Question

refer to the information on the previous page to complete this chart. think of an example of how the energy in each sphere affects the matter.

identify which of the following spheres are involved in the scenarios listed below.

1. a heavy rainstorm washes soil from a riverbank into the river.
2. snow melts during the day and refreezes at night.
3. a flock of birds flies from one cluster of trees to another.
4. rain falls from the clouds and back into the ocean.
5. a volcano erupts. the wind carries gases across the sky and gravity pulls lava down the side of the volcano, killing a herd of deer.

Explanation:

1. Scenario: A heavy rainstorm washes soil from a riverbank into the river.

• Geo - sphere: Soil and riverbank (land, crust - related) are part of the geosphere.
• Hydro - sphere: River (water - body) is part of the hydrosphere.
• Atmos - sphere: Rainstorm (precipitation, air - related) is part of the atmosphere.

• Hydro - sphere: Snow (frozen water) and melted water are part of the hydrosphere.
• Atmos - sphere: The energy from the sun (which the atmosphere interacts with) drives the melting, and temperature changes (related to atmospheric conditions) cause refreezing.
• Geo - sphere (indirectly, as the melted water may interact with land, but mainly hydro and atmos for the phase change of water). But the main spheres here are Hydro - sphere (for the water in snow) and Atmos - sphere (for the energy source and temperature regulation). Also, the sun's energy is related to the atmosphere's interaction, and the water is hydro. Additionally, the temperature change is due to the day - night cycle which is related to the atmosphere's heat retention and transfer. However, the key spheres for the phase change of snow (water) are Hydro - sphere (the water itself) and Atmos - sphere (for the energy and temperature conditions). Also, the sun's energy comes to the Earth and interacts with the atmosphere. So the spheres involved are Hydro - sphere (snow/water), Atmos - sphere (energy from sun, temperature regulation), and also Geo - sphere if we consider the surface where snow lies, but the primary ones for the melting/refreezing process are Hydro and Atmos. But more accurately, Hydro - sphere (water in snow), Atmos - sphere (energy from sun, temperature changes), and Geo - sphere (the land surface where snow is). But the main ones are Hydro - sphere (for the water) and Atmos - sphere (for the energy and temperature) and Geo - sphere (the surface).

• Bio - sphere: Birds (living organisms) and trees (plants, living organisms) are part of the biosphere.
• Atmos - sphere: The air through which the birds fly is part of the atmosphere.

Answer:

Geo - sphere, Hydro - sphere, Atmos - sphere

2. Scenario: Snow melts during the day and refreezes at night.