WorksheetsENERGY IN THE EARTH SYSTEM
Total questions: 40
Worksheet time: 20mins
Different types of winds form in certain locations at different times of the day. Which breezes form at night when land cools faster than water?
sea breezes
land breezes
valley breezes
mountain breezes
The continent of Antarctica is covered with an ice sheet. Which part of the Earth system includes the ice sheet?
biosphere
cryosphere
hydrosphere
atmosphere
Earth has both freshwater and salt water. About how much of Earth’s water is freshwater?
3%
15%
67%
97%
Sometimes fires burn down large areas of forests that are part of the biosphere. Other than the biosphere, which of Earth’s other systems is a forest fire most likely to affect?
biosphere
crysosphere
atmosphere
hydrosphere
The picture shows the layers of the geosphere. What is the order of the layers of the geosphere when starting from Earth’s center and moving outward?
core, crust, mantle
core, mantle, crust
mantle, core, atmosphere
atmosphere, crust, mantle
The Florida Everglades is a large, warm wetland with many plants, animals, and microscopic organisms. Which part of the Earth system includes the water in the Everglades?
geosphere
cryosphere
atmosphere
hydrosphere
Jessica is at the beach watching ocean waves. Which of these parts of the Earth system interacts with the hydrosphere to produce waves at the beach?
biosphere
geosphere
atmosphere
crysosphere
When trees die, they often fall on the ground and decompose. Which part of the Earth system includes dead and decomposed trees?
biosphere
geosphere
atmosphere
hydrosphere
Which of these answers describes Earth’s atmosphere?
all living and once-living things
the mixture of gases that surrounds Earth
a mixture of nickel and iron below the mantle
all the salt and fresh liquid water on Earth’s surface
Which of these pairs are part of the cryosphere?
rain and snow
glaciers and lakes
Arctic ice sheet and icebergs
permafrost and rainfall
What is Earth’s hydrosphere?
all of Earth's water
all of Earth's salt water
all of Earth's solid water
all of Earth's liquid water
A warm rock is in contact with the cooler ground. Which of the following will happen?
Energy in the form of heat will flow from the rock to the ground, and the temperature of the rock will increase.
Energy in the form of heat will flow from the ground to the rock, and the temperature of the rock will increase.
Energy in the form of heat will flow from the rock to the ground, and the temperature of the rock will decrease.
Energy in the form of heat will flow from the ground to the rock, and the temperature of the rock will decrease.
At night, the air is usually cooler than it is during the day. Which term is best defined as a measure of how "hot or cold" something is?
heat
temperature
kinetic energy
thermal energy
Leah is going for a swim at the beach. She notices that the sand is much warmer than the water in the ocean. Which statement best explains why this happens?
Water is unable to absorb energy.
Water is unable to release energy
Water has a lower specific heat capacity than sand
Water has a higher specific heat capacity than sand.
Which of the following processes transfers energy between particles as well as through empty space?
radiation only
conduction only
convection only
both conduction and convection
The diagram shows water in contact with an ice cube and warmer air.
from the air to the water
from the water to the air
from the ice cube to the air
from the ice cube to the water
Conduction happens as energy flows from a warmer object to a cooler object. When will the flow of energy stop?
when the two objects are both warm
when the warmer object reaches its freezing point
when the two objects have the same temperature
when the warmer object no longer has thermal energy
Which of the following is required for conduction to happen between two parts of Earth’s geosphere?
There must be contact between the two parts.
The two parts must have the same temperature.
The two parts must both be either liquids or gases.
There must be either a gas or a liquid circulating or flowing
As water is heated, it becomes less dense and rises. What causes the decrease in the density of warming water?
The water particles move faster, causing the water to expand.
The water particles move slower, causing the water to expand.
The water particles move faster, causing the water to contract.
The water particles move slower, causing the water to contract.
What three factors most directly affect surface currents in the oceans?
dissolved solids, dissolved gases, energy
upwelling, convection, and the sun’s energy
deep currents, convection currents, and surface winds
surface winds, the Coriolis effect, and continental deflection
What is the source of the energy for ocean surface currents?
the sun
winds
upwelling
convection
What two factors determine the density of water in deep currents?
salinity and temperature
the Coriolis effect and wind
upwelling and dissolved solids
continental deflection and convection
How would ocean surface currents most likely differ if Earth did not have continents?
