Environmental Science

1st Quarter

ENERGY CYCLES
A. Water Cycle
- is a way that water moves all around the Earth. It never stops and doesn't really
have a beginning or an end. It's like a big circle. We'll describe it by starting with water that's
on land. For example, water that resides in the ocean or in a lake. Some water on the
surface of the ocean will evaporate due to heat from the sun. When it evaporates it turns
into vapor water and goes up into the atmosphere. This vapor water gets together with a lot
of other vapor water and turns into clouds. Clouds move about the earth with the weather
and once they are so full of water they drop the water to Earth in some form of
precipitation. It could be rain, snow, sleet, or hail. When the water hits the earth it may fall
right back into the ocean or feed a flower or be snow on the top of a mountain. Eventually
this water will evaporate and start the whole cycle again.

How water goes from land to vapor in the atmosphere

There are three main ways that water on land

turns into vapor:

Evaporation - This is the main process by which water goes from the ground to vapor in the
atmosphere. Around 90 percent of the water vapor in the atmosphere got there through
evaporation. Evaporation takes place only on the water's surface. It takes energy in the form
of heat. Hot water will evaporate more easily than cold water. The sun provides a lot of the
energy for evaporation in the water cycle, primarily causing evaporation from the surface of
the ocean.

Sublimation - This is when water moves directly to vapor from ice or snow without ever
melting into water. Good conditions for sublimation to occur is when ice or snow is in very
cold conditions, but it is windy and the sun is shining.

Transpiration - Transpiration is when plants release water on to their leaves that then
evaporates into vapor. Plants will release a lot of water as they grow. Around 10 percent of
the water vapor in the atmosphere is estimated to come from transpiration.

Water in the atmosphere

We see water in the atmosphere in the form of clouds. There is a small amount of water
even in clear skies, but clouds are where water has started to condense. Condensation is
the process of water vapor becoming liquid water. Condensation is a major step in the
water cycle. The atmosphere helps to move water around the world. It takes water that
evaporated from the ocean and moves it over land where clouds and storms form to water
plants with rain.

Precipitation
Precipitation is when water falls from the atmosphere back to land. Once enough water
gathers in a cloud droplets of water will form and fall to the earth. Depending on the
temperature and weather this could be rain, snow, sleet, or even hail.

B. ROCK CYCLE
Three Main Categories of Rocks

1. Igneous rocks form from cooling magma.

2. Sedimentary rocks form by the compaction and cementing together of sediments,
broken pieces of rock-like gravel, sand, silt, or clay
3. Metamorphic rocks form when the minerals in an existing rock are changed by heat or
pressure within the Earth.

These rocks change over hundreds of years in the six rock cycle steps:

 Weathering & Erosion. Igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic

rocks on the surface of the earth are constantly being broken
downby wind and water. Wind carrying sand wears particles
off rock like sandpaper. Rushing river water and crashing surf
rub off all the rough edges of rocks, leaving smooth river rocks
or pebbles behind. Water seeps into the cracks in mountain rocks, then freezes,
causing the rocks to break open.

The result of all this? Large rocks are worn down to small particles.

When the particles are broken off a rock and stay in the same area, it is called weathering.

When the particles are carried somewhere else, it is called erosion.

 Transportation. Eroded rock particles are carried away by wind or by rain, streams,
rivers, and oceans.
 Deposition. As rivers get deeper or flow into the ocean, their current slows down,
and the rock particles (mixed with soil) sink and become a layer of sediment. Often
the sediment builds up faster than it can be washed away, creating little islands and
forcing the river to break up into many channels in a delta.
 Compaction & Cementation. As the layers of sediment stack up (above water or
below), the weight and pressure compacts the bottom layers.

(Try making a stack of catalogs and watch how the bottom one gets squished as you add
more on top – this is the same idea as the compaction of layers of sediment.)

Dissolved minerals fill in the small gaps between particles and then solidify, acting as
cement. After years of compaction and cementation, the sediment turns into sedimentary
rock.

 Metamorphism. Over very long periods of time, sedimentary or igneous rocks end
up buried deep underground, usually because of the movement of tectonic plates.
While underground, these rocks are exposed to high heat and pressure, which
changes them into metamorphic rock. This tends to happen where tectonic plates
come together: the pressure of the plates squish the rock that is heated from hot
magma below.

(Tectonic plates are large sections of the earth’s crust that move separately from each
other. Their movement often results in earthquakes.)

Rock Melting. Can you imagine ‘rock hard’ rocks melting? That’s what they do in the depths
of the earth! Metamorphic rocks underground melt to become magma. When a volcano
erupts, magma flows out of it. (When magma is on the earth’s surface, it is called lava.) As
the lava cools it hardens and becomes igneous rock. As soon as new igneous rock is formed,
the processes of weathering and erosion begin, starting the whole cycle over again!

