Earth and Space Science Vocab

Question 1

Earth Science

Answer 1

any various sciences, as geography, geology, or meteorology, that deal with the earth, its composition, or any of its changing aspects.

Question 2

Astronomy

Answer 2

Study of object’s beyond Earth’s atmosphere

Question 3

Geology

Answer 3

Study of materials that make up Earth and process that form and change these materials

Question 4

Meteorology

Answer 4

Studies the air that surrounds our planet; study of atmospheric phenomena such as fog, clouds, snow, rain and lightning

Question 5

Oceanography

Answer 5

Study of Earth’s oceans including the creatures that inhabit its waters, its physical and chemical properties and the effects of human activities

Question 6

Lithosphere

Answer 6

Earth’s rigid outer shell, including the crust and the solid uppermost part of the mantle

Question 7

Hydrosphere

Answer 7

All the water in the Earth’s oceans, lakes, seas, rivers and glaciers plus all the water in the atmosphere

Question 8

Atmosphere

Answer 8

Blanket of gases surrounding Earth that contains 78% nitrogen, 21% Oxygen and 1% other gases such as argon, carbon dioxide and water vapor.

Question 9

Biosphere

Answer 9

All of Earth’s organisms and the environments in which they live

Question 10

Observation

Answer 10

An act of viewing or noting a fact or occurrence using sense for some scientific or other special purpose

Question 11

Data

Answer 11

Individual facts, statistics, or items of information

Question 12

Prediction

Answer 12

To declare or tell in advance

Question 13

Hypothesis

Answer 13

A suggestion explanation for an observation that can be answered by the results of an experiment

Question 14

Experimental group

Answer 14

A group of subjects who are exposed to the variable under study

Question 15

Independent variable

Answer 15

Factor that is manipulated/ changes by the experimenter/ scientist in an experiment

Question 16

Dependent variable

Answer 16

Factor in an experiment that can change if the independent variable is changed

Question 17

Scientific theory

Answer 17

An explanation based on many observations during repeated experiments that is valid only if all future information supports it

Question 18

Scientific law

Answer 18

Basic fact that describes the behavior of a natural phenomenon

Question 19

Experiment

Answer 19

A test, trial, or tentative procedure, an act or operation for the purpose of discovering something unknown

Question 20

Control group

Answer 20

A group of subjects closely resembling the treatment group in many demographic variables but not receiving the active medication or factor under the story and thereby serving as a comparison group when treatment results are evaluated