Unit 5: Earth’s Systems & Resources

Description:

The earth is 4.5 Billion years old and has been through incredible changes. In this unit, we will look at the natural

processes that change the earth over time, and how those changes can benefit and threaten humans. We will

also examine Earth’s mineral, soil and water resources, as well as current issues regarding sustainable use of

these resources and providing access for all people.

Unit Focus Question:

How sustainable are humanity’s current practices regarding use of Earth’s soil, mineral and water resources, and what challenges remain to achieving sustainability in these areas?

Packet Contents:

Assignment Due:

1. Reading Questions 8A, Vocab List 8A, Video Questions 8A

2. Reading Questions 8B, Vocab List 8B, Video Questions 8B

3. Reading Questions 9A, Vocab List 9A, Video Questions 9A

4. Reading Questions 9B, Vocab List 9B, Video Questions 9B

Schedule:

Date Graded/Due Read Tonight RQ/VQ

Christmas Break

Read Chapter 8 and fill out the guided reading

watch http://www.dirtthemovie.org/the-dustbowl-is-making-a-comeback/

Collect a Soil sample in a gallon Ziploc baggie

Mark location and date on the bag

8A & 8B

M 1/5 Chapter 8 Vocabulary Quiz

Rock Cycle Quiz

Start Soil Lab – Bake Soil for use for tomorrow to kill all bacteria

T 1/6 Start Soil Lab (you need to split up responsibilities if you do it activity by activity you will not get done and it will take a week for the lab, we need to get it done in two/ three days max…work as a class!!!) PACKET IS due Monday 1/12

W 1/7 Soil Lab continued

Th 1/8 Finish Soil Lab!!!!!

F 1/9 Review of rock cycle, plate tectonics and layers of soil

S 1/10 Finish lab questions from

soil labe

9A

S 1/11

M 1/12 Review of mining practices and Bring ?s you have over the reading we will do a tutorial session

T 1/13 Ch 8 Reading Quiz Mining Lab

p.235-241

W 1/14 Watch Blue Gold Go to http://droughtmonitor.unl.edu/Home/StateDroughtMonitor.aspx?KS and make observations on the data presented here and reflect on what is presented.

p.242-246 9A

Th 1/15 Bring ?s you have over the reading we will do a tutorial session *DUE: RQ/VQ 9A

F 1/16 Bring ?s you have over the reading we will do a tutorial session p.246-250 9B

S 1/17 Study!

S 1/18

Th 1/19 Bring ?s you have over the reading we will do a tutorial session *DUE: RQ/VQ 9B

p.250-252

F 1/20 *Socratic Seminar Study!

M1/21 *Unit 5 Test (30 MCQ, 1 FRQ)

Chapter 8 Vocabulary List

Core

Mantle

Asthenosphere

Lithosphere

Crust

Hot spots

Tectonic plates

Subduction

Divergent boundary

Convergent boundary

Transform boundary

Fault zones

Earthquake

Richter scale

Minerals

Igneous rocks

Sedimentary rocks

Metamorphic rocks

Physical weathering

Chemical weathering

Erosion

Deposition

Soil

Parent material

Topography

O horizon

A horizon

E horizon

B horizon

C horizon

Soil texture

CEC of a soil

Base saturation

Soil degradation

Ores

Metals

Known reserves

Strip mining

Tailings

Open-pit mining

Subsurface mining

SMRCA law

Reading Questions 8A

Are Hybrid Electric Vehicles as Environmentally Friendly as We Think They Are?

The availability of Earth’s resources was determined when the planet was formed.

Earth is dynamic and constantly changing.

The rock cycle recycles scarce minerals and elements.

Objectives:

1. Describe the formation of Earth and the distribution of critical elements on Earth. 2. Define the theory of plate tectonics and discuss its importance in environmental science. 3. Describe the rock cycle and discuss its importance in environmental science. 4. Explain how soil forms and describe its characteristics. 5. Explain how elements and minerals are extracted for human use

EQ: How can it be said that the Earth is a big recycler?

1. Even though electric and hybrid vehicles reduce fossil fuel consumption, they still have a significant

environmental impact. Explain why, and describe some of these impacts.

2. What explains the distribution of heavy and light elements within Earth’s volume? Where are each generally

located, and how did they wind up there?

3. The inside of the Earth is characterized by vertical zonation. Briefly describe each of Earth’s layers:

Crust –

Mantle –

Core –

4. What is the connection between the heat at the Earth’s core and the movement of its tectonic plates?

5. What evidence led Alfred Wegner to propose the theory of plate tectonics in 1912?

6. How do the properties of oceanic crust rock and continental crust rock differ?

Oceanic – Continental –

7. Suppose a single continent is breaking apart due to divergent plate boundary. One piece of the continent is

moving north towards the polar regions and one piece of the continent is moving south towards the tropics.

