Energy for the Earth system

The Earth system is powered by energy from two sources. The Sun drives external processes that occur in the atmosphere, hydrosphere, and at Earth’s surface. Weather and climate, ocean circulation, and erosional processes such as rivers, glaciers, wind, and waves are driven by energy from the Sun. Earth’s interior is the second source of energy. Heat remaining from when our planet formed, and heat that is continuously generated by decay of radioactive elements, power the internal processes that produce volcanoes, earthquakes, and mountains.

Task 2. Pay special attention to the pronunciation of the following word-combinations, transcribe them: carbon cycle, hydrologic cycle, atmosphere, biosphere, geosphere.

Task 3. Provide brief answers to the following:

1. Main cycles of the Earth system.

2. Energy for the Earth system.

Test yourself

Task: Tell whether the sentences are true or false. Correct the false ones.

1. Historical geology examines the materials composing Earth and seeks to understand the many processes that operate beneath and upon its surface.

2. Only a small part of geology is based on measurements, observations, and experiments conducted in the field.

3. Geology is also done in the laboratory.

4. The development of sophisticated computer models is not important for learning about our planet’s complex systems.

5. Earth is much more than rock and soil.

6. The physical environment is traditionally divided into four major parts: the hydrosphere, the atmosphere, the geosphere and lithosphere.

7. The biosphere is the totality of all plant and animal life on our planet.

8. The atmosphere, is a dynamic mass of water that is continually on the move.

9. The biosphere powerfully influences the other three spheres.

10. Geosphere is beneath the atmosphere and the oceans.

Unit 2 The Rock Cycle

Task 1. Read and memorize the following words:

sedimentary - осадовий	decompose – розбирати, аналізувати, розкладати на складові частини, розпадатися
igneous - вивержений, вулканічний, пірогенний	eruption - виверження
swamp – болото, трясовина	floodplain – заплава,заливний луг
abundant – розповсюджений. поширений	influence - впливати
percolate – просочуватися, проникати скрізь	intrude – проникати, інтрудувати
subject to – підлягати, піддаватись	lithification – скам’яніння, літифікація
weather – підпадати під атмосферний вплив	metamorphic - метаморфічний
downslope – вниз по схилу	sediment – осадова порода, відкладення
texture – текстура, структура	solidify – тверднути, зміцнюватись
expose – підпадати, піддаватися

Task 2. Transcribe the following words and word-combinations. Read them, paying particular attention to the pronunciation of the letters and combinations of the letters in bold

Texture, microscopically, geologists, metamorphic, crystallization, lithification.

Task 3. Read the following text, translate it into Ukrainian. Pay special attention to the pronunciation of the following words: crystallization, lithification, microscopically.

Rock

Rock is the most common and abundant material on Earth. When a rock is examined closely, we find that it consists of smaller crystals or grains called minerals. Minerals are chemical compounds (or sometimes single elements), each with its own composition and physical properties. The grains or crystals may be microscopically small or easily seen with the unaided eye.

The nature and appearance of a rock is strongly influenced by the minerals that compose it. In addition, a rock’s texture—the size, shape, and/or arrangement of its constituent minerals—also has a significant effect on its appearance. A rock’s mineral composition and texture, in turn, are a reflection of the geologic processes that created it.

Geologists divide rocks into three major groups: igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic. The rock cycle allows us to view many of the interrelationships among different parts of the Earth system.