EN SCI Chapter 1 Vocabulary

partially molten, plasticlike, flowing layer located below the solid part of Earth's mantle

• asthenosphere

• biosphere

• lithosphere

• velveeta

study of objects beyond Earth's atmosphere

• astronomy

• oceanography

• geology

• meteorology

study of materials that make up Earth and the processes that form and change these materials

• astronomy

• oceanography

• geology

• meteorology

Branch of Earth science that studies the air that surrounds our planet; study of atmospheric phenomena such as fog, clouds, snow, rain, and lightning

• astronomy

• oceanography

• geology

• meteorology

study of Earth's oceans including the creatures that inhabit its waters, its physical and chemical properties, and the effects of human activities

• astronomy

• oceanography

• geology

• meteorology

blanket of gasses surrounding Earth that contains about 78 percent nitrogen, 21 percent oxygen, and 1 percent other gasses such as argon, carbon dioxide, and water vapor

• atmosphere

• hydrosphere

• biosphere

• lithosphere

All the water in Earth's oceans, lakes, seas, rivers, and glaciers plus all the water in the atmosphere

• atmosphere

• hydrosphere

• biosphere

• lithosphere

All of Earth's organisms and the environments in which they live

• atmosphere

• hydrosphere

• biosphere

• lithosphere

Earth's rigid outer shell, including the crust and the solid uppermost part of the mantle

• atmosphere

• hydrosphere

• biosphere

• lithosphere

standard for comparison in an experiment

• control

• model

• hypothesis

• theory