1. Earth Systems
Discussion Questions

2. Describe four ways that the hydrosphere affects the geosphere.
When precipitation falls, the impact can affect the geosphere. Parts of the geosphere can be worn away from physical weathering.
Rain can also affect the geosphere when it flows away from where it lands (runoff). Runoff can carry parts of the geosphere away through erosion.
Waves can also affect the geosphere from impact. When waves strike the shoreline, they can cause weathering and when they move away can cause erosion.
The presence of groundwater also affects the geosphere. Soil quality is affected by how much water there is in the ground.
When water freezes inside rock, the ice expands. The ice expanding causes the rock to break apart.

3. Describe four ways that the hydrosphere affects the geosphere.
Rain – physical weathering
Runoff – erosion
Waves – weathering and erosion
Groundwater – soil quality
Frost wedging – physical weathering

4. Describe four ways that the hydrosphere affects the atmosphere.
Evaporation is the beginning of how the hydrosphere affects the atmosphere. When water evaporates from the ocean, the water vapor becomes humidity.
If there is a lot of water vapor in the atmosphere it can change the temperature of the region. Water vapor has a high specific heat and doesn’t change its temperature as quickly.
When water vapor rises and cools it condenses. Condensed water in the atmosphere forms clouds and sometimes fog.
If condensed water becomes thick enough, the water droplets will become too heavy to hold up and form precipitation.

5. Describe four ways that the hydrosphere affects the atmosphere.
Evaporation - water vapor becomes humidity.
Water vapor - temperature
Condensed water - clouds and fog
Water droplets - precipitation

6. Describe four ways that the biosphere affects the geosphere.
Animals like worms remove nutrients from soil. This changes the quality of the soil.
Animals like moles and other burrowing animals dig in soil. When this happens it increases weathering and also changes how much air gets into soil.
Plants grow roots into the ground. These roots can break apart soil and even parent material, increasing weathering. Plant roots also remove nutrients from soil changing its quality.
Decaying and decomposing plant and animals add organic matter to soil. This also changes the quality of the soil.

7. Describe four ways that the biosphere affects the geosphere.
Animals and plants remove nutrients - changes soil quality
Animals dig - weathering and air.
Plants grow roots - weathering.
Decomposition – soil quality

8. Describe four ways that energy from the sun influences interactions between Earth Systems
Energy from the sun is what starts the water cycle. The water cycle involves several interactions between the hydrosphere and the atmosphere. One such interaction is the increase in humidity and as a result change in temperature. Another interaction is the formation of clouds and precipitation.
The end of the water cycle, which is driven by solar energy, involves water from the hydrosphere interacting with the geosphere. Rain and runoff can weather and erode soil and sediments from the geosphere.
Sunlight is the primary source of energy for life on earth. Plants use energy from sunlight to grow roots that can weather rock and soil, as well as change soil quality by exchanging nutrients.

9. Plants use sunlight to grow roots
Describe four ways that energy from the sun influences interactions between Earth Systems
Water Cycle
Humidity and temperature
Clouds and precipitation
Rain  weathering and erosion
Plants use sunlight to grow roots
Weathering
Change soil quality