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terms and definitions
Term | Definition |
---|---|
astronomy | study of objects beyond earths atmosphere |
meteorology | the study of the atmosphere, which is the air surrounding earth |
geology | study of materials that make up earth and the processes that form and change these materials, and the history of the planet and its life forms since its origin |
oceanography | study of earths oceans including the creatures that in habit its waters, its physical and chemical properties, and the effects of human activities |
environmental science | study of the interactions of humans with environment |
geosphere | the part of earth from its surface to its center |
atmosphere | blanket of gases surrounding earth that contains about 78% nitrogen, 21% oxygen and 1% other gases such as argon, carbon dioxide, and water vapor |
hydrosphere | all the water in earths oceans, lakes, seas, rivers, and glaciers plus all the water in teh atmosphere |
biosphere | all of earth's organisms and the environments in which they live |
scientific methods | a series of problem solving procedures that help scientists conduct experiments |
hypothesis | a testable explanation of an situation |
independent variable | factor that is manipulated by the experimenter in an experiment |
dependent variable | factor in an experiment that can change if the independent variable is changed |
control | standard for comparison in an experiment |
le systeme international d'unites scientific notation | replacement for the metric system; based on a decimal system using the number 10 as the base unit |
scientific model | an idea, a system, or a mathematical expression that represents the idea being explained |
scientific theory | an explanation based on many observations during repeated experiments |
scientific law | a principle that describes the behavior of natural phenomenon |