Earth Systems First Quiz Vocabulary

Terms in this set (32)

Hypothesis
what is expected to happen based on what is known; an educated guess
Independent variable
the one factor in the experiment you are changing/investigating
Dependent variable
the factor you are measuring in an experiment
Geology
The study of Earth's solid material and structures
Oceanography
The study of the ocean
Meteorology
The study of atmosphere and weather
Climatology
The study of long term conditions of the weather at a place
Environmental Science
The study of the effects people have on their environment
Astronomy
The study of outer space, and everything in it.
Geosphere
The solid part of the planet
Atmosphere
Blanket of gases that surrounds our planet
Hydrosphere
The liquid part of the planet
Biosphere
All organisms on Earth and the environments in which they live.
Proton
a particle in the atom with a positive charge
Neutron
a particle in the atom with a neutral (no) charge
Electron
a particle in the atom with a negative charge
Nucleus
area of atom that holds the protons and neutrons
Electron Cloud
area of the atom that holds the electrons
Atomic number
number of protons in an atom's nucleus
Atomic mass
average of the masses of the isotopes of an element.
Mass number
number of protons plus neutrons in an atom
Atom
the particle that makes up an element
Molecule
The single unit of a compound
Compound
combinations of elements
Period
horizontal rows of elements
Group
vertical columns of elements
Isotope
same elements but with a different mass
Fission
splitting a larger atom to make smaller ones
Fusion
smashes smaller atoms together to make larger atoms
Alpha particle
made of two protons and two neutrons and sent out of the nucleus of an atom during radioactive decay
Beta particle
made one electron and sent out of the nucleus of an atom during radioactive decay
Gamma radiation
extremely high energy radiation
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