Science 1 UPCAT

Atmosphere

All the gasses surrounding the planet such as Earth

Hydrosphere

All the water on Earth, found on the surface, underground in the air

Geoshpere

Includes the interior of the Earth, composed of rocks, minerals, and all landforms

Biosphere

The zone of life that includes all ecosystems on earth

Nitrogen

78% of composition in the air, it is very unreactive

Oxygen

21% of composition in the air, it is a very important reactant for combustion and cellular respiration

Argon

0.9% of composition in the air, it is a noble gas and is unreactive

Carbon Dioxide

Smallest amount of composition in the air, water vapor and other gases add up to 0.1%. Largely affects the global climate

Troposphere

Densest layer of the atmosphere, it contains 90% of all the gases in the atmosphere. All the weather we experience take place here.

Stratosphere

Layer of air with no turbulence. It is very stable, where cold air is found at the lower regions and warm air is found at higher regions. It contains the ozone layer which absorbs and scatters UV rays from the sun.

Mesosphere

Coldest layer of the atmosphere, has a temperature as low as -100C

Thermosphere

Hottest layer in the atmosphere. It is a region of rising temperature where the minute quantity of gases is being ionized by radiation from outer space, and releases heat.

Exosphere

Outermost layer. It forms the boundary between the atmosphere and outer space.

Meteoroid

Rocky metallic debris from a comet or asteroid

Meteor

When a meteoroid enters the mesosphere, the friction burns it, turning it into a ______.

Meteorite

The remaining rock when it hits the surface of the air is called a _________.

Aurora

Natural light display in the sky caused by changed particles entering the atmosphere. They are predominantly seen near the North and South poles.

Biogeochemical Cycles

The processes that involve the formation, movement, and transformation of the different forms of important substances on the surface of the Earth.

Evaporation

occurs when heat turns water into vapor and is absorbed into the atmosphere

Condensation

Happens when water vapor comes together into droplets and forms clouds

Precipitation

happens when clouds become too saturated and fall as rain or snow

Transpiration

is the evaporation of water from plants’ leaves

Run-off

Happens when water from rain travels along land and flows back to the sea

Combustion

involves natural and man-made events such as fires that use 02 in the atmosphere to burn fuel, releasing 02.

Decomposition

is the decaying of dead organisms. Its complex molecules are broken down by decomposers such as bacteria and fungi.

Fossilization

happens when conditions are not favorable for dead organisms to decay. The material from the organisms to decay. The material from the organism builds up and if compressed over millions of years, can form fossil fuel such as coal, oil, and natural gas. These fuels are used to obtain energy by combustion

Greenhouse effect

Trapping of heat from the sun by gases in the Earth’s atmosphere

Greenhouse Gases

Carbon dioxide (Co2), Methane (CH4), Nitrous oxide (No2), fluorinated gases

Nitrogen Fixation

conversion of atmospheric N2 to Ammonia and then to Nitrates by nitrogen-fixing bacteria. Nitrates can be absorbed by plants

Lightning

energetic electrical process that can cause a reaction between N2 and o2 in the air to form Nitrates.

Assimilation

refers to the absorption of nitrates by plants to convert into amino acids

Denitrification

Refers to the absorption of nitrates back to atmospheric n2 by denitrifying bacteria

Mutualism

Population 1: Benefited
Population 2: Benefited

Commensalism

Population 1: Benefited
Population 2: Unaffected

Amensalism

Population 1: Harmed

Population 2: Unaffected

Competition

Population 1: Harmed

Population 2: Harmed

Parasitism

Population 1: Harmed (Host)

Population 2: Benefited (Parasite)

Predation

Population 1: Harmed (Prey)
Population 2: Benefited (Predator)