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ES Chapter 3

Terms in this set (47)

______ is an important greenhouse gas.
Carbon Dioxide
A process that can occur by both wind and water.
Erosion
The warmest temperature zone of the ocean
surface zone
Stream-like movements of cold, dense water near the ocean floor
deep currents
The narrow layer of Earth where life-supporting conditions exist is called _________.
biosphere
In a _______, both matter and energy are exchanged between a system and a surrounding environment.
open system
The process that occurs when water vapor forms water droplets on dust particles is known as _______.
condensation
During __________, liquid water is heated by the sun and then rises into the atmosphere as water vapor.
evaporation
A single, large, interconnected body of water that covers 70% of Earth's surface.
world ocean
The _____ of sea water is a measure of the quantity of dissolved salts.
salinity
The continuous movement of water into the air, onto land, and then back to water sources is known as ____________.
water cycle
The flow of heat from a warmer object to a colder object when placed in direct physical contact is known as
conduction
Electrically charged atoms
ions
In the highest layer of the atmosphere, called the thermosphere, gas temperature is high but particle density of gas molecules is ____, so little heat can be transferred there.
low
The atmosphere contains ____ which trap radiated heat near Earth's surface.
greenhouse gases
A ______ current consists of air or liquid moving in a circular path as it is heated and cooled.
convection
In the upper atmosphere, the form of oxygen that protects Earth from the sun's ultraviolet rays is called
ozone
The second most abundant gas in Earth's atmosphere is
oxygen
In large volcanic eruptions, ash and gases can enter the atmosphere and reduce the amount of _____ that reaches Earth's surface.
sunlight
The vibration caused when there is a movement along a fault.
earthquake
The removal and transport of surface materials by water and wind
erosion
Most of the geological activity at the surface of Earth takes place at boundaries between
faults
Seismologists learn about the interior structure of Earth through measurements of the speed and direction of
seismic waves
Earth's thin outer layer is known as
crust
The Richter scale is used by scientists to measure the amount of energy released by an
earthquake
Currents at the surface of the ocean are driven by
wind
The part of Earth that encompasses all areas where organisms can obtain the energy they need.
biosphere
How are ocean water and freshwater different?
Ocean water has a higher concentration of salts
Where is most of the fresh water on Earth located?
icecaps and glaciers
The ___ includes all of the water on or near Earth's surface.
hydrosphere
Without the greenhouse effect, Earth's atmosphere would be _______ to support life
too cold
_____ causes air to be denser near Earth's surface.
gravity
What are the 3 mechanisms of energy transfer through or within Earth's atmosphere?
convection, conduction, radiation
In the troposphere, _______ and _____ decrease as altitude increases
temperature and pressure
The earth's densest atmospheric layer.
troposphere
List earth's compositional layers.
crust, mantle, core
The molten rock that is found in the upper mantle.
magma
The magnitude of an earthquake is best described by the
richter scale
The estimated temperature of Earth's inner core
400-500 degrees celcius
What is weather?
short term state of the atmosphere
The ozone layer is located in the
stratosphere
plants produce what gases
oxygen and carbon dioxide
The most geologically active region on the surface of earth is located where?
The region along techtonic plates
Wind and water erosion most often affect which areas of Earth?
mountains, rocks and soil
How did the Himalaya Mountains form?
continuous collisions between tectonic plates
What are the physical aspects of the environment that support the existence of life?
liquid water, moderate temperature, source of energy
What does the ozone layer do and why is it important?
It absorbs the sun's UV rays. This is important because UV rays are harmful to organisms and without ozone, organisms would be harmed.
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