Earth Systems Final

Driving Question: How do human activities change the planet?

How do some changes create feedback that affect other Earth systems?

Claim How the atmospheres affect each other

Evidence
Feedback presentation
Spheres

Vocabulary feedback, positive and negative

Connections seen how they affect each other

How did life and Earth systems coevolve?

Claim Photosynthesis

Evidence
Coevolution presentation
Land gets taken away erosion
Animals destroy land by overpopulation

Vocabulary Prokaryotes evolved deep in the ocean near massive vents.

Connections Seen erosion happen

How does water affect Earth’s surface processes?

Claim Involves water, air, evaporation.

Evidence
solid→ liquid---> gas
Water effects on Earth presentation
Solid molecules are closer together than gas.

Vocabulary Melting point - The temperature at which a solid becomes a liquid.
Boiling point - temperature in which a liquid has acquired enough energy to transform into a gas. Surface Processes - Affects the geosphere at or near Earth’s surface and driven by mostly external energy. Weathering - breakdown of rock into smaller pieces. Erosion - Removal and transport of material. Deposition - dropping of material such as sediment.
Soil - A loose mixture of rock fragments and organic material that can support the growth of vegetation.

Connections Breath air, drink water, and freeze water

Why is carbon important?

Claim destroying our atmosphere

Evidence
Carbon presentation
Carbon Source produces carbon
Carbon sink accumulates

Vocabulary Carbon Cycle - The movement of carbon through the spheres.
Carbon Sink - Accumulates carbon
Carbon Source - Produces carbon
Carbon Reservoir - Stores carbon
Carbon Flux - Exchange of carbon between the various carbon sinks

Connections Produce carbon from my truck

What is the impact of developing and using energy resources on Earth’s living and non-living systems?

Claim We are destroying the planet by pollution

Evidence
Pros about mining get stuff that you want
Cons of mining carbon dioxide in the air.
Renewable resources can be replaced again and again
Nonrenewable resources cannot be replaced

Vocabulary Fossil fuels - Remains of organisms that changed into coal, oil, or natural gas.
Renewable energy - Energy from a source that is replenished quickly enough that it will not be used up faster than it can be produced.
Electric generator - a machine that converts mechanical energy or motion, into electrical energy.

Connections use gas for my truck

What issues does waste from humans cause?

Claim 6 billion pounds of trash.

Evidence
Waste presentation
10 billion pounds of trash per year
Burn it
Source reduction
Make products out of different materials

Vocabulary Solid waste - Any discarded solid material. Biodegradable - Can be broken down by biological processes. Municipal solid waste - waste produced by households and businesses. Landfills. A permanent waste-disposal facility where waste is put into the ground and covered each day with soil, plastic, or both. Leachate A liquid that forms when water seeps down through a landfill and collects dissolved chemicals from decomposing garbage. Source reduction - Any change in design, manufacture, purchase, or use of materials or products to reduce their amount or toxicity before they become MSW. Recycling
The process of reusing materials or recovering valuable materials from waste or scrap.
Compost - Rich in nutrients that helps plants grow. Yard waste, fruits and vegetables, table scraps. Hazardous waste. Any waste that is a risk to the health of humans or other living things.

Connections Make waste, trash every week

Final Answer: By pollution, to much waste, and carbon dioxide.