Numerical dating commonly relies on the use of isotopes. In the image below, the green squares represent parent atoms and the blue represent daughter atoms from radioactive decay. The ratio given at the bottom is the parent:daughter ratio. How many half-lives have elapsed to produce the ratio shown in the image?

The accumulation of liquid water played a crucial role in the development of life on our planet. But where did the water come from? Place the following events in order to show how our oceans formed.

Currently, sea level is rising about 0.31 cm/year. Since the disappearance of the last remnants of the North American (Laurentide) Ice Sheet 7,000 years ago, sea level has risen 4 meters (purple box). How does this historical rate (4 meters of rise over 7,000 years) compare to the current rate of sea-level rise (0.31 cm/year)?

The product of longshore drift along a sandy coast is the creation of a spit, a narrow bar of sand reaching out into a bay or channel. This is a picture of a recently formed sand spit. Which direction was longshore drift moving to create the spit?

The bodies of water that cover our planet are broken up by landmasses. The large expanses that are bordered by different continents are called oceans. Smaller bodies of saltwater that are at least partially surrounded by land are called either seas, bays, or gulfs. Label the main bodies of water shown in the image below.

The following image shows surface salinity values of ocean waters around the globe. Place the climate zones in order from least to most saline based on the image.

Thermohaline circulation can explain some of the surface currents we see in our oceans, but it does not explain the prevalence of gyres (large, circular currents). What causes gyres to form?

  Water vapor condenses to form clouds, but the type of cloud depends on many atmospheric conditions. Using the word bank provided, label the cloud types in the diagram.

  Black carbon is an aerosol that is common in today’s atmosphere. In the video below, we can see the relative abundance of black carbon in South Asia over a period of three months. The dark purple regions indicate areas of lower black carbon concentrations, whereas the white areas have concentrations 20 to 40 times those of the background levels. Click here to open the video in a new window. Notice how weather patterns move through and distribute the aerosol widely, but the source (circled in the image below) remains in place, continuing to produce more black carbon. Which of the following processes is likely responsible for the constant flux of black carbon?

It is important to distinguish cyclones from hurricanes. While both are powerful storm systems, there are notable differences. Drag the following terms onto the storm type they describe.