4.

1 Plate tectonics Friedland text pages

174-175
Earth’s Structure Learning Objective
Core:
Describe the geological
changes and events that
Mantle: occur at convergent,
divergent, and
Asthenosphere: transform plate
boundaries.
Lithosphere: Essential Knowledge
1. Convergent boundaries
Crust: can result in the
creation of mountains,

Plate Boundaries
island arcs, earthquakes,
and volcanoes.
Divergent: 2. Divergent boundaries
can result in seafloor
spreading, rift valleys,
volcanoes, and
earthquakes.
3. Transform boundaries
can result in
Convergent: earthquakes.
4. Maps that show the
global distribution of
plate boundaries can be
used to determine the
location of volcanoes,
island arcs, earthquakes,
Transform: hot spots, and faults.
5. An earthquake occurs
when stress overcomes
a locked fault, releasing
stored energy.

Tectonic Map Can Predict…

Ring of Fire:

Transform faults:

Hotspots:
4.2 Soil Formation & Erosion Friedland text pages
284-289
What is Soil? Learning Objective
Mix of geologic (rock) and organic (living) components:
Describe the characteristics and
formation of soil.
Essential Knowledge
1. Soils are formed when parent
material is weathered, transported,
What roles does soil play in the ecosystem? and deposited.

Plants: 2. Soils are generally categorized by

horizons based on their composition
Water: and organic material.
3. Soils can be eroded by winds or
Nutrient Recycling: water. Protecting soils can protect
Habitat: water quality as soils effectively
filter and clean water that moves
through them.

Weathering versus
Erosion
Generally, remember that
weathering is the break-down and
erosion is the movement

Soil Formation
From below

From above

Soil Horizons
O-Horizon – Organic

A-Horizon – Topsoil

B-Horizon – Subsoil

C-Horizon – Weathered rock

Soil Degradation
Loss of Topsoil: Compaction: Nutrient Depletion:
4.3 Soil Composition and Properties Friedland text pages

Soil Particles 290-292

Almost all soils are mixtures of varying Learning Objective
amounts of three soil particles:
Sand Describe similarities and
Silt differences between properties of
Clay different soil types.
Essential Knowledge
Soil Texture
1. Water holding capacity – the total
amount of water soil can hold –
varies with different soil types.
Water retention contributes to the
Porosity productivity and fertility of soils.
How much (volume of) water that a soil
sample can hold. 2. The particle size and composition of
each soil horizon can affect the
porosity, permeability, and fertility
Permeability of the soil.
Is the opposite of porosity! It is how easily
water drains through the soil. 3. There are a variety of methods to
test the chemical, physical, and
biological properties of soil that can
Effect on Soil Fertility and Plant Growth aid in a variety of decisions, such as
irrigation and fertilizer
Too sandy= Too much clay=
requirements.

Ideal soil for most plant growth= 4. A soil texture triangle is a diagram
that allows for the identification and
comparison of soil types based on
Soil Fertility: their percentage of clay, silt, and
Nutrients Water sand.

Factors that increase soil nutrients Factors that increase water holding capacity Finding soil type
Find the percent of sand,
silt and clay using one or
more of the following
-Scientific instrument
Factors that decrease soil nutrients Factors that decrease water holding capacity -Mason jar soil test
Then use those
percentages in a
Soil Texture Triangle
Some experts can use the
Soil feel/ribbon test
to determine soil type
4.4 Earth’s Atmosphere
Gasses of Earth’s Friedland text pages
Atmosphere 109-110
• Nitrogen ~78%
Learning Objective
Describe the structure and
composition of the Earth’s
• Oxygen ~21%
atmosphere.
Essential Knowledge
1. The atmosphere is made up of
major gases, each with its own
• Argon ~0.93%
relative abundance.
2. The layers of the atmosphere
• Water Vapor ~0 – 4% are based on temperature
gradients and include the
troposphere, stratosphere,
mesosphere, thermosphere,
and exosphere.
• Carbon dioxide ~0.04%

Layers of Earth’s Atmosphere Temperature Gradient

• Exosphere • Exosphere

• Thermosphere • Thermosphere

• Mesosphere • Mesosphere

• Stratosphere • Stratosphere
Cold! Hot!

