Earth Space Chapter 1

Celsius

F - 32 / 1.8

Constants

Factors that do not change during an experiment

Astronomy, meteorology, geology, oceanography, & environmental science

Five major areas of specialization

Marine geology

Geologic features of the ocean floor, including plate tectonics of the ocean

Earth's 4 systems (interdependent)

Geosphere, atmosphere, hydrosphere, and biosphere

Bar graphs

Graph used to represent quantitative data

Circle graphs

Graph used to show a fixed quantity; "pie graph"

Biosphere

Includes all organisms on Earth as well as the environments in which they live

Bias

Influence by expectations or belief

Environmental soil science

Interactions between humans and the soil, such as the impact of farming practices; effects of pollution on soil, plants, and groundwater

Time

Interval between two events; seconds, hours

Paleontology

Remains of organisms that once lived on Earth; ancient environments

Crust

Rigid outer shell of Earth

Le Système International d'Unités (SI)

Standard system of united used by scientific investigations

Technology

The application of scientific discoveries; transferable - meaning it can be applied to new situations

Geosphere

The area from the surface of the Earth down to it's center; crust, mantle, core

Length

mm, cm, m, km

Dependent variable

A factor that is affected by changes in the independent variable

Temperature

A measure of the average kinetic energy of the particles that make up a material; Celsius, Fahrenheit, kelvin

Weight

A measure of the gravitational force on an object; newton

Scientific law

A principle that describes the behavior of a natural phenomenon; can be thought of as a rule of nature; events are observed to be the same every time

Scientific methods

A series of problem-solving procedures that help scientists conduct experiments

Hypothesis

A testable explanation of a situation that can be supported or disproved by careful procedures

Scientific notation

A type of shorthand to express very large or very small numbers

Line graph

A visual display that shows how two variables are related

Hydrosphere

All the water on Earth, including the water in the atmosphere; 97% salt water, 3% freshwater contained in glaciers, lakes, and rivers and beneath Earth's surface as groundwater

Volume

Amount of space occupied by an object; m^3, mL, L

Area

Amount of surface included within a set of boundaries; m^2, cm^2

Scientific theory

An explanation based on many observations during repeated investigations; is only valid if it is consistent with observations, makes predictions that can be tested, and is the simplest explanation of observations

Scientific model

An idea picture, a system, or mathematical expression that represents the concept being explained

Experiment

An organized procedure that involves making observations and measurements to test a hypothesis

Mantle

Below the crust

Core

Below the mantle

Kelvin

C + 273.15

Environmental chemistry

Chemical alterations to the environment through pollution and natural means

Atmospheric chemistry

Chemistry of Earth's atmosphere, and the atmospheres of other planets

Geochemistry

Earth's composition and the processes that change it

Mass

Amount of matter in an object; g, kg, metric ton

Fahrenheit

1.8(C) + 32

Density

Measure of the amount of matter that occupies a given space; g/cm^3, g/mL, kg/m^3

Climatology

Patterns of weather over a long period of time

Physical oceanography

Physical characteristics of oceans, such as salinity, waves, and currents

Astrophysics

Physics of the universe, including the physical properties of objects found in space

Planetary science

Planets of the solar system and the processes that form them

Atmosphere

The blanket of gases that surrounds our planet; 78% nitrogen, 21% oxygen, 1% other gases; provides oxygen for living things, protects Earth's inhabitants from harmful radiation from the Sun, and helps to keep the planet at a temperature suitable for life

Independent variable

The factor that is changed by the experimenter

Oceanography

The study of Earth's oceans, which cover nearly 3/4 of the planet; studies creatures that inhabit salty water, measures different physical and chemical properties of the oceans, and observe various processes in bodies of water

Astronomy

The study of objects beyond earths atmosphere; the universe and everything in it, including galaxies, stars, planets, and other bodies they have identified

Meteorology

The study of the forces and processes that cause the atmosphere to change and produce weather; studies how changes in weather over time might affect Earth's climate

Environmental science

The study of the interactions of organisms and their surroundings; studies how organisms impact the environment both positively and negatively; studies natural resources, pollution, alternative energy sources, and the impact of humans on the atmosphere

Geology

The study of the materials that make up Earth, the processes that form and change these materials, and the history of the planet and its life-forms; identify rocks, study glacial movements, interpret clues to Earth's 4.6 billion year history, and determine how forces change our planet

Control

Used in an experiment to show that the results of an experiment are a result of the condition being tested

Lab report

Written account of each lab