Earth's Systems: Water and Weather — Answer Key
Part A: Multiple Choice
Circle the best answer for each question.
1. Which event best shows the geosphere affecting the atmosphere?
A) A volcano erupting and releasing ash
B) A river flowing into the sea
C) A polar bear hunting on sea ice
D) A cloud forming over a lake
Volcanoes send ash and gases from the solid Earth into the air, sometimes cooling global climate.
2. If a wetland is drained for farming, which result is most likely?
A) More fish living there
B) Less wildlife habitat and lower water storage
C) Stronger storms forming overhead
D) More glaciers in the region
Wetlands buffer floods and host diverse life; draining them harms the biosphere and hydrosphere.
3. Why is freshwater considered a limited resource even though Earth looks blue from space?
A) Most freshwater is too cold to drink.
B) Only certain people are allowed to use freshwater.
C) Almost all of Earth's water is salty or frozen.
D) Freshwater evaporates faster than salt water.
About 97 percent is salty and most freshwater is locked in ice, leaving little easily usable.
4. Which is the best example of climate rather than weather?
A) A snowstorm shutting down schools today
B) Rain expected this Friday
C) Antarctica being cold and dry for centuries
D) A heat wave starting tomorrow
Centuries-long patterns define climate, while single events or short forecasts describe weather.
Part B: Fill in the Blank
Write the correct answer on each line.
1. When forests are replanted, more water moves from soil into the air through plant transpiration.
Transpiration links the biosphere with the atmosphere and influences nearby humidity and rainfall.
2. A long, severe storm in the atmosphere can erode soil, affecting the geosphere.
Heavy rain and wind move soil and shape landforms, showing atmosphere-geosphere interaction.
3. Reading a passage about a city running low on water, you identify the issue as a problem of freshwater water supply.
Freshwater shortages threaten drinking, farming, and sanitation in growing communities worldwide.
4. If sea ice melts, polar bears lose habitat, showing how the hydrosphere change affects the biosphere.
Loss of ice shrinks hunting grounds, illustrating how cryosphere changes ripple to ecosystems.
5. Long-term warming caused by greenhouse gases describes a change in Earth's climate.
Sustained warming over many years marks climate change rather than ordinary weather variation.