Unit 4 Flashcards
biogenic sediment
sediment that is at least 30 percent skeletal remains of marine life
drought
a period when the climate is drier than usual and creates water-related problems
carbon cycle
the process through which carbon is absorbed by plants, used for photosynthesis and returned to the atmosphere
climates
long-term patterns of weather
convection
the process through which warm air rises from the surface of the earth
decomposition
the decaying of dead organisms
exosphere
the outer limit of the atmosphere
geological features
the physical characteristics of the earth’s crust
ion
an atom or molecule with an electric charge
mesosphere
the layer of the atmosphere above the stratosphere and where some of the lowest temperatures in the atmosphere are found
nitrogen cycle
the path that nitrogen follows as it is absorbed into the ocean
ph scale
the scale that measures the amount of hydrogen ions in a solution
plankton
microscopic plants
precipitation
rain or snow
stratosphere
the layer of the atmosphere above the troposphere where the ozone layer is found
