Chapter 21, Problem 1GST

To determine

The three boxes that provide an example for the interaction or change associated with each of the components of Earth’s climate system and the way in which these interactions influence temperature with reference to Figure 20.1 in the text book.

Answer to Problem 1GST

All the boxes given in the picture are associated with more than one component of Earth’s climate systems. All the given interactions influence the temperature in different ways.

Explanation of Solution

Earth system is a complex combination of various spheres in the Earth. Even the minor changes in any of the system influence the other system in one way or the other. The climate not merely deals with the atmosphere.

The climatic system includes the atmosphere, hydrosphere, geosphere, cryosphere, and biosphere. The exchange of energy between these spheres results in the climatic system. Figure 20.1 describes the schematic view showing several components of the Earth’s climate system.

Each box in the given picture is associated with almost all the spheres of the Earth directly or indirectly. For instance, if we consider the box showing “changes in the amount and type of cloud cover” it is associated with the atmosphere along with the geosphere and hydrosphere because the clouds are formed basically from the water evaporated from the earth’s surface.

The boxes with “biosphere-atmosphere interactions” and ocean-atmosphere interactions” shows the clear association of biosphere and hydrosphere with the atmosphere.