 | Term | Definition |
| |
photosynthesis |
Process in which plants capture light energy, store it as sugars, and release it as oxygen |
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respiration |
sugars are oxidized with oxygen so their stored energy can be used to carry on the life of the organism |
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heterotrophs |
bacteria and animals |
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autotrophs |
Can manufacture their own food. algae and plants |
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chemosynthesis |
process of deriving energy from inorganic compounds from deep-water vents |
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primary crystalline rock |
weathered down into each of the elements in sediment |
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methane |
the simplest hydrocarbon. found in the atmosphere and heats the earth via greenhouse gasses |
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water vapor |
the gaseous stage of h20 occurs at boiling point of 100 degrees celcius |
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protoplasm |
the complicated self perpetuating living material making up all organisms. include the elemnts carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen, water and dissolved salts. |
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compound |
substance containing 2 or more elements combined in fixed proportions |
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Niels Bohr |
Danish physicist who devoloped a theory a throy of the atom as a small solar system |
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isotope |
is an element that has a different atomic mass than other atoms of the same element |
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ionic bonds |
where electrons are either gained or lost |
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covalent bonds |
where electron are are shared between atoms |
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anion |
negatively charged ion produced by the gain of electrons in the outer shell of an atom |
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valence |
number of hydrogen atoms with which an atom of a given element can combine with either ionic or covalent bonds |
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cation |
positively charged ion produced by the loss of electrons from the outer shell |
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molecule |
smallest particle of an element or compound that retains the characteristics of the substance |
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natural selection |
the process by which the forces of nature select for survivale those most fit to live in a given environment |
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element |
substance comprised of like particles that cannot be broken into smaller particles by chemical means |
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carbohydrates |
an organic compound consisting of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen. sugars and starches are examples |
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coal |
black hard fuel that results from the burial and partial decomposition of organic matter in the absense of oxygen and under elevated temperature |
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carbon dioxide |
a gas that is photosynthesized by planets to produce oxygen |
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atomic mass |
number equal to the sum of protons and neutron in the nucleus of an atom in an element |
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atomic number |
number representing the relative position of an element in the periodic table of elements. It is equal to the number of positive charges in the atoms nucleus. |
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electron |
a negatively charged particle in orbit around the nucleus of an atom |
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electron cloud |
the organized assemblage of electrons surrounding the nucleus of an atom |
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hydrocarbon |
an organic compound consisting solely of hydrogen and carbon. Petroleum is a mixture of many hydrocarbon compounds |
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ion |
an atom that becomes electrically charged by gaining or losing one or more electrons. the lose produces a positively charged cation and the gain produces a negatively charged anion |
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nucleus |
the central, positively charged part of an atom, containing protons and neutrons |
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neutrons |
an electrically neutral particle found in the nucleus of most atoms |
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organic molecule |
molecule of a compund the is naturally produced by organisms. ATP, DNA, carbohydrates and lipids are examples |
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lipids |
molecule of a compound that is naturally produced by organisms |
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petroleum |
a naturally occuring liquid hydrocarbon |
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protein |
complex organic compound made up of large numbers of amino acids. proteins make up a large percentage of the dry weight of all living organisms |
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proton |
positively charged subatomic particle found in the nucleus of atoms that has a mass approximatley equal to that of a neutron |
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solar system |
a system of planets which orbit around the sun |
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milky way |
a huge spiral of stars which our solar system is 2/3 of the way from the center |
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galaxy |
a system of stars. one of the billions of large systems of stars that make up the universe |
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light-year |
a measure of distance which is equal to the distance light travels in one year |
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atom |
the fundamental unit of matter. 25 minutes after the big bang, protons and neutrons combined to form atomic nucleui. When the temperature dropped to 3,000 dgrees celcius, the nucleui attracted electrons |
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protoplanets |
the form taken by any planet in its early development. As the star contracts, it leaves behind eddies of nebulai. |
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protoearth |
earth early in its development. Had a diameter 1000x greater and a mass 500x greater than at present. there were no oceans or life |
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core |
high density center of the earth divided into the liquid outer and solid inner, both of which are composed of iron and nickel |
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mantle |
lower density rock surrounding the core |
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crust |
even lower density rock then the mantle. Oceanic underlies the ocean basins and is higher density the the continental. Continental underlies the continents and is lower density |
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meteorites |
pieces of the early solar system |
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geologic history |
began about 4.6 billion years ago. planet had cooled sufficiently. atmosphere was created by outgassing. the oceans were created the same way, by the water vapors in the atmosphere condesning and falling to earth. |
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chemical weathering |
releases elements contained in rock by dissolving them |
