Unit 1 Outline VOCAB Flashcards
Earth Science
The scientific study of Earth and the universe around it
Environmental Science
the study of ways in which humans interact with the environment and role on Earth
Geology
study of the origin, history, and structure of the Earth
Oceanography
study of the ocean including movement and ocean floor
Meteorology
the study of Earth’s atmosphere, focus on weather and climate
Astronomy
the scientific study of the universe
scientific method
systematic way of studying our surroundings
Peer Review
Process in which experts in a field examine the results and conclusions of a scientist’s study before that study is accepted for publication
Precision
the exactness or degree or repeatability of a measurement
Error
Amount of variation in a set of measurements
Scientific Theory
System of ideas that EXPLAINS many related observations and is supported by a large body of evidence through scientific investigation
Scientific Law
DESCRIPTION of an observed phenomenon of the natural world and how it behaves
Crust
the thin and solid outermost layer of the Earth above the mantle
Mantle
layer of rock between Earth’s crust and core
Core
central part of the Earth
Lithosphere
the solid, outer layer of Earth that consists of crust and upper part of mantle
Asthenosphere
the solid, plastic layer of the mantle; made of mantle rock that flows very slowly
mesosphere
“middle sphere”; strong lower part of mantle
outer core
dense liquid
inner core
rigid solid
Magnetosphere
Magnetic field that extends into space
Newton’s Law of Gravitation/ Gravity
The force of attraction that exists between all matter in the universe
Mass
how much matter is in an object
Weight
the pull of gravity on an object; varies with location and gravity
Matter
Anything that has mass and takes up space
Energy
the ability to do work
Open system
system in which both energy and matter are exchanged with the surroundings
closed system
system in which energy, but not matter is exchanged with the surroundings
atmosphere
mixture of gases that surround the planet, moon, or other celestial body
hydrosphere
portion of the earth that is water
geosphere
solid, mostly rocky part of the Earth; extends from core to crust
Biosphere
the part of Earth where life exists; including all of the living organisms
1rst Law of Thermodynamics
Energy is transferred between systems but never created or destroyed (think of a budget)
2nd Law of Thermodynamics
As energy transfers from system to system it becomes less organized with time (constantly becomes less useful/efficient)
Nitrogen Cycle
Moves through all the spheres; important for cells to build proteins and other cells; “fixed”-> needs to change for reactions
Carbon Cycle
building block of life; moves through all spheres; short-term movement and long-term storage
Phosphorus Cycle
building blocks of lipids and proteins; moves through all spheres EXCEPT atmosphere; concerning when it comes to environmental issues (Algae)
Water Cycle
necessary for life; cycles through atmosphere to the surface and back
Ecology
study of the complex relationships between living things and their nonliving, or abiotic, environment (connects life and earth science; studies organisms in their ecosystems)
ecosytem
community of organisms and their abiotic enviroment
carrying capacity
largest population that an environment can support at any given time
food chain
sequence of consumption of organisms through an ecosystem
food web
diagram that shows the feeding relationships among organisms in an ecosystem (multiple food chains)
parallels
any circle that runs E and W around Earth and that is parallel to the equator (this is a line of latitude)
Latitude
the angular distance N or S from the equator; expressed in degrees (think of a ladder); measured 0-90 degrees
Meridian
any semicircle that runs N and S around Earth from the geographic NP to the geographic SP (a line of longitude)
longitude
the angular distance E or W from the PM expressed in degrees (think long); all locations are labeled 0-180 degrees
Great Circle
any circle that divides the globe into halves or marks the circumference
Geomagnetic Poles
are on earth’s surface where the magnetic fields run
magnetic declination
the angle between the direction of the geographic pole and the direction in which the compass needle points
Cartography
science of making maps
Remote Sensing
processes of gathering and analyzing information about an object without physically being in touch with the object
Cylindrical Projection
an image produced by projecting onto the surface of a cylinder
Azimuthal projections
an image produced by projecting onto a flat surface
conic projection
an image produced by projecting onto a conic surface
isogram
line on a map that represents a constant or equal value of a given quantity (all points along an isogram share the same value)
topography
the size and shape of the land surface features of a region, including its relief
contour line
line that connects points of equal elevation on a map
geologic map
designed to show the distribution of geologic features; shows the types of rocks found in a given area; overlayed on top of a base map that identifies the area
soil map
map that classifies, records, and describes the types of soil in an area
Accuracy
how close a measurement is to the truce value
