The system of gases that surrounds Earth

The various patterns of movement of water and air driven by interactions among the geosphere (land), hydrosphere (water), and atmosphere (air), with inputs of energy from the sun

A volume of air defined by its temperature and water vapor content; cover many hundreds or thousands of miles

A mature tropical cyclone that develops the Northeast Pacific Ocean, east of the dateline, or the North Atlantic Ocean.

Horizontal and vertical streams of circulation in ocean waters that are produced by gravity, wind friction, temperature differences, and water density variation in different parts of the ocean; move in predictable patterns around Earth

An intense circular storm that originates over warm tropical oceans and is characterized by low atmospheric pressure, high winds (74 mph or greater), and heavy rain.

A mature tropical cyclone that develops over the Northwestern Pacific Ocean

Result that occurs when a rocky, metallic, or icy body that had been orbiting the Sun passes through the atmosphere and hits the Earth's surface.

The weather conditions prevailing in an area over multiple decades.

The action or process of clearing of forests.

Gases that trap heat in the atmosphere.

The process that moves carbon between plants, animals, microbes, minerals in the Earth, and the atmosphere.

System consisting of the Sun and a collection of objects of varying sizes and conditions—including planets and their moons—that are held in orbit around the Sun by its gravitational pull on them

A galaxy that has a generally elliptical shape and that has no apparent internal structure or spiral arms.

A galaxy that does not have a distinct regular shape.

The spiral-shaped galaxy of which the Sun and Earth's Solar System are located and contain the myriads of stars that create the light of the Milky Way.

A galaxy exhibiting a central nucleus or barred structure from which extend curved arms of higher luminosity.

The geologic law that states that sedimentary layers are deposited in a time sequence, with the oldest on the bottom and the youngest on the top.

The generally accepted scientific theory that describes the process by which tectonic plates of Earth's lithosphere are slowly moving and interacting due to convection currents in the mantle.

A place in Earth's upper mantle where hot magma from the lower mantle upwells to melt through the crust usually in the interior of a tectonic plate to form a volcanic feature.

In a watershed, water that seeps through the ground and is stored below the Earth's surface.

In a watershed, natural water that is at the surface or has not penetrated much below the surface of the ground; drainage water

All of the surface water and groundwater within the system

The system on Earth that contains all the living things below, on the surface, above the ground, and in the water and the biotic and abiotic factors required for life.

The system on Earth that contains the solid land and is subject to plate tectonics.

A thin layer on the outside of Earth, accounting for less than 1% of Earth's volume.

The innermost geologic layer of planet Earth primarily a solid ball believed to be composed of an iron-nickel alloy with some other elements

A layer of silicate rock between the crust and the outer core.

A fluid layer about 2,260 km thick, composed of mostly iron and nickel, that lies above Earth's solid inner core and below its mantle.

Rock that is created by cooling lava on Earth's surface (extrusive) or magma that cools or solidifies in the crust of Earth (intrusive).

Rock that has been modified from existing rock by heat and pressure.

Rock that has formed through the deposition and solidification of sediment through the processes of compaction, cementation by heat, and pressure.

Any astronomical object orbiting the Sun that did not resolve into a disc and does not have characteristics of an active comet such as a tail

An icy, small solar system body that, when passing close to the Sun, warms and begins to release gases that produce a visible atmosphere, or coma, and sometimes also a tail.

A small rocky or metallic body in outer space, also called meteoroids, that are significantly smaller than asteroids and range in size from small grains to one-meter-wide objects.

Move in a curved path around the central mass of a system.

A tide just after the first or third quarters of the moon when there is least difference between high and low water.

A tide just after a new or full moon when there is the greatest difference between high and low water.

A careful preservation and protection of something.