Energy Flow

GSS book cover for Energy Flow

ENERGY FLOW is about how energy moves through the atmosphere, oceans, land, and living things. See Overview.

Contents

ChaptersInvestigationsStay Current
1. What Is Energy?Chapter 1
2. Why Do Volcanoes Erupt?2.1. Subduction Zone MapChapter 2
3. What Heat’s the Earth’s Interior?3.1 ConvectionChapter 3
4. How Does the Sun Shine?(Space Science Laboratory)
4.1 Space Weather Now
Chapter 4
5. What Is Light?Chapter 5
6. How Does Energy Flow in the Atmosphere?6.1. Equilibrium
6.2. Heat Trappers Inc
Chapter 6
7. What Causes Thunderstorms & Tornados?7.1. Sun Beams
7.2 Wind Maps
Chapter 7
8. What is El Niño?Chapter 8
9. How Does Energy Flow in Living Systems?9.1 Energy Flow & YouChapter 9
AcknowledgementsBibliography

Overview

Analyzing the flow of energy is vital to understanding Earth systems. Students investigate the process of convection and how it relates to earthquakes and volcanoes, global winds, ocean currents. They experiment with the variables that affect water flowing through a bottle as a model for dynamic equilibrium and how the greenhouse effect is expected to change the Earth’s climate. Students learn about energy that flows through living systems can be stored over millions of years as fossil fuels; and how that energy is being released to power our civilizations for a few short decades. Students think about how the flow of energy through Earth systems affects their daily lives and how life might be different for their children and grandchildren.