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Chapter 3 Revision
1. Rank these changes to Earth’s systems in ascending order of how long they take: seasons, tides, rock cycle,
solar cycle, El Nino Southern Oscillation, plate tectonics, primary ecological succession, secondary ecological
succession, ice ages (time between two successive cold periods), drought, floods

2. Choose two of the changes listed above. For each change, outline how that change causes an interaction
between two of Earth’s spheres.
Example: during primary ecological succession, plants (biosphere) colonise bare rock (lithosphere), by laying down
roots into rock and growing there. As the roots slowly break down the rock, the rock can slowly turn into soil.
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Make a glossary of key words (bolded in the textbook) from chapter 3 (p. 46-57). This can be done by:
a. Using Quizlet.com (recommended, as you can “gamify” your flashcards to help you learn them)
b. Writing them in your exercise book
c. Typing them in a document

Sun and Earth Interactions

3. Outline how the Sun’s energy (EM radiation) is generated. Use the words: hydrogen, helium, temperature,
fuse/fusion, release, energy, infrared, visible, ultraviolet, radiation

4. Solar cycles
a. State the approximate duration of the solar cycle.

b. Identify the type of changing force field causes the solar activity to cycle through max and min

c. Identify what observations of the Sun are used to track solar activity.
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d. Use the graph below to explain how climate scientists know that solar cycles are not the main cause
of the global warming cannot be experienced since the 1960s.

5. List the different types of EM radiation in descending order of energy (frequency).

6. List the three main types of EM radiation emitted by the Sun in descending order of energy (frequency).

7. In the following diagram, radiation from the sun travels through two different materials (shown by white and
grey). Label arrows, waves and locations where transmission, reflection and absorption occur.
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8. (VCAA 2020 Exam question)

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9. Fill in the blanks below without looking at your notes/the Ppt

When EM radiation from the Sun reaches Earth,
• Some (visible light) is ________________ through the atmosphere down to Earth’s surface, then either
• ______________ by the surface; or
• ______________ off of the surface (lighter surfaces reflect _________ than darker surfaces)
• Some is _____________________ off of clouds and goes back out to space
• Some (______) is absorbed by ______________ in the ___________________
• Some (_______________) is absorbed by _________________ in the atmosphere
• For the visible radiation absorbed by Earth’s surface, it can be later ______________________________,
which can then
• Travel back out to ___________; or
• Be ______________________________________________
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10. (VCAA 2018 Exam question)

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Formation of the atmosphere

11. Summarise the formation of the atmosphere in 3 steps.

Formation of the lithosphere

12. Explain how convection currents in the mantle cause plate tectonics. Include a diagram.
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13. Label the diagram of the rock cycle below.

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14. State how old the Earth is, according to radioactive dating data.

15. Fill in the blanks.

Radioactive elements were incorporated into Earth when the ______________ ______________ formed. All rocks

and minerals contain tiny amounts of these _____________________ elements. These radioactive isotopes decay

(turn into other elements) at a predictable rate, known as the _____________ life. The age of a rock can be estimated

by studying the _______________ of the radioactive isotope to the stable one it transforms into.

16. Complete the table.

European/western Indigenous
See time as … Linear

Time is broken up into these three Past

types … Present
Future