Science Chapter 8-9 Study Guide

Vocabulary Soil, minerals, air, water, and coal are all examples of natural resources. The remains of animals and plants can undergo heat and pressure over time to form fossil fuels. Oil, natural gas, and call are called nonrenewable resources because they care not easy to replace. Conservation is the efficient use of resources.

Using a resource from one item to make another item is called recycling. Fossil fuels is the use of an item that results in pollution, smog, acid rain, and global warming. Wind, moving water, and sunlight are examples of an alternative type of energy. Decayed organic material that is added to soil is know as humus.

Turning the heat down before going to bed is an example of reducing. Solar energy can be used to reduce the use of fossil fuels because solar energy can be used to heat homes, make electricity, power calculators and road signs. Famers can use contour plowing to prevent soil erosion. The curved rows help prevent soil erosion by slowing water that is moving down hill.

Trash is covered with plastic or clay in a landfill to keep materials in the waste from polluting the ground and the water supply. A body of air that has about the same moisture and temperature throughout what is called an air mass. Ocean currents are moving streams of water created by winds that blow across the ocean.

A weather front is the boundary between two air masses that differ in their temperature and moisture. The annual temperature in a certain region is 20 degrees Celsius, and this area receives 15 inches of rain. This information describes the region’s climate. When two air masses meet, which of they form a front.

The best definition for atmosphere is the mixture of gases surrounding the earth. Most of Earth’s atmosphere is made up of oxygen and nitrogen. The climate of locations close to Earth’s equator is best described as tropical. Rain usually falls on the windward side of the mountain range, where moist air is forced to rise.

Winds are caused by the rising of warm air and the sinking of cool air. The “m” in the air mass abbreviation mP stands for Maritime. A barometer, anemometer, and rain gauge all are used to measure weather conditions.