Science Cards

Front 1

Agents of erosion

Back 1

water, wind and ice. All three of these agents transport sediments away from the site of weathering

Front 2

Atmosphere

Back 2

layer of gases above the Earth’s surface

Front 3

Deposition

Back 3

the process where sediments drop out of a

moving stream of water, air or ice

Front 4

Erosion

Back 4

the removal of sediments away from the place of their formation or deposition

Front 5

Humus

Back 5

decaying plants and animals and their wastes

Front 6

Igneous rock

Back 6

rock formed by the cooling of molten rock, for example basalt

Front 7

Minerals

Back 7

substances found in rocks

Front 8

Non-renewable resource

Back 8

a resource that takes longer than the average human lifespan to be replaced

Front 9

Photosynthesis

Back 9

the process
by which plants use carbon
dioxide, water and sunlight to make food

Front 10

Renewable resource

Back 10

a resource that is always being replaced naturally

Front 11

Resource

Back 11

something that satisfies a particular purpose or need

Front 12

Sediment

Back 12

material such
as silt and sand that is
transported and deposited
by water, ice and wind and forms layers on the Earth’s surface. In time it can become compacted to form sedimentary rock

Front 13

Sedimentary rock

Back 13

rock formed by compacting and sticking together of sediments, for example sandstone

Front 14

Weathering

Back 14

the process of breaking rocks down into smaller pieces

Front 15

Biogas

Back 15

a gas produced from the fermentation of organic waste, such as waste from sugarcane, and used as fuel

Front 16

Biomass

Back 16

all plant and animal matter found on Earth

Front 17

Fossil fuels

Back 17

fuels such as coal, oil and natural gas, formed from the remains of living things buried millions of years ago

Front 18

Geothermal energy

Back 18

energy sources from heat below the Earth’s crust

Front 19

Hydroelectricity

Back 19

the process of using water falling from a height to turn turbines
and generate electricity

Front 20

Non-renewable energy source

Back 20

a source of energy that cannot be replaced after it is used, such as oil or coal

Front 21

Nuclear fuel

Back 21

using uranium or plutonium

Front 22

Oscillating wave column

Back 22

a chamber containing a turbine that is fixed in the ocean. As water flows into and out of the chamber, air pushes the turbine back and forth. This rotation s used to generate electricity

Front 23

Renewable energy source

Back 23

a source of energy that can be replaced after it is used, such as solar or wind energy

Front 24

Solar cell

Back 24

a device that absorbs solar energy and converts it directly into electrical energy

Front 25

Tidal barrage

Back 25

a construction
in which water fills a basin
as a tide comes in, rotating
a turbine as it flows. The water
is stored until low tide, when it is released and again turns the turbine. This rotation is used to generate electricity

Front 26

Wind energy

Back 26

harnessing energy from the movement of air using wind turbines

Front 27

Aquifer

Back 27

a layer of pervious rock from which water can be extracted using a bore or well

Front 28

Finite

Back 28

non-renewable or has limited availability, i.e. will run out

Front 29

groundwater

Back 29

water that exists underground

Front 30

Humidity

Back 30

the amount of water vapour in the air

Front 31

Impervious rock

Back 31

rock that does not allow water to soak into it

Front 32

Percolation

Back 32

the process of water soaking into the soil

Front 33

Pervious rock

Back 33

rock that allows water to soak into it

Front 34

Precipitation

Back 34

any water falling from the sky

Front 35

Run-off

Back 35

rainwater not absorbed by the soil

Front 36

Saturated

Back 36

not able to hold any more water vapour

Front 37

States

Back 37

solid, liquid and gas (another state called plasma exists at temperatures over 60 000°C)

Front 38

Transpiration

Back 38

the evaporation of water from plants

Front 39

Water cycle

Back 39

the natural process of recycling water

Front 40

Flood irrigation

Back 40

a type of irrigation where water is released in between crops in channels

Front 41

Irrigation

Back 41

a practice used in agriculture that provides water to crops using pipes and ditches

Front 42

Rills

Back 42

channels in bare soil created by fast-flowing water

Front 43

Spray irrigation

Back 43

a type of irrigation where a pump sprays water droplets into the air, which fall onto crops like rain

Front 44

Springs

Back 44

places where underground water comes to the surface