The Atmosphere

Getting Ready for Chapter 3
The Atmosphere

Review what prior knowledge is helpful for understanding the chapter content and complete the quiz or skip it and begin reading this chapter.

What you should already know ...

Chapter 3 explores the the composition and structure of the atmosphere. The atmosphere interacts with the other subsystems of the earth system. Have a good understanding of the atmosphere as a system (See Components of the Earth System and Types of Systems). Biogeochemical cycles are the means whereby substances are transformed and transported through the earth system. The composition of the atmosphere is directly influenced by these cycles (see: Biogeochemical cycles)

1. The atmosphere is considered  

an open system
a closed system
an isolated system
None of the above

2. The early atmosphere was a product of _____.

acretion
tectonic plate movement
outgassing
none of the above

3. A change in a system property that encourages further system change is called 

a positive feedback
a negative feedback
a threshold
an equilibrium trigger

4. Evaporation transfers _____ from the hydrosphere to the atmosphere.

heat
mass
heat and mass
none of the above

5. ______ is a feature of systems where no additional forcing is required for a large climate change and impact to occur.

A positive feedback
A tipping point
A negative feedback
None of the above

6. Which of the following would act to keep a system in a state of equilibrium?

a positive feedback
a negative feedback
a threshold
an equilibrium trigger

7.  _______ is responsible for most of the oxygen found in the atmosphere.

Transpiration
Photosynthesizing vegetation
Rock weathering
Animal respiration

8. ______ is responsible for most of the water vapor entering the atmosphere.

Plant transpiration
Precipitation
Evaporation of water from land
Evaporation of water from the oceans

9. Though the atmosphere's temperature has varied throughout geologic history, much of the time it has been considered to be 

in a state of dynamic equilibrium
in steady-state equilibrium
in a non-equilibrium state
in a geo-equilibrium state

10. The heat to raise the temperature of the air ultimately comes from ______ sources of energy.

endogenic
exogenic
both endogenic and exogenic
none of the above

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