The direction of surface currents would reverse
Surface currents would be regularly shaped curves.
Surface currents all over Earth would rotate clockwise.
Surface currents would form straight lines instead of curves.
When upwelling takes place, which of the following happens?
The number of coastal birds increases.
The number of fish near the bottom increases.
The amount of nutrients near the surface increases.
The number of bacteria on the ocean floor increases.
Which of the following statements describes surface currents?
upward movement of cold, nutrient-rich water
horizontal movement of ocean water that is caused by wind
movement of ocean water that results from differences in density
stream-like movement of ocean water that happens near the ocean bottom
How does heat play a role in the formation of convection currents?
When water loses heat, it becomes denser and sinks.
When water gains heat, it becomes denser and sinks
When water loses heat to cooler water, the cooler water becomes denser and sinks.
When water gains heat, it dissolves more solids and gases, becomes denser, and sinks.
The atmosphere is the boundary between Earth and outer space. What is the atmosphere?
the layer of gases that surrounds Earth
the layer above Earth that contains ozone
the layer above Earth in which weather happens
the layer above Earth that is responsible for gravity
The gases that make up Earth’s atmosphere are commonly referred to as air. Air consists of major gases and trace gases. Approximately what percentage of the atmosphere is made up of gases other than nitrogen and oxygen?
about 1%
about 11%
about 21%
about 99%
The gases that make up Earth’s atmosphere are commonly referred to as air. Air consists of major gases and trace gases. What are the two most abundant gases in the atmosphere?
nitrogen and oxygen
water vapor and argon
oxygen and carbon dioxide
nitrogen and carbon dioxide
At different places on Earth, depending on elevation, air pressure varies. What causes atmospheric pressure?
Earth’s magnetic field
weight of air
the sun’s heat and light
density of nitrogen
The atmosphere exerts a force (pressure) on Earth. If there is less air mass in a given volume, which of the following will also decrease?
the air’s temperature
the air’s magnetism
the air’s weight
the air’s chemical properties
Air is in constant motion. As air rises higher into the atmosphere, what happens to the air pressure as the elevation increases?
It increases.
It decreases.
It stays the same.
It increases at first, and then it decreases.
Earth scientists have identified four distinct layers of the atmosphere. What is the correct order of these layers from lowest to highest in the atmosphere?
stratosphere, troposphere, mesosphere, thermosphere
thermosphere, mesosphere, stratosphere, troposphere
troposphere, mesosphere, thermosphere, stratosphere
troposphere, mesosphere, thermosphere, stratosphere
Much of the ultraviolet radiation from the Sun is absorbed in the upper atmosphere. Which molecule is responsible for this?
ozone
nitrogen
hydrogen
carbon dioxide
The Coriolis effect greatly affects the paths of air circulation. What causes the Coriolis effect?
the sun
Earth’s revolution
the wind
Earth’s rotation
Winds can be characterized by their location and speed. Which winds are narrow bands of high-speed winds that blow in the upper atmosphere?
the doldrums
easterlies
jet streams
westerlies
Different types of winds form in certain locations at different times of the day. Which breezes form during the day when land heats up faster than water?
sea breezes
land breezes
valley breezes
mountain breezes
Differences in the ways that rock and water absorb and release heat cause a special type of wind. This type of wind is also affected by the physical properties of nearby landforms and bodies of water. These winds move short distances and are variable in direction. Which type of wind is being described?
local winds
sea breezes
land breezes
mountain breezes
The figure shows a valley between two mountains. The arrows indicate direction of air movement. Which type of breeze is illustrated in the figure?
a sea breeze
a land breeze
a valley breeze
a mountain breeze
Air currents are sensitive to changes in temperature and pressure. In general, how does air move?
from areas of high temperature to areas of low pressure
from areas of low temperature to areas of high pressure
from areas of higher pressure to areas of lower pressure
from areas of lower pressure to areas of higher pressure
