Year 10 Science • AC9S10U04 • Authored homework
Energy flow in Earth systems
Use models to explain how energy moves between the atmosphere, hydrosphere, geosphere and biosphere, and how changes in one sphere can affect the others.
Part A
Short-answer questions
Name the four Earth systems commonly described as spheres.
What is meant by energy flow in an Earth-system model?
Give one example of energy moving from the atmosphere to the hydrosphere.
Explain the difference between weather and climate.
What is the role of the Sun in Earth-system energy flow?
How can ocean temperature affect the atmosphere?
Give one example of the biosphere changing energy or matter flow in another sphere.
Why are models useful for understanding Earth systems?
State one limitation of a simple Earth-system diagram.
What type of data could scientists collect to test an energy-flow model?
Part B
Long-answer questions
Explain how evaporation transfers energy and matter between the hydrosphere and atmosphere. Include the role of solar energy and water vapour.
Describe how a drought can involve interactions between the atmosphere, hydrosphere, geosphere and biosphere.
Create a labelled flow chart showing how increased ocean surface temperature could influence evaporation, cloud formation and rainfall patterns.
Compare a simple arrow diagram model with a computer climate model. Explain one advantage and one limitation of each.
Use the example of a bushfire to explain energy transfer, matter movement and Earth-system interactions.
Explain why changing vegetation cover can affect local temperature, soil moisture and water cycling.
A model predicts that warmer air will increase evaporation from a lake. Describe two measurements that could be collected to test this prediction.
Evaluate this claim: “Only the atmosphere matters when explaining climate.” State whether you agree and justify your answer using Earth-system interactions.
Explain how feedback can occur in Earth systems, using ice melting and surface reflectivity as an example.
Write a full scientific explanation of how energy flow between Earth systems can produce a major environmental change. Use at least three linked processes.
Part C
Research and understanding task
Choose a real event such as a cyclone, heatwave, drought, flood, bushfire or coral bleaching event. Explain how energy flow and interactions between at least three Earth systems contributed to the event, and identify one type of data scientists use to study it.