8th Science Final Vocab

Structural Adaptation

• an adaptation to the structure of living organisms

• a behavioral change in response to environmental factors

• a physiological change that occurs over time

• a genetic mutation that affects physical traits

Jet Stream

• a high-speed high-altitude airstream blowing from west to east near the top of the troposphere

• a slow-moving cold air mass that causes thunderstorms

• a warm air current that circulates around the equator

• a low-pressure system that brings heavy rainfall

Abiotic

• Living factors in the environment; biological rather than physical; come from living organisms

• Nonliving factors in the environment; physical rather than biological; do not come from living organisms

• Factors that are both living and nonliving; include both physical and biological aspects

• Factors that are only biological; do not include physical aspects

Biotic

• living factors in the environment; related to, produced by, or caused by living organisms

• non-living factors that affect ecosystems

• chemical processes occurring in living organisms

• the study of interactions between organisms and their environment

Ice Ages

• Periods of extreme heat when the Earth is mostly dry.

• Lasting cold periods when glaciers and ice sheets cover much of the Earth.

• Times when dinosaurs roamed the Earth.

• Short-lived weather changes that affect only small regions.

Hydrosphere

• the ice, water vapor, and liquid water in atmosphere including oceans, lakes, streams, soils, and groundwater

• the layer of gases surrounding the planet

• the solid outer layer of the Earth

• the region of the Earth where living organisms exist

Urbanization

• the development of towns and cities on previously natural areas.

• the process of increasing agricultural production in rural areas.

• the migration of people from cities to rural areas.

• the decline of population in urban areas.

Competition

• the struggle between organisms to survive in a habitat with limited resources

• the process by which organisms adapt to their environment

• the interaction between different species in a food web

• the method of reproduction in various species

Greenhouse Gases

• Gases that cool the Earth's surface

• Gases in Earth's atmosphere that trap heat near the surface

• Gases that are released during photosynthesis

• Gases that are found only in urban areas

Biosphere

• part of Earth in which life exists including land, water, and air or atmosphere

• a layer of the Earth's crust that contains minerals

• the region of the Earth where weather occurs

• the area of the Earth that is uninhabitable