Question 1

Earth system

Accepted Answer

Earth system  all of the nonliving things, living things, 
and processes that make up the planet Earth, 
including the solid Earth, the hydrosphere, the 
atmosphere, and the biosphere.

Question 2

Geosphere

Accepted Answer

Geosphere  the mostly solid, rocky part of Earth; 
extends from the center of the core to the surface of 
the crust.

Question 3

Hydrosphere

Accepted Answer

hydrosphere  the portion of Earth that is water.

Question 4

Cryosphere

Accepted Answer

one of Earth’s spheres 
where water is in solid form, including snow cover, 
floating ice, glaciers, ice caps, ice sheets, and 
frozen ground permafrost

Question 5

Atomosphere

Accepted Answer

atmosphere  a mixture of gases that surrounds a
planet, moon, or other celestial body.

Question 6

Biosphere

Accepted Answer

the part of Earth where life exists; includes
all of the living organisms on Earth.

Question 7

Energy Budget

Accepted Answer

a way to keep track
of energy transfers into and out of the Earth system.

Question 8

air pressure

Accepted Answer

air pressure  the measure of the force with which air 
molecules push on a surface.

Question 9

thermosphere

Accepted Answer

thermal expansion  an increase in the size of a 
substance in response to an increase in the 
temperature of the substance.

Question 10

mesosphere

Accepted Answer

the strong, lower part
of the mantle between the asthenosphere and the
outer core, 2. the layer of the atmosphere between
the stratosphere and the thermosphere and in
which temperature decreases as altitude increases.

Question 11

stratosphere

Accepted Answer

stratosphere  the layer of the atmosphere that lies 
between the troposphere and the mesosphere 
and in which temperature increases as altitude 
increases; contains the ozone layer.

Question 12

treposphere

Accepted Answer

troposphere  the lowest layer of the atmosphere, in 
which temperature drops at a constant rate as 
altitude increases; the part of the atmosphere 
where weather conditions exist.

Question 13

ozone layer

Accepted Answer

ozone layer  the layer of the atmosphere at an altitude 
of 15 to 40 km in which ozone absorbs ultraviolet 
solar radiation.

Question 14

greenhouse effect

Accepted Answer

greenhouse effect  the warming of the surface and 
lower atmosphere of Earth that occurs when water 
vapor, carbon dioxide, and other gases absorb and 
reradiate thermal energy

Question 15

temperature

Accepted Answer

a measure of how hot 
or cold something is; specifically, a measure of the 
average kinetic energy of the particles in an object

Question 16

thermal energy

Accepted Answer

thermal energy  the total kinetic energy of a 
substance’s atoms

Question 17

thermal expansion

Accepted Answer

thermal expansion  an increase in the size of a 
substance in response to an increase in the 
temperature of the substance

Question 18

heat

Accepted Answer

heat  the energy transferred between objects that are 
at different temperatures

Question 19

convection

Accepted Answer

he movement of 
matter due to differences in density that are caused 
by temperature variations; can result in the transfer 
of energy as heat

Question 20

conduction

Accepted Answer

the transfer of energy
as heat through a material

Question 21

air pressure

Accepted Answer

the measure of the force with which air 
molecules push on a surface

Question 22

thermosphere

Accepted Answer

he uppermost layer of the atmosphere, 
in which temperature increases as altitude 
increases

Question 23

mesosphere

Accepted Answer

he strong, lower part
of the mantle between the asthenosphere and the
outer core, 2. the layer of the atmosphere between
the stratosphere and the thermosphere and in
which temperature decreases as altitude increases

Question 24

surface current

Accepted Answer

a horizontal movement of ocean water 
that is caused by wind and that occurs at or near 
the ocean’s surface

Question 25

tresosphere

Accepted Answer

the lowest layer of the atmosphere, in 
which temperature drops at a constant rate as 
altitude increases; the part of the atmosphere 
where weather conditions exist

Question 26

ozone layer

Accepted Answer

the layer of the atmosphere at an altitude 
of 15 to 40 km in which ozone absorbs ultraviolet 
solar radiation

Question 27

greenhouse effect

Accepted Answer

the warming of the surface and 
lower atmosphere of Earth that occurs when water 
vapor, carbon dioxide, and other gases absorb and 
reradiate thermal energy

Question 28

wind

Accepted Answer

the movement of air caused by differences in air 
pressure

Question 29

Coriolis effect

Accepted Answer

he curving 
of the path of a moving object from an otherwise 
straight path due to Earth’s rotation

Question 30

global wind

Accepted Answer

the movement of air 
over Earth’s surface in patterms that are worldwide

Question 31

jet stream

Accepted Answer

a narrow band of strong winds that blow in
the upper troposphere

Question 32

local wind

Accepted Answer

the movement of air over
short distances; occurs in specific areas as a result
of certain geographical features

Question 33

ocean current

Accepted Answer

a movement of ocean water that follows
a regular pattern

Question 34

deep current

Accepted Answer

a stream like movement of ocean water 
far below the surface

Question 35

convection

Accepted Answer

any movement of matter that 
results from differences in density; may be vertical, 
circular, or cyclical

Question 36

upwelling

Accepted Answer

the rising of regions of the Earth’s crust to
higher elevations

Earth System

Unit 10

"Know" box contains:
Time elapsed:
Retries: