EARTH 'SE N V I R O N M E N TA L

S Y S T E M S

Chapter 3H O M E W O R K

Name_Per i od

Earth's Environmental Systems—pp 62-96

VJ QUESTIONJ How Do the Nonliving Parts of Earth'sSystems Provide the Basic Materials to Support Life?

T h e ® I ?D e a d Z o n e

The 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 ors h r i n k .

Most analyses show that the biggest factorin the size of the dead zone is the amount of

nitrogen 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 recreat ion.

Area of Dead Jtone, 1905-2007

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Use the information from The Changing Size of the Dead Zone to answer the questionsb e l o w.

1. According to th e 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. Wh y is it useful to represent this information in a bar graph?

4. What is the ac ceptable 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?"

3.1 Matter and the Environment pp 64-71Key Concepts

Atoms and elements are the building blocks of chemistry.

(3 Proteins, nucleic acids, carbohydrates, and lipids are the building blocks of life.Water is a unique compound with several unusual properties that make it essential tol i f e .

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Building Blocks of ChemistryMatch each term with the statement that best describes it

a. the negatively charged part of an atom

b. water, for example

c. its properties cannot be broken down anyf u r t h e r

4. Write a sentence that shows the relationship between matter and atoms.

5. Give two examples of substances that contain hydrocarbons.

M a c r o m o l e c u l e s

For Questions 6-8, circle the letter of the correct answer

6. The c haracteristic that best defines a macromolecule is itsA. size,

B . f u n c t i o n .

C. life cycle.D. chemical makeup.

7. All of the following macromolecules are polymers EXCEPTA. lipids.B. proteins.C. nucleic acids.

D. carbohydrates.

8. All of the following are p art of a carbohydrate EXCEPTA . c a r b o n .

B.oxygen.C. hydrogen.D. phosphorus.

9. Expla in how macromolecules are involved in passing traits from parents to offspring.

1. ele ment

2. ele ctron

3. compound

W a t e rFor Questions 10-12, 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.

10. Water molecules adhere to each other through covalent bonds.

11. Its cohesion allows water to transport nutrients and wastesin plants and animals.

12. A solution with a pH less than 7 is basic.

13. How does water resist changes in temperature?

14. Why is water called "the universal solvent"?

Organize Information15. Fill in the compare/contrast table below with information about the different types of matter.

F u n c t i o n

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3.2 Systems in Environmental Science—PP 72-75Key ConceptsO An output of one of Earth's systems is often also an input to tiiat or another system.

Earth's geosphere, biosphere, atmosphere, and hydrosphere are defined according totheir functions in Earth's systems.

Roading Strat©gy>As you read the lesson, complete each statement by writing in thecorrect word or words.

1. A is a networlc 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 . I n p u t s i n t o E a r t h ' s s y s t e m s c a n i n c l u d e b o t h e n e r g y a n dgeothermal 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. Scientists divide Earth into spheres, which are often described by theirrather than by their location.

8. Earth's geosphere is made up of all the at and below the surface ofE a r t h .

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9. 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

10. The outermost layer of Earth and the geosphere is known as the .

11. The hydrosphere includes all water on Earth, including all forms of liquid, solid, and

1 2 . E a r t h ' s s p h e r e s b o t h o v e r l a p a n d .

13. An earthworm tunneling through the soil is an example of the biosphere interacting withthe

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.

32. Give examples of each of Earth's spheres from the environment in which you live.

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3.3—Hydrosphere-- P P 8 0 - 8 2Key ConceptsQ Water cycles through the lithosphere, biosphere, and atmosphere endlessly.

The Hydrosphere For Questions 7-12, match each termwith the statement that best describes it.

7. evaporation a. the pro cess by which water in a lake

8. t ranspi ra t ionbecomes water vapor

b. the upper limit of fresh water stored9. o rec io i ta t ion underground

10. condensat ion c. the process by which water vapor in theair becomes dew

11 . aau i fe r d. the process by which blades of grass12. water table release water vapor

e. rain or snow

f. the place where fresh water collectsunderground

13. 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 solid

forms.

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.4 Biogeochemical Cycles—PP 83-89Key ConceptsQ Nutrients cycle through the environment endlessly.Q Producers play vital roles in the cycling of carbon through the environment.

The phosphorus cycle keeps phosphorus availability naturally low.

CS 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 ifttie 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 arecal led 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?

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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 . b i o s p h e r e . C . a t m o s p h e r e .B . g e o s p h e r e . D . h y d r o s p h e r e .

14. Which of the following crops increases the amount of usable nitrogen in soil?A . c o r n C . l e g u m e sB . w h e a t D . t o m a t o e s

15. The Haber-Bosch process enabled people toA. fix nitrogen artificial ly. 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?

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Organize Information18. Fill in the compare/contrast table with information about the different biogeochemical cycles.

E v e n t sof Cycle(chemical)

19. Describe how photosynthesis and cellular respiration help drive the carbon cycle.

20. Explain how the hydrosphere and geosphere participate in the phosphorus cycle.

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Chapter Vocabulary ReviewM a t c h e a c h t e r m w i t h i t s d e fi n i t i o n .

a. soil re moval by water, wind, ice, orgravity

b. an organism that must eat otherorganisms to obtain nutrients

c. a protein, nucleic acid, carbohydrate, orlipid

d. an overgrowth of producers often causedby the release of phosphorus

e. an organism that can produce its ownf o o d

f. an organic compound that contains onlyhydrogen and carbon

g. a large se ction of lithosphere that movesacross Earth 's surface

h. the basic unit of matter

i. a mountain, island, or continent thatforms above and below an ocean'ssur face

j. a cyclical process that can be eitherpositive or negative

k. an underground water reservoirI. matter needed by an organism to livem. that matter can be transformed but

not created or destroyed

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1. tec tonic plate

2. macr omolecu le

3. aquifer

4. prima ry producer

5. feedback loop

6. h ydrocarbon

7. l and fo rm

8. atom

9. nutrie nt

10. eutroph ication

11. law of conservation of ma tter

12. erosion

13. consumer