C. PHOTOSYNTHESIS AND CELLULAR RESPIRATION

Photosynthesis- is a process in which sunlight energy is used to make glucose. The site of
photosynthesis is in the chloroplast – an organelle found in the leaves of green plants. The
main functions of chloroplasts are to produce food (glucose) during photosynthesis, and to
store food energy. Chloroplasts contain the pigment, chlorophyll. Chlorophyll absorbs most
of the colors in the color spectrum, and reflects only green and yellow wavelengths of light.
This is why we see leaves as green or yellow – because these colors are reflected into our
eyes.

Glucose is another name for sugar. The molecular formula for glucose is C 6H12O6.
Plants make sugar by using the energy from sunlight to transform CO 2 from the air with
water from the ground into glucose. This process, called photosynthesis occurs in the
chloroplast of the plant cell. During this process, oxygen (O 2) is created as a waste product
and is released into the air for us to breath. The formula for photosynthesis is: (reactants)
(products) CO2 + H2O + sunlight ----> C6H12O6 + O2 This formula says that carbon dioxide +
water molecules are combined with the energy from sunlight to produce sugar and oxygen.
The reactants in photosynthesis (what is used) are CO 2, water and sun. The plant gets water
from the ground through its roots. The plant collects carbon dioxide from the air. Much of
the carbon dioxide comes from living organisms that exhale (breath it out) it, but some also
comes from factory smokestacks and car fumes.
The products are glucose and oxygen. The glucose produced is used by the plant for
energy and growth. We also use this glucose by eating plants. The oxygen produced is
released into the air for us to breath. Photosynthesis is essential for all life on earth, because
it provides food and oxygen. Plants are considered autotrophs because unlike us humans,
they can make their own food using this process.

Cellular respiration- the process by which organisms combine oxygen with

foodstuff molecules, diverting the chemical energy in these substances into life-sustaining
activities and discarding, as waste products, carbon dioxide and water. Organisms that do
not depend on oxygen degrade foodstuffs in a process called fermentation.

Cells take the carbohydrates into their cytoplasm, and through a complex series of
metabolic processes, they break down the carbohydrates and release the energy. The
energy is generally not needed immediately; rather it is used to combine adenosine
diphosphate (ADP) with another phosphate to form adenosine triphosphate (ATP)
molecules. The ATP can then be used for processes in the cells that require energy, much as
a battery powers a mechanical device. During the process of cellular respiration, carbon
dioxide is given off. Plant cells can use this carbon dioxide during photosynthesis to form
new carbohydrates.

Source:

Britannica. 2020. Water Cycle. Retreived July 17, 2020 from

https://www.britannica.com/science/water-cycle#:~:text=Water%20cycle%2C%20also
%20called%20hydrologic,condensation%2C%20precipi tation%2C%20and%20runoff.

Brian M. 2018. What are the six main processes involved in the water cycle?. Retrieved July
17, 2020 from https://socratic.org/questions/what-are-the-six-main-processes-involved-in-
the-water-cycle

Ducksters Education Site. 2020. Science: The Water Cycle. Retrieved July 17, 2020 from
https://www.ducksters.com/science/the_water_cycle.php

Lumen Geology. 2020. The Rock Cycle. Retrieved July 18, 2020 from
https://courses.lumenlearning.com/geology/chapter/reading-the-rock-cycle/

Britannica. 2020. Cellular Respiration. Retrieved July 18, 2020 from

https://www.britannica.com/science/cellular-respiration

Aparna Vidyasagar. 2018. What is Photosynthesis?. Retrieved July 18, 2020 from
https://www.livescience.com/51720-photosynthesis.html
Lambers, H. 2020. Photosynthesis. Retrieved July 18, 2020 from
https://www.britannica.com/science/photosynthesis

Environmental Science
 1st Quarter
(Worksheet #2)
Name: ____________________________ Year & Section: ___________________Date: _____________

Most Essential Learning Competencies:

 Describe the influence of matter and energy cycles on weather, climate, and the
environment and living systems.

Objectives:
 Label and define the parts of the water cycle, including evaporation, condensation,
precipitation, infiltration, and transpiration.
 Identify the different types of rocks and explain how they form in the rock cycle.
 Explain the process of photosynthesis and cellular respiration.

Activity 1: “Water Cycle”

Direction: Label the water cycle diagram. Make sure to use all the processes listed below at least
once. Below the diagram, define each of them.

2.

3. 1.
4.

5.

