Chap. 3 Key Terms Flashcards
geosphere
the solid part that consists of all rock, as well as soils and loose rocks on earths surface
hydrosphere
makes up all of the water on or near earths surface
crust
composed almost entirely of light elements
mantle
the layer beneath the crust
core
the earths innermost layer
lithosphere
a cool rigid layer that includes the crust and uppermost part of the mantle
asthenosphere
the layer beneath the lithosphere
tectonic plates
the pieces of the lithosphere that glide across the underlying asthenosphere
chemical weathering
wears down rocks making them smoother as time passes
erosion
transports the materials elsewhere
atmosphere
a mixture of gases the earth is surrounded by
troposphere
the atmospheric layer that is closest to earths surface
stratosphere
above the troposphere
ozone
a molecule made up of three oxygen atoms
radiation
the transfer of energy as electromagnetic waves
conduction
the transfer of energy in the form of heat
convection
transfer of energy that takes place when variations in temperature move the matter making up air
greenhouse effect
greenhouse gases absorb and reradiate infrared radiation near the earth
water cycle
the continuous movement of water into the air, onto land, and then back to water sources
evaporation
the process by which liquid water is heated by the sun and then rises into the atmosphere as water vapor
condensation
water vapor forms water droplets on dust particles
precipitation
larger droplets fall from clouds as rain
salinity
the concentration of all the dissolved salts it contains
fresh water
a little more than 3 percent of all water on earth
