Chapter 2: The Physical Environment
- Page ID
- 92792
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- Objective 1
- Objective 2
- Objective 3
- Objective 4
- 2.1: Properties of Water
- Do you ever wonder why scientists spend time looking for water on other planets? It is because water is essential to life; even minute traces of it on another planet can indicate that life could or did exist on that planet. Water is one of the more abundant molecules in living cells and the one most critical to life as we know it. Approximately 60–70 percent of your body is made up of water. Without it, life simply would not exist.
- 2.3: Soils
- Soil is the outer loose layer that covers the Earth's surface and is the foundation for agriculture and forestry. Soils consist of organic material, inorganic material, water and air, and they differ in proportions of clay, silt, and sand. A soil profile is characterized by horizontal layers called horizons. Climate, organisms, topography, parent material, and time influence soil composition and formation.
- 2.5: Earth's Energy Balance
- Earth’s temperature depends on the balance between energy entering and leaving the planet. When incoming energy from the sun is absorbed, Earth warms. When energy is released from Earth into space, the planet cools. Many factors, both natural and human, can cause changes in Earth’s energy balance, including changes in greenhouse gasses; variations in the sun’s energy reaching Earth; and changes in the reflectivity of Earth’s atmosphere and surface.
- 2.8: Past Climate Change
- Over Earth history, the climate has changed a lot. For example, during the Mesozoic Era, the Age of Dinosaurs, the climate was much warmer and carbon dioxide was abundant in the atmosphere. However, throughout the Cenozoic Era (65 Million years ago to today), the climate has been gradually cooling. This section summarizes some of these major past climate changes and how scientists study past climate change.
Summary to be added