Science Vocabulary

Environmental Science

The study of how humans interact with the environment.

Ecology

The study of how living things interact with each other and with their nonliving environment.

Natural Resource

Any natural material that is used by humans.

Renewable Resource

A resource that can be replaced relatively quickly by natural processes. 

Nonrenewable Resources

A resource that forms at a much slower rate than the rate that it is consumed.

Depleted

When a large fraction of the resource has been used up.

Pollution

An undesired change in air, water, or soil that adversely affects the health, survival, or activities of humans or other organisms.

Biodiversity

Refers to the number and variety of species that live in an area.

Commons

Areas of land that belonged to a whole village.

Law of Supply and Demand

States that the greater the demand for a limited supply of something, the more that thing is worth.

Developed Countries

Have higher average incomes, slower population growth, diverse industrial economies, and stronger social support systems.

Developing Countries

Have lower average incomes, simple and agriculture based economies, and rapid population growth.

Ecological Footprint

Shows the productive area of Earth needed to support one person in a particular country.

Sustainability

The condition in which human needs are net in such a way that a human population can survive indefinitely.