable level regardless of the temperature outside.

• Positive Feedback Loop

• Negative Feedback Loop

Tags

NGSS.HS-LS1-3

Some organisms have internal feedback systems, physiological changes occurring prevent breeding when population densities are high and promote breeding when population densities are low.

• Positive Feedback Loop

• Negative Feedback Loop

Tags

NGSS.HS-LS1-3

Higher temperatures cause more evaporation which leads to more water vapor in the atmosphere. Water vapor is a greenhouse gas so will trap more heat so the atmosphere will warm more.

• Positive Feedback

• Negative Feedback

As carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere rise, the temperature of the Earth rises. As the Earth warms the rate of photosynthesis in plants increases, more carbon dioxide is therefore removed from the atmosphere by plants, reducing the greenhouse effect and reducing global temperatures.

• Positive Feedback

• Negative Feedback

Tags

NGSS.HS-ESS2-2

NGSS.HS-LS2-5

When a plants takes carbon dioxide from the air which two spheres are interacting? 

• Biosphere and atmosphere 

• Geosphere and atmosphere 

• Hydrosphere and atmosphere 

• Atmosphere and atmosphere 

Tags

NGSS.HS-LS2-5

NGSS.HS-ESS2-6

When carbon dioxide dissolves from the air into the ocean- the interaction is between...

• The atmosphere and geosphere 

• The atmosphere and hydrosphere 

• The atmosphere and biosphere 

• The atmosphere and atmosphere 

Tags

NGSS.HS-ESS2-6

As the Earth warms, ice cover melts, exposing soil or water. Albedo decreases (albedo is the fraction of light that is reflected by a body or surface). More energy is absorbed by the Earth’s surface. Global temperature rises. More ice melts.

• Positive Feedback

• Negative Feedback

Tags

NGSS.HS-ESS2-2

As the Earth's surface temperature increases, permafrost in polar regions begins to thaw, releasing methane, a potent greenhouse gas, into the atmosphere. This leads to further warming and more permafrost thawing.

• Positive Feedback Loop

• Negative Feedback Loop

• Neutral Feedback Loop

• No Feedback Loop

Tags

NGSS.HS-ESS2-2

Increased atmospheric carbon dioxide levels lead to higher global temperatures, which in turn increase the rate of photosynthesis in plants. This process removes more carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, potentially stabilizing temperatures.

• Positive Feedback Loop

• Negative Feedback Loop

• Neutral Feedback Loop

• No Feedback Loop

Tags

NGSS.HS-LS2-5