Earth's Systems: Water and Weather — Answer Key
Part A: Fill in the Blank
Write the missing word or number on each line.
1. Mountains, soil, and minerals belong to the geosphere.
The geosphere covers all solid materials from the surface down through Earth's deep interior.
2. Oceans, glaciers, and rivers all belong to the hydrosphere.
The hydrosphere holds liquid, frozen, and underground water across the planet.
3. Birds, bacteria, and trees together form the biosphere.
The biosphere is found wherever life exists, from deep oceans to high mountain peaks.
4. The mixture of gases above Earth's surface is the atmosphere.
The atmosphere drives weather, blocks harmful radiation, and supplies gases organisms need to live.
5. A hurricane forms when warm ocean water and moist air interact, linking the hydrosphere with the atmosphere.
Hurricanes show how energy and moisture move between water and air to drive powerful weather.
6. Tree roots breaking apart rock connect the biosphere with the geosphere.
Roots wedge into cracks and slowly weather rock, an example of biological weathering.
7. Long-term temperature and rainfall patterns describe an area's climate.
Climate scientists use thirty-year averages to define a region's typical conditions.
8. Today's wind speed, temperature, and chance of rain describe the weather.
Daily reports of atmospheric conditions help people plan activities and stay safe.
9. Water moving from rivers to oceans, then back to the air, is called the water cycle.
Cycles emphasize that water continually reuses pathways through Earth's systems.
Part B: Matching
Match each item on the left to the correct answer on the right.
1. Match each item to its correct answer.
Geosphere
→ Soil and granite mountain
Soil and granite mountain
Biosphere
→ Forest of pine trees
Forest of pine trees
Hydrosphere
→ Frozen polar ice cap
Frozen polar ice cap
Atmosphere
→ Layer of breathable air
Layer of breathable air
Linking each sphere to a concrete example reinforces the meaning of geo, bio, hydro, and atmo prefixes.