Earth's Life Support Systems

• What is an Open System?


  Materials can move in and out of the system.
• What is a closed system?


  Self controlled boundary where no transfer of energy and materials can occur.
• What is Dynamic Equilbrium?


  How a system changes or be changed to try return back to normal / balenced.
• What is a Positive Feedback Loop?


  Effects of an action are amplified by knock on effects.
• What is an example of a Positive Feedback Loop in the Water Cycle?

  ... Ice melting -> Less albedo effect -> Increase solar radiation -> Increase temperatures ...
• What is a Negative Feedback Loop?


  Effects of an action are countered as knock on effects bring balence.
• What is an example of a Negative Feedback Loop in the Water Cycle?

  Increase temperatures -> More evaporation -> More cloud cover -> cooler temperatures.
• What is the Goldilocks Zone?


  Right distance from the Sun which makes presents of water possible.
• Why is Water important?

  Carbon Sink

  Growth

  Industry
• What is a Water Store?


  Where water stays for a period of time.
• What is a Water Flow?


  The movement of water within the cycle.
• What are some examples of Stores of Water?

  Ice & Snow

  Atmosphere

  Ocean

  Aquifer

  Freshwater
• What is Water Percipitation?


  Any water from the atmosphere to land or oceans.
• What is Transpiration?


  Difusion of water vapor from plants to the atmosphere.
• What is Evapotranspiration?


  Loss of water from a drainage basin into atmosphere.
• What is Evaporation?


  Water is heated causing it to change into vapor.
• What is condensation?


  Water vapor is cooled causing it to change into a liquid.
• What is Infiltration?


  Water going into the soil surface.
• What is Throughflow?


  Rainwater that is briefly intercepted before dripping to the ground.
• What are Cryospheric Processes?


  Abiation is a loss of ice due to melting either through evaporation or sublimation.
• What is Groundwater Flow?


  Water migrates slowly through the rock pores and joints.
• What is Overland Flow?


  Water flows across the surface either as a sheet or trickles to stream and river channles.
• What is Percolation?


  Movement of water through the soil.
• What is Run Off?


  Flow of water over the surface.
• What is Interception?


  Vegetation intercepts some of the percipitation and stores it temporarily in plants.
• What is the largest store of water?

  Oceans.
• What happens when Water changes Phase?


  It goes from a solid to a liquid or gas.
• Why is lots of Energy required to change as Phase?


  Water molecules have very strong bonds.
• What is Surface Tension?


  Water can hold itself together.
• What is Sublimation?


  Ice -> Vapor
• What is Ablation?


  Ice -> Water
• What is Latent Heat?


  There is not enough energy from sun to break water bonds so, molecules absorb energy from the environment.
• Why is Evaporation a Cooling Process?


  Removes heat from the environment.
• Why is Condensation a Warming Process?


  Adds heat into the environment.
• What is a Source in a River?


  The start of the river.
• What is a Watershed in a River?


  Area of land drained by the river.
• What is a Floodplain in a River?


  Area either side of a river where flooding is likely.
• What is a Tributary in a River?


  Smaller rivers which add into the main river.
• What is a Confluence in a River?


  Where 2 rivers meet.
• What is a Mouth in a River?


  Where the river meets the sea.