Glossary

Question 1

Physiological function

Answer 1

Any substance that is involved in chemical reactions in a living organism has a physiological function

Question 2

Specific heat capacity

Answer 2

The measure of the amount of heat energy needed to heat up a particular mass of a material through a particular temperature rise
Water has a high specific heat capacity so it heats up and cools down slowly and has an important role in moderating climatic fluctuations

Question 3

Thermophilic

Answer 3

Heat loving

Eg. the bacteria that live in and around hot volcanic vents and hot springs

Question 4

Ambient gases

Answer 4

The surrounding environmental gases available to organisms

Question 5

Atmosphere

Answer 5

The gases surrounding the earth.

Different layers are characterised by their temperature, density, turbulence, composition

Question 6

Photolysis

Answer 6

The splitting of molecules by light, including the splitting of water molecules in the early atmosphere to produce oxygen

Question 7

Greenhouse gas

Answer 7

A gas that absorbs infrared radiation and causes atmospheric heating

Question 8

Transpiration

Answer 8

The loss of water from stomata of plant leaves by evaporation

Question 9

Biosphere

Answer 9

All living organisms on earth

Question 10

Hydrosphere

Answer 10

All water found on earth, including solid, liquid, and gas reservoirs including ice caps , oceans, rivers, lakes, soils, groundwater, atmosphere, living organisms

Question 11

Lithosphere

Answer 11

The relatively hard outer layer of the earth consisting of the crust and upper mantle