What effect do you think this process would have on biodiversity?

8. Why do the Hawaiian Islands form an “arc”, with the oldest islands at one end and the youngest islands at the

other end?

9. At a convergent plate boundary where oceanic crust is meeting continental crust, what will happen?

10. What types of tectonic plate movements can cause earthquakes?

11. How much stronger is an earthquake that registers as an 8.0 on the Richter scale than an earthquake measuring

4.0?

12. Why are seismic activity and volcanic activity often located in the same places?

13. What is the relationship between minerals, elements and rocks?

14. Does the rock cycle proceed in any particular order when transformations from one type of rock to the next

occur? Draw the rock cycle to help you explain your answer.

15. How are each of the 3 rock types formed?

1. Igneous –

2. Metamorphic –

3. Sedimentary –

16. What is the difference between physical and chemical weathering?

17. What types of processes or forces usually cause erosion?

18. Why are weathering and erosion important to the rock cycle?

Reading Questions 8B

Soil links the rock cycle to the biosphere.

The uneven distribution of mineral resources has social and environmental consequences.

Working Towards Sustainability: Mine Reclamation and Biodiversity

1. How is soil formed both “from above” and “from below”?

2. What effect does climate have on soil formation? How would you expect this to create differences between

Boreal Forests and Tropical Rain Forests?

3. What role do organisms play in soil formation and development?

4. Why do soils develop different horizons? What separates one horizon from another?

5. Soils contain different blends of sand, silt and clay. Why is a balance needed between all 3 to promote ideal

plant growth? (What would be bad about a sand-heavy or clay-heavy soil?)

6. What type of soil particles would be best to line a pit that is to be filled with hazardous chemicals?

7. What occurs during adsorption in a soil?

8. Can soils have both high CEC and high porosity? Explain why or why not.

9. How are the CEC of a soil and its base saturation related?

10. What types of organisms dominate the biological component of soil?

11. Why is compaction bad for soil?

12. Which two elements make up approximately 75% of the Earth’s crust?

13. What is the difference between an ore vein and a disseminated deposit? Which ones are easier to mine?

14. What are the 3 techniques used for surface mining, and what are the environmental dangers of each?

1.

2.

3.

15. In general, why does the impact of extracting deposits of a certain mineral resource increase over time?

16. What legal requirements did SMRA (the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977) introduce?

Chapter 9 Vocabulary List

Aquifer

Unconfined aquifer

Confined aquifer

Water table

Groundwater recharge

Floodplain

Oligotrophic lake

Mesotrophic lake

Eutrophic lake

Impermeable surfaces

Levee

Dike

Dam

Fish ladder

Aqueduct

Distillation

Reverse osmosis

Furrow irrigation

Flood irrigation

Spray irrigation

Drip irrigation

Hydroponics

Gray water

Reading Questions 9A

Dams and Salmon on the Klamath River

Water is abundant, but usable water is rare.

Humans can alter the availability of water.

Objectives:

1. Identify Earth’s natural sources of water. 2. Explain the ways in which humans manage water distribution. 3. Explain the major human uses of water. 4. Identify and explain the factors that will affect the future availability of water.

EQ: Why is it important to know and understand where our water comes from and how we can

protect our water resources?

1. What caused the drop in Salmon populations in the Klamath River?

2. Who are the major interest groups competing over the Klamath River, and what does each one want?

3. How was the conflict over Salmon and water in the Klamath River resolved?

4. How does the amount of water found in oceans compare to the total amount of water on Earth?

5. What is the major source of freshwater that is accessible for human use?

6. What characteristic distinguishes an artesian well?

7. Why do unconfined and confined aquifers recharge at different rates? Which is more likely to be contaminated?

8. What causes saltwater intrusion in to coastal aquifers?

9. What are the major types of processes which can form lakes?

10. What characteristic distinguishes oligotrophic, mesotrophic, and eutrophic lakes from each other?

11. What role does atmospheric water play in supporting humanity?

12. How can human activities contribute to droughts?

13. How can draughts actually wind up creating floods in some cases?

14. Why do humans construct levees, and how would their use vary between agricultural and industrial regions?

15. What are the drawbacks of building levees?

16. How are dikes different from levees?

17. What are the primary purposes for building dams?

18. What are the benefits and drawbacks of constructing dams on rivers?

19. How does the City of Los Angeles get its daily water?

20. Why are conflicts over water ownership/use intensified by dams and aqueducts?

21. What are the 2 most common technologies used for desalination, and how does each work?

Reading Questions 9B

Water is used by humans for agriculture, industry, and household needs.

The future of water availability depends on many factors.

Working Towards Sustainability: Is the Water in Your Toilet Too Clean?

