APES

• What is a biome?

  An area that shares a combination of average yearly temperature and precipitation.
• Can you name some examples of biomes?

  Rainforest, Taiga, Temperate Deciduous Forest, Grasslands, desert, tundra.
• How are organisms in a biome adapted to their environment?


  Plants and animals in a biome are uniquely adapted to live in that biome.
• What adaptations do camels and cacti have for the desert biome?

  Water preserving traits.
• What is the impact of nutrient availability on plant survival in a biome?

  Nutrient availability determines which plants can survive in a biome.
• What is a characteristic of tundra soil?

  Frozen soils do not allow nutrients in dead organic matter to be broken down.
• Why do tropical rainforests have nutrient-poor soil?

  High competition from many different plant species.
• What is the nutrient availability in boreal forests?

  Boreal forests have nutrient-poor soil due to low temperature and low decomposition rates.
• What characterizes the soil in temperate forests?

  Temperate forests have nutrient-rich soil due to lots of dead organic matter and warm temperatures.
• How do biomes shift in response to climate change?

  Biomes shift in location as climate changes, such as boreal forests moving north as tundra permafrost melts.
• What is insolation?

  Incoming solar radiation.
• Why does solar radiation vary across the Earth?

  Solar radiation varies due to Earth's curvature and tilted axis.
• What causes uneven warming of the Earth's surface?

  Variation of angle at which the Sun's rays strike Earth, surface area distribution, and albedo effects.
• How do solar rays strike the tropics compared to polar regions?

  In the tropics, the Sun strikes at a perpendicular angle, while in polar regions, it strikes at an oblique angle.
• What is albedo?

  The percentage of incoming sunlight reflected from a surface.
• How does albedo affect temperature?

  A higher albedo means more solar energy is reflected and less is absorbed, keeping surfaces cooler.
• What is the average albedo of Earth?

  30%
• What are the albedo values of tropical regions and snow-covered polar regions?

  Tropical regions have albedo values of 10%-20%, while snow-covered polar regions have values of 85%-95%.
• What gases primarily compose the Earth's atmosphere?

  Nitrogen and oxygen.
• What percentage of the atmosphere is made up of nitrogen and oxygen?

  99%
• What role do greenhouse gases play in the atmosphere?

  They help make the planet much warmer.
• How many layers does the Earth's atmosphere have?

  Five layers.
• What keeps the layers of gases in the atmosphere in place?

  The pull of gravity on gas molecules.
• How does atmospheric pressure change with altitude?

  Atmospheric pressure decreases as you move toward the outer layers of the atmosphere.
• What is the troposphere?

  The layer of the atmosphere closest to the surface of Earth, extending up to approximately 16 km.
• What occurs in the troposphere?

  Most nitrogen, oxygen, and water vapor occur here, and it is where Earth's weather occurs.
• How does temperature change in the troposphere?

  Temperature decreases with distance from Earth's surface.
• What is the stratosphere?

  The layer of the atmosphere above the troposphere, extending 16-50 km above the surface of the Earth.
• What happens in the upper layers of the stratosphere?

  They absorb UV radiation and convert it to infrared radiation, releasing heat.
• What is ozone composed of?

  Molecules made up of three oxygen atoms (O3).
• What is the function of the ozone layer?

  It absorbs most of the sun's UV-B and all UV-C radiation, providing critical protection for the planet.
• What is the mesosphere?

  The layer of the atmosphere above the stratosphere, extending 50-85 km above the surface of the Earth.
• What occurs in the mesosphere?

  Most meteors burn up in this layer.
• What is the temperature range in the mesosphere?

  0 to -90°C.
• What is the thermosphere?

  The layer of the atmosphere above the mesosphere, extending 85-600 km above the surface of the Earth.
• What is a significant feature of the thermosphere?

  It blocks harmful X-ray radiation and some UV radiation from reaching Earth.
• What happens to temperature in the thermosphere?

  Absorption of radiation causes temperatures to reach 2,000°C in the upper thermosphere.
• What phenomenon occurs in the thermosphere due to charged gas molecules?

  Charged gas molecules glow and produce light, creating phenomena like the Northern and Southern lights.
• What is the exosphere?

  The outermost layer of the atmosphere, extending from 600-10,000 km above the Earth's surface.
• What is a characteristic of the exosphere?

  It is where satellites orbit the planet.