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35 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
earth science
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the study of the earth and of the universe around it
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career focus
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a special feature that appearsin each unit of this book, offers detailed info about careers in earth science
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geology
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the study of the origin, history, and structure of the solid earth and the processes that shape it
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oceanography
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the study of the earth's oceans
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meteorology
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the study of the earth's atmosphere
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astronomy
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the study of the universe beyond the earth
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geosphere
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the solid earth
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hydrosphere
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earth's water
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atmosphere
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the gases surrounding the earth
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ecology
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the study of the complex relationships between living things and their environment
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ecosystem
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a community of organisms and the environment they inhabit
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oikos
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Greek word. means "house". where the terms ecology and ecosystem
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biosphere
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the largest ecosystem that encompasses all life on earth and the physical environment that supports it
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photosynthesis
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the process in which plants use sunlight to produce food
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pollution
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the contamination of the environment with waste products or impurities
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biodegradable
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waste products that can be broken down by microorganisms into harmless substances that can then be used
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scientific methods
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organized, logical approaches to scientific research
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observation
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using the senses of sight, touch, taste, hearing, and smell to gather info about the world
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measurement
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an important means of gathering info. involves the comparison of some aspect of an object or phenomenon with a standard unit
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hypothesis
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a posible explanation of solution to the problem
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experimentation
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a scientific procedure carried out according to certain guidelines
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variable
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a factor in an experiment that can be changed
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controlled experiment
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an experiment et up to test a variable
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theory
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a hypothesis or a set of hypotheses that is supported by the results of experimentation and observation
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scientific law
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a rule that correctly describes a natural phenomenon
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spectrum
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when sunlight passes through a glass prism and produces a rainbow of colors
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wavelength
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the distance from the crest of one wave to the crest of the next
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elements
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a substance that cannot be broken down into simpler form by ordinary chemical means
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bright-line spectrum
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thin colored line spaced at uneven intervals produced by a heated element
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Doppler effect
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the apparent shift in the wavelengths of energy emitted by an energy source moving away from or toward an observer
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spectroscope
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contains a prism, which splits starlight into a spectrum of different colors and wavelengths
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galaxies
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a large system of stars
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big bang
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sudden event that sent all matter and enery hurtling outward in a giant cloud
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backgroung radiation
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low levels of energy that are evenly distributed throughtout the universe
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big band theory
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theory that all matter and energy in he universe was compressed into an extremely small volume that suddenly, billions of years age, began expanding in all directions
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