1. Draw a pie chart depicting the approximate percentages of worldwide water use for agriculture, industry and

household use.

2. How is water use connected to the amount of meat that people in a given country consume?

3. Why does agriculture represent the greatest opportunity for water conservation improvements?

4. What are the 4 major irrigation techniques, and why do you think certain techniques are more efficient than

others?

5. How does hydroponic agriculture works? What are its benefits and drawbacks?

6. What are the major industrial uses for water?

7. What 3 household activities have the biggest impact on water consumption in the US?

8. What prevents access to clean water in many poor countries, and what effects does it have on the populations

of those countries?

9. Why is it harder to determine ownership of water than for many other resources? How can we resolve these

conflicts?

10. What types of adaptations have wealthier, developed countries made to conserve water?

11. How do recent trends in global water consumption compare with recent trends in US water consumption? Given

these trends, what do you think will happen to global water use in the near future?

12. What is “gray water” and why is it ideally suited for toilets? What other purposes could it serve?

13. How does this story of toilet design illustrate the larger themes that must be embraced if humanity is to achieve

sustainable use of water as the global population grows and develops economically?

California's drought has reached Biblical-

plague proportions. It's time for a drastic

measure. Let's raise the price of water

By Randy Simmons, The Conversation US | November 17, 2014

In some regions, Californians use more than three times the amount of water per day that the average American does. (Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

Last January, California Governor Jerry Brown declared a State of Emergency following projections of severe

drought. State bureaucrats and local officials jumped into action and mandated any number of water

conservation tactics. While some have been relatively successful, most will do nothing. In fact, it appears that

despite the drought, water use may have actually increased in the past year.

So, exactly how much do Californians value their decreasing supply of drinkable water? According to the

California Water Service Company, it is valued at less than a penny per gallon. If water were plentiful, an

almost-zero price would not be a problem, but under the current situation it is truly acatastrophe. The average

American uses 100 gallons per day, Californians average 124, and in some regions of California up to 379

gallons per person per day. That sounds a bit outrageous for a state experiencing a drought of Biblical-plague

proportions, doesn't it?

The solution to rectifying California's abysmal water conservation record might be found in California's

agricultural sector. In just the past year, prices for irrigation water have risen from ten to almost 40 times last

year's price. Those who have the water to spare can make a sizable profit by selling it to those who need it.

Thus, because the value of water has significantly increased, every gallon is a precious commodity that is not

wasted.

Allowing price to ration water may be a bitter political pill to swallow, but it makes economic and

environmental sense. There are examples of this economic solution working in the past. Cities like Santa Fe,

Tucson, and Fort Worth allowed price signals to govern water use — the more a household used, the more

expensive water was to purchase. Consumers responded by conserving water. These measures worked so well

utilities were forced to stabilize the sharp drop in revenue by reconfiguring rates. That is not a bad thing —

especially during a drought as austere as California's.

But won't raising prices only hurt the poor and have little effect on those who have the money to afford it

anyways?

Charging more for water need not create undue hardship for poor or lower middle class families. Establish a

minimal per capita water use level and then charge progressive water rates so that any extra water used is billed

at a higher rate. This allows consumers to choose if they are willing to pay for an extra long shower, to water

their lawn, or to wash their car.

(The Hamilton Project/The Conversation US)

This solution would not even require much change in the way water is already billed. Typically, water usage is

billed at three tiers of usage. For example, in Bakersfield, the price of water is as follows: $1.66 per 100 cubic

feet of water for the first 1,300 cubic feet used, $1.80 per 100 cubic feet of water for the next 2,100 cubic feet

used, and $2.09 for every 100 cubic feet of water used after that (a cubic foot of water is roughly 7.48 gallons).

That's only a difference of 43 cents from the basic rate to the charge for unlimited use. Why not increase the

price of the second and third tiers by a dollar — or two or three for that matter? Doing so would have little

effect on a family that expends the effort to conserve.

(The Hamilton Project/The Conversation US)

Take an average family of four, each using 100 gallons of water per person per day. Over the course of a month

this family would use about 1,600 cubic feet of water. The first tier could be raised to 1,600 cubic feet and the

second and third tiers adjusted accordingly. A simple adjustment of the water bill would ensure that any family,

regardless of economic status, would be able to afford a comfortable level of water while being charged for any

water usage above and beyond that base amount. This approach is fair to those struggling financially, but it also

puts pressure on everyone to conserve a scarce resource.

Raise the price of water. Signal to consumers that it is a valuable and precious resource. Let consumers make

their own decisions on how they allocate their resources in using, or conserving, water.

Michael Jensen, a policy analyst at Strata Policy, contributed to this article.

Randy Simmons does not work for, consult to, own shares in or receive funding from any company or

organization that would benefit from this article, and has no relevant affiliations.