Science Skills, Systems, and Earth Processes

A collection of vocabulary flashcards covering scientific investigation methods, soil classification, ecosystem dynamics, and Earth climate systems based on the lecture checklist.

Control group

A group within a scientific investigation used for comparison to ensure the results are due to the independent variable.

Primary succession

A type of ecological succession that occurs on surfaces where no soil is present.

Secondary succession

A type of ecological succession that occurs in areas where soil already exists, allowing it to happen more rapidly than primary succession.

ENSO

An abbreviation for El Niño Southern Oscillation, a climate pattern involving variations in ocean temperatures and atmospheric conditions.

Sand

One of the three main components of soil, along with silt and clay.

Silt

One of the three main components of soil, along with sand and clay.

Clay

One of the three main components of soil, along with sand and silt.

Soil texture triangle

A tool used by scientists to classify soil types based on their percentage of sand, silt, and clay.

Loamy soils

A type of soil characterized by a balance of sand, silt, and clay, making it ideal for plant growth and agriculture.

Humus

The organic component of soil, formed by the decomposition of leaves and other plant material by soil microorganisms.

Hypothesis

A scientific statement or prediction that can be tested through experimentation.

Independent variable

The variable in an investigation that is deliberately changed or manipulated.

Dependent variable

The variable in an investigation that is observed or measured to see how it responds to changes.

Controlled variables

The factors in an investigation that are kept constant to ensure a fair test.

Biotic factors

The living components, such as plants and animals, that influence an ecosystem.

Abiotic factors

The non-living components, such as sunlight and temperature, that influence an ecosystem.

Population

A group of individuals of the same species living in a specific geographic area.

Community

An interacting group of various species in a common location.

Ecosystem

A biological community of interacting organisms and their physical environment.

Biome

A large geographic area characterized by specific climate conditions and plant and animal communities.

Food web

A system of interlocking and interdependent food chains in an ecosystem.

Energy pyramid

A graphical representation showing how energy decreases as it moves between trophic levels.

Trophic levels

The hierarchical levels in an ecosystem, comprising organisms that share the same function in the food chain.

Autotrophs

Organisms, such as producers, that are capable of producing their own food through processes like photosynthesis.

Heterotrophs

Organisms, such as consumers, that must obtain energy by consuming other organisms.

Atmosphere

The layer of gases surrounding the Earth.

Hydrosphere

All the waters on the Earth's surface, such as lakes and seas.

Lithosphere

The rigid outer part of the Earth, consisting of the crust and upper mantle.

Biosphere

The regions of the surface, atmosphere, and hydrosphere of the Earth occupied by living organisms.

Carbon-oxygen cycle

The process by which carbon and oxygen are cycled through the environment, including photosynthesis and respiration.

Greenhouse effect

The natural process by which radiation from a planet's atmosphere warms the planet's surface.

Enhanced greenhouse effect

The increase in Earth’s average temperature caused by human activities increasing greenhouse gas concentrations.

Weathering

The process of wearing or being worn by long exposure to the atmosphere.

Igneous rocks

Rocks formed through the cooling and solidification of magma or lava.

Sedimentary rocks

Rocks formed by the accumulation or deposition of mineral or organic particles.

Metamorphic rocks

Rocks that have been transformed by heat, pressure, or other natural agencies.

Ecological succession

The process by which the structure of a biological community evolves over time.