• Evaporation- ____________________________________________________________
• Condensation - __________________________________________________________
• Infiltration - _____________________________________________________________
• Transpiration- ___________________________________________________________
• Precipitation-____________________________________________________________
Activity 2: “The Rock Cycle”

Direction:

I. Use the diagram below to answer the following questions.

1. Write your definition of the rock cycle:

___________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___
___________________________________________________________________________
___

2. Is there a beginning to the rock cycle?

Yes No
3. Name the three rock families starting with the following letters:
S___________________________
I___________________________
M__________________________
4. Rocks turn into sediment by the process of: _______________________.
5. Can a sedimentary rock like limestone become a metamorphic rock like marble?
Yes No
If yes, what process does it go through? ___________________________
6. Magma that flows above the Earth’s surface is called ___________________________.
7. Magma that cools outside the Earth’s surface as lava creates _____________ _______
rock.
a. Metamorphic b. Sedimentary c. Igneous
8. If any rock gets hot enough below the Earth’s surface, it can turn into
_________________.
9. Rocks are eroded and washed away by _______________________ and
_______________________, which turns them into SEDIMENT.
10. SEDIMENT can become compacted and cemented to form a ______________ type of
rock.
a. Metamorphic b. Sedimentary c. Igneous
11. List one example of a sedimentary rock: ___________________.
12. If that sedimentary rock goes through heat and _________________ beneath the Earth’s
crust, it can turn into a __________________ (a., b., or c.) rock.
a. Metamorphic b. Sedimentary c. Igneous
13. The metamorphic rock can become eroded and weathered away into SEDIMENTS again
creating ___________________ rock.
14. If that metamorphic rock instead melted into magma, it would later form an
_______________ rock.
II. Complete the rock cycle by filling in the blanks. The following terms are to be used:
melting, cooling, compacting and cementing, weathering and erosion, heat and pressure.
SOME TERMS ARE USED MORE THAN ONCE.

Magma

Metamorphic Rock
Igneous Rock

Sedimentary Rock Sediment

1. __________________________ 5. __________________________
2. __________________________ 6. __________________________
3. __________________________ 7. __________________________
4. __________________________ 8. __________________________
Activity 3: “Photosynthesis: Making Energy”
Direction:
I. Look at the picture and fill in the blanks using the words below.

Water Sugar Carbon dioxide light oxygen

Photosynthesis is a process where plants use

1. ______________ from the sun to convert
2. ____________ from the air and
3.__________
from the soil into to feed the plant 4.
___________
and 5. ___________is given out in the air.

II. Use the picture below to answer the following questions.

1. What are the raw materials needed by plants for photosynthesis?

___________________________________________________________________________
2. CO2 is made up of what two atoms and what is its common name?
___________________________________________________________________________
3. What is the first product of photosynthesis and what is it made up of?
___________________________________________________________________________
4. What is 02 made up of and what does it do for us?
___________________________________________________________________________
5. From where do plants get water?
___________________________________________________________________________
6. From where do plants get carbon dioxide?
___________________________________________________________________________
7. Where does photosynthesis begin?
___________________________________________________________________________
8. Write out each part of the following chemical equation for photosynthesis: H 2O + CO2
C6H12O6 + 02 = photosynthesis
___________________________________________________________________________
9. Where does the oxygen go from inside the plant?
___________________________________________________________________________
10. What remains in the plant as energy?
___________________________________________________________________________
Activity 4: “Cellular Respiration: Breaking down Energy”
Direction. Read the statements and answer the questions below.

Mitochondria are known as the powerhouses of the cell. They are organelles that act like a digestive
system that takes in nutrients, breaks them down, and creates energy for the cell. The process of
creating cell energy is known as cellular respiration. Most of the chemical reactions involved in
cellular respiration happen in the mitochondria. A mitochondrion is shaped perfectly to maximize its
efforts.
1. What process happens in the mitochondria?_________________
_______________________________________________________
2. What is the purpose of the process in #1 (what does it create)?
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
Organisms, such as plants and algae, can trap the energy in sunlight
through photosynthesis and store it in the chemical bonds of
carbohydrate molecules. The principal carbohydrate formed through
photosynthesis is glucose. Other types of organisms, such as animals,
fungi, protozoa, and a large portion of the bacteria, are unable to
perform this process. Therefore, these organisms must rely on the
carbohydrates formed in plants to obtain the energy necessary for their metabolic processes. This
means they must eat plants and other animals in order to gain energy.

3. Some organisms perform photosynthesis to produce energy. Other organisms cannot do

photosynthesis. What can they do in order to generate energy?
__________________________________________________________________________________
4. Animals and other organisms obtain the energy available in carbohydrates through the process of
cellular respiration. What is the purpose of cellular respiration?
__________________________________________________________________________________

Cells take the carbohydrates into their cytoplasm, and through a complex series of metabolic
processes, they break down the carbohydrates and release the energy. The energy is generally not
needed immediately; rather it is used to combine adenosine diphosphate (ADP) with another
phosphate to form adenosine triphosphate (ATP) molecules. The ATP can then be used for processes
in the cells that require energy, much as a battery powers a mechanical device. During the process of
cellular respiration, carbon dioxide is given off. Plant cells can use this carbon dioxide during
photosynthesis to form new carbohydrates.

5. What happens to carbohydrates during cellular respiration?

__________________________________
6. What is the chemical energy in the cell called?
_____________________________________________
7. What does ATP stand for?
______________________________________________________________
8. What is one product of cellular respiration?
_______________________________________________
9. How do animals get rid of the carbon dioxide?
_____________________________________________
10. What body system is involved with removing this waste?
___________________________________