Environmental Science Chapter 3 Vocabulary Per. 4

Front

What are positively charged atoms?

Back

Protons are positively charged particles found in the nucleus of an atom.

Front

What are mountains, islands, and continents classified as?

Back

Landforms are natural features of the Earth's surface, including mountains, islands, and continents.

Front

What is the process called when rock and earth are worn away by water, wind, and snow?

Back

Erosion is the process of wearing away rocks and soil by natural forces such as water, wind, and ice.

Front

What do we call an organism that obtains energy and nutrients by feeding on other organisms or their remains?

Back

Consumers are organisms that rely on other organisms for energy and nutrients.

Front

What is the layer of very hot but mostly solid rock below the Earth's crust?

Back

The mantle is the layer of the Earth located below the crust, consisting of hot, solid rock.

Front

What is the term for the movement of tectonic plates?

Back

Plate tectonics refers to the movement and interaction of the Earth's lithospheric plates.

Front

What is the process by which plants release water vapor into the atmosphere?

Back

Transpiration is the process where plants release water vapor from their leaves into the atmosphere.

Front

What are the three main types of rocks?

Back

The three main types of rocks are igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic.

Front

What is the term for the layer of the Earth that includes the crust and the upper mantle?

Back

The lithosphere is the rigid outer layer of the Earth, comprising the crust and the upper part of the mantle.

Front

What is the term for the natural process of breaking down rocks into smaller pieces?

Back

Weathering is the process that breaks down rocks into smaller particles through physical, chemical, or biological means.