Key Terms Flashcards
Cosmologist?
A scientist that studies the general structure and evolution of the universe.
Big Bang Theory
A theory that the universe was created billions of years ago as a result of a giant explosion.
Solar system
The system containing the sun and planets including other terrestrial bodies that revolve around the sun.
Planetesimals
A small body of matter from which a planet originated from during the early formation of the solar system.
Nebula
A rotating cloud of gas and dust in outer space.
Nebular Hypothesis
The theory that the planets and sun evolved from a mass of matter.
Atmosphere
The gaseous envelope of air surrounding the a planet.
Stratosphere
The second layer of the Earth’s atmosphere that contains the ozone layer.
Hydrosphere
The water portion of the Earth including the water in the oceans and the water in the atmosphere.
Biosphere
All the living things that inhabit the Earth’s crust, waters, and atmosphere.
Geosphere
The solid part of the Earth
Crust
The thin rocky outer layer of the Earth.
Mantle
The portion of the Earth that is located between the crust and the core.
Inner Core
The solid innermost part of the core.
Outer Core
The layer above the inner core that contains liquid iron and nickel.
