Science Bowl [Earth and Space] - Team of Nerds

atmosphere

layer of gas on the surface of a planet or body held in place by gravity, Earth's mostly made of oxygen and nitrogen

biosphere

all the spaces on and around Earth where life can be found or live

carbon cycle

carbon moving throughout the environment, from photosynthesis to decomposition, respiration, and burning of fuel

cartographer

someone who makes maps

chemical weathering

different weathering process that changes the chemical and mineralogical composition of exposed rock, like acid rain, hydrolysis, oxidation, and carbonation

climate

the prevailing type of weather in a location or in general over a long period of time

climate change

long term and gradual change in the Earth's climate causing warmer, cooler, or unlikely weather events

comet

body of ice and dust that orbits the Sun, and if near enough, has a tail of gas and dust

compass

tool to help understand directions, uses magnetic force

convection

transfer of heat in or out by the movement of a fluid surrounding it

core

innermost part of Earth composed of iron and nickel, has an inner (solid) and outer (liquid) parts under the mantle

crescent

Moon in its last or first quarter, thin curved shape that pinches at the ends

crust

outermost layer of Earth between the mantle and the surface composed of different types of rock

crustal plates

composes the crust, large portions that move and react to tectonic forces to make earthquakes, volcanoes, or tidal waves

dependent variable

a variable that one does not manipulate, and is used to determine how much effect there is from an independent variable

deposition

where gas transforms to a solid, thermodynamic process

earthquake

result of slips by crustal or tectonic plates

elevation

how high an object is off of the ground or another surface

equator

line around the earth where the Sun is the strongest, equidistant from both poles, latitude 0°

erosion

demolition and destruction over time by physical or chemical action; weathering

experimental group

in an experiment, group that receives independent variable, the test group

fault

crack along tectonic plate where there is slippage or boundary between two tectonic plates, where earthquakes occur

fossil fuel

fuel like petroleum, coal, and natural gas formed from dead plants or animals in the earth that can be burned, possible cause of climate change

full moon

phase of moon where the entire moon is visible and illuminated

galaxy

large system of stars, planets, solar systems, etc. held together by gravity; our Sun is in the Milky Way galaxy

geosphere

the solid parts of Earth such as the crust and the mantle, distinguished against the atmosphere or the hydrosphere

gibbous

phase of moon in between half moon and less than a full moon; more than a half full moon

glacial striation

multiple lines and grooves on the glaciers surface produced by glacial movement, faults, and meteors

glacier

large moving object made of ice, it grows when snow piles on faster than it melts

globe

the Earth, a spherical tool that is a scale model of Earth or other planets

gravitational force

downward force on anything with mass - towards the center of the Earth

heat transfer

movement of thermal energy between two objects of different temperatures

hemisphere

half of a sphere, north and south separated by the equator, the east and west separated by a longitudinal line from pole to pole

hyrosphere

all the water bodies on or around earth, like lakes, oceans, and clouds

hypothesis

question that one tests through experimentation

igneous

type of rock solidified from volcanic substances like lava and magma

independent variable

variable where the experimenter chooses values and quantity

latitude

separates north and south, equator is at 0°

law

statement deduced from facts used to describe global phenomenon

lithosphere

crust and upper mantle of earth, the outer solid part of earth

longitude

separates east and west, imaginary lines around the globe

lower mantle

liquid part of mantle mostly of magnesium and iron, outside the outer core

lunar eclipse

Moon passes directly into the Earth's shadow, only when Sun, Earth, and Moon are aligned, with Earth in the middle

lunar phase

different appearances of the Moon, crescent, full, gibbous

mantle

layer of earth between core and crust, composed of magma and rock

map

graphic representing an area that shows physical aspects

mass

amount of matter in an object regardless of forces on it or its volume

metamorphic

type of rock that changes to another rock due to heat or pressure without changing through a liquid

meteor

rock or body that reaches earth's atmosphere and glows as it burns up

mineral

naturally occurring solid inorganic substance with definite chemical composition and ordered arrangement of atoms

neap tide

difference between high and low tide is least, Sun and Moon are at right angles to Earth's water so pull on Earth is least

new moon

Moon phase when the Moon is between Earth and Sun, appearance is either invisible or barely visible

ocean basin

parts of Earth that hold the seas and oceans, collects sediment

ozone layer

upper atmosphere made of three atoms of oxygen, protects the Earth from too much Sun

paleontologist

studies the past through animal and plant fossils

physical weathering

weathering in which rocks break down and erode via temperature, water, pressure, and ice, without changing their chemical composition,

planet

a large spherical object that orbits the Sun and has enough mass to have its own gravity

plate tectonics

the movement of Earth's crust that can cause volcanoes and earthquakes above the lower mantle

prime meridian

longitude of 0° - separates the Earth into the east and west hemispheres

revolution

movement of one object around another

rotation

spinning movement of an object, referring to a planet spinning, Earth's causes day and night

scientific method

common steps used to investigate a question based on measurable evidence

sedimentary

rock formed in different layers of sediment from water, ice, or wind; and sometimes contains fossils

sedimentation

depositing sediment, layering of solid particles in liquid

seismic wave

wave of energy traveling through Earth or on its surface, caused by an earthquake

solar eclipse

Moon in front of the Sun, between the Sun and the Earth

solar system

planets, their moons, asteroids, and comets that orbit a sun

spring tide

greatest difference between high and low tide, usually after a new or full moon, most gravitational pull on the tide

star

extremely large ball of extremely hot gas and plasma, creating light, make up galaxies

subduction

motion of a tectonic plate sliding above or under another plate in the crust

temperature

degree of how hot or cold something is, a measure of hotness

theory

repeatedly tested and widely accepted explanation of global phenomena

tide

Moon and Sun gravitational forces cause rise and fall of water in oceans

troposphere

lowest part of atmosphere, under the stratosphere, where weather occurs

universe

all of the matter, galaxies, solar systems, etc.

waning

description of a lunar phase where the Moon's illuminating area is decreasing, after a full moon and before a new moon

water cycle

water circulating around earth via precipitation, condensation, and evaporation

waxing

description of a lunar phase where the Moon's illuminating area is increasing, before a full moon and after a new moon

weather

daily temperature, atmospheric pressure, wind, precipitation activity due to the atmosphere

weight

force of gravity on an object