1.
astronomy: study of the universe
2.
atmosphere: the gaseous portion of a planet; the planet's envelope of air;
3.
aurora: a bright display of ever changing light caused by solar radiation interacting with the upper atmosphere in the region of the poles
4.
barometer: instrument that measures atmospheric pressure
5.
big bang theory: the theory that proposes that the universe originated as a single mass, which subsequently exploded
6.
biosphere: all life on Earth; the parts of the solid Earth, hydrosphere and atmosphere that living organisms can be found
7.
contour interval: on a topographic map, tells the distance in elevation between adjacent contour lines
8.
contour lines: lines on a topographic map that indicates an elevation
9.
core: the innermost layer of Earth, located beneath the mantle
10.
crust: the thin, outer layer of Earth
11.
density: mass per unit volume of a substance, usually expressed as grams per cubic centimeter
12.
Earth Science: the name for all the sciences that collectively seek to understand Earth; it includes geology, oceanography, meteorology,
13.
geology: the science that examines the Earth, its form and composition, and the changes it has undergone and is undergoing
14.
geosphere: layer of Earth under both the atmosphere and the oceans; composed of the core, mantle and crust
15.
geothermal energy: energy that can be extracted from Earth's internal heat, for example, natural steam used for power generation
16.
greenhouse effect: the heating of Earth's surface and atmosphere from solar radiation being absorbed and emitted by the atmosphere, mainly by water vapor and carbon dioxide
17.
hydrosphere: the water portion of Earth; one of the traditional subdivisions of Earth's physical environment
18.
hypothesis: a tentative explanation that is tested to determine if it is valid
19.
inner core: the solid innermost layer of Earth
20.
Jovian planet: the Jupiter like planets; Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune. These planets have relatively low densities and are huge gas giants
21.
latitude: the distance north or south of the equator, measured in degrees
22.
latitude: distance north and south of the equator
23.
lithosphere: the rigid outer layer of earth, including the crust and upper mantle
24.
longitude: distance east or west of the prime meridian
25.
longitude: the distance east or west of the prime meridian, measured in degrees
26.
mantle: layer of Earth located below the crust
27.
mechanical weathering: the physical disintegration of rock, resulting in smaller fragments
28.
meteorology: study of the atmosphere and the processes that produce weather and climate
29.
nebula: a cloud of gas and/or dust in space
30.
nonrenewable resource: resource that takes millions of years to form
31.
oceanography: the scientific study of the oceans and oceanic phenomena
32.
precipitation: any form of water that falls from a cloud
33.
reflection: the process whereby light bounces back from an object at the same angle at which it encounters a surface and with the same intensity
34.
renewable resource: a resource that is virtually inexhaustible or that can be replenished over relatively short time spans
35.
system: any size group of interacting parts that form a complex whole
36.
topographic map: show elevation of Earth's surface by means of contour lines