• (Peak ozone layer) • (Peak ozone layer)

• Troposphere • Troposphere
4.5 Global Wind Patterns Friedland text pages
114-119
Atmospheric Circulation = Learning Objective
1. Energy from sunlight
2. Density properties of air Explain how environmental factors
3. Rotation of Earth (Coriolis Effect) can result in atmospheric
circulation.

Air Properties Essential Knowledge

1. Global wind patterns primarily result
from the most intense solar
radiation arriving at the equator,
resulting in density differences and
the Coriolis Effect.

Coriolis Effect

30 = High
Pressure!

Global Wind Patterns

0 = Low
Pressure!
4.6 Watersheds Friedland text pages
95-97
Learning Objective
Describe the characteristics of a watershed.
Essential Knowledge
1. Characteristics of a given watershed include its area, length, slope,
soil, vegetation types, and divides with adjoining watersheds.

Watershed:

• Determined by

• Vegetation, soil composition, slope play a

large role in how watersheds drain

Human activities of a watershed impact H2O quality

Ex: ag, clearcutting, urbanization, dams, mining

Chesapeake Bay Watershed

(similar to Puget Sound in Washington state)
Mix of fresh & salt water + nutrients in sediment = estuary habitat that
is highly productive
Human impacts on watersheds:

Solutions
4.7 Solar Radiation & Earth’s Seasons Friedland text pages
110 - 113
Insolation = incoming solar radiation Solar Intensity & Latitude
Learning Objective
Explain how the sun’s energy
Measured in: affects the Earth’s surface.

Latitude: distance from equator, measured in degrees

Essential Knowledge
(equator = 0°, poles = 90°) 1. Incoming solar radiation (insolation)
is the Earth’s main source of energy
and is dependent on season and
latitude.
2. The angle of the sun’s rays
determines the intensity of the solar
radiation. Due to the shape of the
Earth, the latitude that is directly
horizontal to the solar radiation
receives the most intensity.
3. The highest solar radiation per unit
area is received at the equator and
decreases toward the poles.
4. The solar radiation received at a
location on the Earth’s surface
varies seasonally, with the most
Solar Intensity & Seasons radiation received during the
March location’s longest summer day and
Equinox the least on the shortest winter day.
5. The tilt of Earth’s axis of rotation
Dec. causes the Earth’s seasons and the
Solstice number of hours of daylight in a
particular location on the Earth’s
surface.

June
Solstice

Sept.
Equinox

Albedo =
4.8 Earth’s Geography and climate Friedland text page
119
Climate is largely determined by
insolation Learning Objective
Describe how the Earth’s
geography affects weather and
climate.

Geography also plays a role Essential Knowledge

1. Weather and climate are affected
not only by the sun’s energy buy
by geologic and geographic factors,
such as mountains and ocean
temperature.
2. A rain shadow is a region of land
that has become drier because a
Rain Shadows higher elevation area blocks
precipitation from reaching the
• Windward side land.

• Leeward side

• Example: Andes Mountains

in South America
o Eastern trade winds

o Also note: the Hadley Cell

at 30° latitude, is bringing
high pressure, and dry,
descending air that also
contributes to a lack of rain
at that latitude
4.9 El Niño and La Niña Friedland text page
121-124
Gyres:
Learning Objective
Describe the environmental changes and effects that result
-East → West trade winds between 0-30 (along the equator) push equatorial currents E → W
-Westerlies (blowing from the west) between 30-60 push mid latitude currents W → E from El Niño or La Niña events (El Niño-Southern
Oscillation).
Upwelling Zones:
Essential Knowledge
1. El Niño and La Niña are phenomena associated with changing
cold water holds more oxygen; phytoplankton thrive in high oxygen ocean surface temperatures in the Pacific Ocean. These
phenomena can cause global changes to rainfall, wind, and
El Nino Southern Oscillation (ENSO): ocean circulation patterns.
2. El Niño and La Niña are influenced by geological and geographic
factors and can affect different locations in different ways.

Thermohaline Circulation:

Warm water from the Gulf of Mexico moves toward the North Pole; Cools & evaporates as it moves toward the poles (salt conc. )
Saltier & colder water @ poles is denser, making it sink, spreads; Rises back up into shallow warm ocean current @ upwelling zones

W E W E W E

Trade winds blow eq. water Trade winds weaken, then reverse Stronger than normal trade winds
WE W→E WE