Earth Materials and Systems - Middle School

Want to know more about earth science? Get to the core of the matter by learning these words related to earth materials and systems. This list focuses on the interactions of Earth's four spheres — atmosphere, biosphere, geosphere, and hydrosphere — and the ways that matter cycles through them.
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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. atmosphere
    the mass of air surrounding the Earth
  2. atmospheric pressure
    the pressure exerted by the atmosphere
  3. biosphere
    the regions of the Earth where living organisms exist
  4. carbon cycle
    the organic circulation of carbon from the atmosphere into organisms and back again
  5. climate
    the weather in some location averaged over a period of time
  6. convection
    movement of heat by massive motion within the atmosphere
  7. core
    the central part of the Earth
  8. crust
    the outer layer of the Earth
  9. crystallization
    the formation of crystals
  10. cycle
    a periodically repeated sequence of events
  11. deformation
    alteration in the shape or dimensions of an object as a result of the application of stress to it
  12. deposition
    the natural process of laying something down
  13. distribution
    the property of being scattered about over a range or area
  14. dynamic
    relating to the forces that cause motions of bodies
  15. earthquake
    vibration from underground movement along a fault plane
  16. ecosystem
    organisms interacting with their physical environment
  17. erosion
    the process of wearing or grinding something down
  18. exosphere
    the outermost atmospheric layer
  19. feedback
    the process in which output of a system is returned to input
  20. fresh water
    water that is not salty
  21. geochemistry
    the science that studies the earth's physical composition
  22. geosphere
    the solid part of the Earth
  23. geothermal energy
    energy derived from the heat in the interior of the earth
  24. gravity
    the force of attraction between all masses in the universe
  25. greenhouse gas
    a substance in the air that warms a planet by trapping heat
  26. hydrosphere
    the watery layer of the earth's surface
  27. igneous
    produced under conditions involving intense heat
  28. impact
    a forceful consequence; a strong effect
  29. landslide
    the descent of a large mass of dirt and rock down a slope
  30. mantle
    the layer of the earth between the crust and the core
  31. matter
    that which has mass and occupies space
  32. mesosphere
    the atmospheric layer between the stratosphere and the thermosphere
  33. metal
    a chemical element or alloy that is usually a shiny solid
  34. metamorphic
    having undergone transformation by pressure, heat, etc.
  35. mineral
    a solid inorganic substance occurring in nature
  36. molten
    reduced to liquid form by heating
  37. mountain range
    a series of hills or mountains
  38. natural resource
    material in the environment that can be used by people
  39. ocean
    a large body of water that is part of the hydrosphere
  40. ocean floor
    the bottom of a sea or ocean
  41. particle
    (nontechnical usage) a tiny piece of anything
  42. plate
    a rigid layer of the Earth's crust
  43. plateau
    a relatively flat raised area of land
  44. process
    a sustained phenomenon through a series of states
  45. rock
    material consisting of the aggregate of minerals
  46. runoff
    the occurrence of surplus liquid exceeding capacity
  47. seamount
    an underwater mountain rising above the ocean floor
  48. sediment
    matter that has been deposited by some natural process
  49. sedimentary
    formed by or containing the accumulation of deposited matter
  50. sedimentation
    the accumulation of matter deposited by some natural process
  51. soil
    material in the top layer of the surface of the earth
  52. stratosphere
    atmospheric layer between the troposphere and the mesosphere
  53. surface
    the outermost level of the land or sea
  54. system
    a group of independent elements comprising a unified whole
  55. tectonic
    pertaining to the structure or movement of the earth's crust
  56. temperature
    the degree of hotness or coldness of a body or environment
  57. thermosphere
    the atmospheric layer between the mesosphere and the exosphere
  58. trench
    a long steep-sided depression in the ocean floor
  59. troposphere
    the lowest atmospheric layer; from 4 to 11 miles high
  60. uplift
    lift up from the earth, as by geologic forces
  61. volcano
    a fissure in the earth's crust through which gases erupt
  62. weather
    change under the action or influence of the climate
  63. wetland
    an ecosystem, like a bog or swamp, saturated with water
  64. wind
    air moving from high pressure to low pressure
Created on Fri Feb 17 18:43:18 EST 2017 (updated Mon Apr 03 17:07:29 EDT 2017)

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