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Science chap 3&4
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| crust | the thin layer of rock that forms Earths outer surface on land and in the ocean |
| mantle | the layer of very hot but mostly solid rock beneath Earth's crust |
| core | The layer of Earth below the mantle |
| tectonic plates | one of the Rigid layers of the lithosphere |
| land-forms | a mountain island or continent formed by the collisions and separations of tectonic plates |
| deposition | the movement and accumulation of eroded soil |
| evaporation | a change in state from liquid to a gas |
| transpiration | the release of water vapor by plants through their leaves |
| precipitation | the return of water from the atmosphere to earths surface in the form of rain snow sleet or hail the process of separating a solid substance from a solution |
| condensation | a change in state from vapor to a liquid |
| aquifers | a sponge like formation of rock,sand,or gravel that holds water |
| ground water | fresh water found below the earths surface |
| laws of conservation of matter | the principle that states that matter can change form but cannot be created or destroyed |
| nutrients | matter that organisms need to carry out their life process |
| biogeochemical cycles | the circulation of nutrients through the atmosphere; also called nutrients cylce |
| Primary producers | an organism that can capture energy from the sun or form chemicals and store it also called autotroph |
| photosynthesis | the process by which primary producers use sunlight to convert carbon dioxide and water into sugars,releasing oxygen |
| consumers | an organism that relies on other organisms for energy and nutrients also called heterotroph |
| decomposers | an organism that breaks down nonliving matter into simple parts that can then be taken up and reused by primary producers |
| cellular respiration | the process by which organisms use oxygen to release the chemical energy of sugars, producing carbon dioxide and water |
| eutrophication | the introduction of phosphorus and nitrogen into a body of water that leads to an overgrowth of algae and other producers |
| Nitrogen fixation | the conversion of nitrogen gas into ammonia |