Earth Systems Vocabulary

An interstellar cloud of dust and gasses

• refraction

• Nebula

• Element

• Spectra

Tags

NGSS.HS-ESS1-2

NGSS.HS-ESS1-3

A star that is forming, nuclear fusion has not yet begun

• Nebula

• Refraction

• accretion

• Protostar

all existing matter and space, contains many galaxies, expanding since the Big Bang 13 billion years ago

• Universe

• Planetesimal

• Unit

• Accretion

Tags

NGSS.HS-ESS1-2

the coming together and cohesion of matter under the influence of gravitation to form larger bodies

• Spectra

• Accretion

• Thermal Energy

• Comet

Tags

NGSS.MS-PS2-4

a substance that is made up of one type of atom

• Compound

• Element

• mixture

• salt

bending of light as it passes from one medium to another

• Refraction

• wavelength

• Reflection

• Universe

Tags

NGSS.MS-PS4-2

the breakdown of light that is passed through a prism

• Wavelength

• Spectra

• Glass

• Reflection

Tags

NGSS.MS-PS4-2

Match with the correct word

• Planetesimal

• a large planet composed mostly of gases, such as hydrogen and helium, with a relatively small rocky core. The gas giants of our solar system are Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune

  
  

• Jovian Planet

• a smaller clump of gas, dust, and rocky material that may combine with other clumps to form larger masses, including planets

• Terrestrial Plant

• made up of rocks or metals with a hard surface, making them different from other planets that lack a solid surface.   In our solar system, there are four terrestrial planets, which also happen to be the four closest to the sun: Mercury, Venus, Earth and Mars

  
  

orbits a sun, big enough that gravity makes it round, clears objects around its orbit

• Comet

• Planet

• Terrestrial Planet

• Astronomical unit

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS1-2

The average distance from the Earth to the sun, or 149,597,870 kilometers (92,955,807 miles). Abbreviated AU.

• space

• Light-year

• Astronomical unit

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS1-3