Materials and Cycles on Earth Flashcards

This set of vocabulary flashcards covers the structure of the atom, chemical purity, weather and climate concepts, and Earth's atmospheric history and global warming as detailed in the lecture notes.

Sub-atomic particles

The three types of smaller particles that make up an atom: protons, neutrons, and electrons.

Nucleus

The dense center of an atom where protons and neutrons are grouped closely together.

Proton

A sub-atomic particle that has a positive electrical charge and is found in the nucleus.

Neutron

A sub-atomic particle that has no electrical charge and is located in the nucleus.

Electron

A sub-atomic particle with a negative electrical charge and almost no mass that moves around the nucleus.

Electrostatic attraction

The attraction between the positive charge on protons and the negative charge on electrons that holds individual atoms together.

Plum pudding model

A model of the atom proposed by J.J. Thompson where electrons were scattered throughout a positively charged structure like fruit in a cake.

Gold foil experiment

An experiment by Ernest Rutherford where fast-moving particles were fired at thin gold foil, proving atoms are mostly empty space with a dense nucleus.

Collaboration

When scientists from different countries or groups work together to make and share discoveries.

Peer review

A fair process where other scientists examine findings to check for mistakes and ensure observations support the conclusions.

Carat

A measure of the purity of gold; for example, $24$ carat is pure gold, while $18$ carat contains $18$ parts gold out of $24$.

Alloy

A mixture of metals, such as gold mixed with silver or copper, that is not $100\%$ pure.

Translucent

A property of a material, such as pure diamond, that allows light to pass through it.

Weather

The state of the atmosphere and its short-term changes from minute to minute, hour to hour, or day to day.

Humidity

A measure of the amount of water vapour in the atmosphere.

Climate

The average weather conditions in a specific area measured over a long period, usually more than $30$ years.

Meteorology

The scientific study of weather.

Climatology

The scientific study of climate.

Photosynthesis

The process by which plants and micro-organisms use carbon dioxide to produce food and release oxygen: $carbon\,dioxide + water \rightarrow glucose + oxygen$.

Locked up

Carbon that has been stored for millions of years in fossil fuels or in sedimentary rocks such as limestone ($CaCO_3$).

Atmosphere

A layer of gas above the Earth's surface that has changed significantly since the planet's formation $4600$ million years ago.

Ice age

Cold periods in Earth's history characterized by alternating glacial and interglacial cycles.

Glacial period

A very cold period when much of the Earth is frozen and ice sheets spread far from the poles.

Interglacial period

A warmer period between glacial periods, such as the one Earth is in today, where permanent ice is found only near the poles.

Glaciers

Rivers of ice formed from compressed snow that move slowly downhill, carrying and leaving behind boulders.

Peat bog

An area where dead plants decay very slowly in acidic conditions without oxygen, forming layers that store climate records.

Auger

An instrument used to extract core samples from peat bogs or ice to study historical environments.

Greenhouse effect

A natural process where gases like carbon dioxide and methane trap heat in the atmosphere, keeping the Earth warm.

Global warming

The increase in Earth's climate temperature caused by increasing levels of greenhouse gases like $CO_2$, methane, and water vapour.

Deforestation

The cutting down of large forests for wood or land, which reduces the amount of carbon dioxide removed from the atmosphere.

Renewable resource

An energy source that does not run out or can be replenished within a human lifetime, such as wind, solar, or tidal power.

Fossil fuels

Non-renewable resources like coal, oil, and natural gas that release carbon dioxide when burned to generate electricity.

Bioplastics

Biodegradable materials made from renewable biomass sources such as vegetable oils, sawdust, or food waste.