Terms And Definitions Flashcards
Abiotic
Pertaining to factors or things that are separate and independent from lining things; no lining.
Abyssal zone
This is the deepest region of the ocean. This zone is marked by extremely cold temperatures and very low levels of dissolved oxygen, but very high levels of nutrients because of the decaying plant and animal matter that falls from the zones above.
Acid
Any compound that releases hydrogen ions when dissolved in water. Also, a water solution that contains a surplus of hydrogen ions.
Active volcano
Volcano that is currently erupted or has erupted within recorded history.
Aggregate
Crowded or massed into a dense cluster
Air mass
Enormous bodies of air that move as a unit.
A layer
A soul horizon; the layer below the O layer is called the A layer. The A layer is formed of weathered rock, with some organic material; often referred to as topsoil.
Alkaline
A basic substance; chemically, a substance that absorbs hydrogen io s or release hydroxyl ions; in reference to natural water, a measure of the base content of the water.
Aquifer
An underground layer of porous rock, sand, or other material that allows the movement of water between layers of nonporous rock or clay. Aquifers are frequently tapped for wells.
Arable
Land that’s fit to be cultivated.
Asthenosphere
The part of the mantle that lies just below the lithosphere.
Atmosphere
The gaseous mass or envelope surrounding a celestial body, especially the one surrounding the earth, which is retained by the celestial body’s gravitational field.
Barrier Island
A long, relatively narrow island running parallel to the mainland, built up by the action of waves and currents and serving to protect the coast from erosion by surf and tidal surges.
Bathyal Zone
The steep descent of the seabed from the continental shelf to the abyssal zone.
Benthic Zone
The deepest layer in a body of water; characterized by very low temperatures and lo oxygen levels.