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1.05 Earth's Spheres C2

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20 questions
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Learning Target #1: Identify Earth's spheres and describe how they interact
Most wildfires are naturally occurring and many ecosystems benefit from the natural cycles of forest fires. Burned forests eventually decompose, replenishing the soil with nutrients that allow for new species to grow. Certain plants, such as the Giant Sequoia trees of the Redwood forests, even depend on fires to reproduce. However, man-made changes in Earth’s climate have created hotter and drier fire environments, leading to larger wildfires and longer fire seasons.
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Question 1
1.

The five systems of Earth (geosphere, biosphere, cryosphere, hydrosphere, and atmosphere) interact to produce the environments we are familiar with.

Geosphere: Interior and surface of the Earth

Biosphere: Living things and their environments

Hydrosphere: Liquid water in oceans, rivers, lakes

Atmosphere: Layers of air that surround the Earth

Cryosphere: Frozen water near the poles
Question 2
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Question 3
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Question 4
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Question 5
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Question 6
6.

Learning Target #2: Define negative and positive feedback loops and explain how they are different

Feedback loops help us understand cause and effect relationships. A feedback loop occurs when an action or event leads to a certain result, which then influences the original action or event.

In a positive feedback loop, the effect of an action amplifies the original action, creating a self-reinforcing cycle aka a "vicious cycle"

In a negative feedback loop the effect of an action seeks to stabilize and balance a system or condition aka keep the system in its "happy place"
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Question 7
7.

This image is a model of a negative feedback loop.

Why is this considered a negative feedback loop?

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Wildfire is part of the natural life cycle of a forest. They clear out dead and decaying material on the forest floor and release nutrients back into the soil. Indigenous peoples understood the value fire had on the land and would purposely set them to clear forests for hunting, agriculture, and travel. Today, prescribed burns are used to reduce the potential fuel for catastrophic wildfires.
Question 8
8.

Using the image above to help you, what is one benefit of wildfires?

Question 9
9.
Scientists have been monitoring changes in global temperatures and the amount of wildfires. Consider the following graph that shows the US surface temperature anomaly (the number of degrees above average) and the acres of land burned each year.

What is the relationship?

As the temperature anomaly increases over time, the number of acres burned __________
Question 10
10.

Predict: How could higher temperatures lead to more wildfires?

Question 11
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Question 12
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Question 13
13.

Extend your thinking: What can humans do to reduce the impact of wildfire?

Learning Target #3: Describe the use of models in science and how they can change

Scientists use models to help conceptualize something that may be difficult to understand.

Question 14
14.

Scientific models change based on new information and technology.

Before watching the video below to learn more about how scientists determined the age of the Earth, make a prediction: How old is the Earth?

Question 15
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Question 16
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Question 17
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Bonus Science!

If you struggled with the learning targets, I highly recommend watching these videos.





What has been your experience with wildfires? Have you or your loved ones ever been affected by wildfires?
Categorize aspects of wildfires into the appropriate sphere.
Particles in the air
Smoke & smog
Dry soil
Trees burned
Animals flee
Polluted water
Atmosphere
Hydrosphere
Geosphere
Biosphere
Identify the 2 spheres interacting in the following examples. Make sure to focus on the items in bold.

Ash may be carried by winds many miles from the fire and then dropped into streams.
Atmosphere
Biosphere
Hydrosphere
Geosphere
Burned plant debris that did not blow away becomes the new soil that can provide some nutrients for new plants
Atmosphere
Biosphere
Hydrosphere
Geosphere
Rainfall over burned land carries ash, soot, and dirt into streams and rivers, changing the turbidity, temperature, and pH.
Atmosphere
Biosphere
Hydrosphere
Geosphere
Smoke and noxious fumes can coat the lungs of animals and people, affecting their ability to breathe.
Atmosphere
Biosphere
Hydrosphere
Geosphere
Consider the following feedback loop:


Which type of feedback loop does this represent?
Positive Feedback Loops
Negative Feedback Loop
Justify your answer: Why did you select the type of feedback loop for the previous question? Select 2.
The loop reduces the effect of the change
Balanced was maintained
The loop increases the effect of the change
Instability increased
Question 15
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Question 16
16.
Scientists frequently use __________ (found in zircon crystals) in radiometric dating, which decays into __________
Question 17
17.
Scientists used radiometric dating on _______ to arrive at the 4.565 billion year age of the Earth.
Self Assessment: Learning Target #1: Identify Earth's spheres and describe how they interact
I can name and describe Earth's spheres and give a detailed example of how they interact
I can name Earth's spheres and give an example of how they interact
I can name Earth's spheres but need help to describe how they interact
I need help naming Earth's spheres and how they interact
Self-Assessment: Learning Target #2: Define negative and positive feedback loops and explain how they are different
I can describe how negative and positive feedback loops are different and can give an example of each
I can describe how negative and positive feedback loops are different, but can't give examples
I have a hard time describing the difference between a negative and positive feedback loop
I don't know what a feedback loop is
Self-Assessment: Learning Target #3: Describe the use of models in science and how they can change
I can describe how models are used in science and can give an example of how they can change
I can describe how models are used in science, but can't give examples
I have a hard time describing a scientific model
I don't know what a scientific model is
When half of the parent atoms have become daughter atoms, that's called the half life of that element.
True
False