Earth's Biosphere, States of Matter, Phase Changes, and Thermodynamics

A complete review set of vocabulary flashcards covering Earth's biosphere spheres, states of matter, phase change thermodynamics, and thermal physics concepts.

Atmosphere

The Earth's layer that allows life to develop, described by Mediavilla (2004) as an open envelope that exchanges matter and energy with the planet's surface and the solar system.

Hydrosphere

All water found on Earth in liquid, solid, and gaseous states, covering approximately $3/4$ of Earth's crust and regulating the hydrological cycle and planet temperature.

Water Distribution on Earth

Infographic detailing water allocation on Earth, showing $70\%$ surface coverage, $97.5\%$ saltwater, $2.5\%$ freshwater ($35$\text{ million }$\text{km}^3$), and sector extractions.

Lithosphere

Earth's rigid outermost layer consisting of the crust and upper mantle, serving as a primary source of silicate minerals, carbonates, metallic minerals like silver, iron, and lead, and energy resources like coal.

Silicates

The most abundant group of minerals contained within the Earth's lithosphere.

Climate Change

Variations in Earth's average climate conditions, defined by NASA Climate Kids and evidenced by an average temperature increase of $2\,^\circ\text{C}$, glacier retreat, rising sea levels, and altered plant flowering seasons.

Greenhouse Gases

Gases that absorb solar radiation reflected as heat from Earth's surface and re-radiate it in all directions, warming the planet.

Solids

Aggregate state of matter with definite shape and volume, characterized by low particle kinetic energy and strong cohesive forces.

Liquids

Aggregate state of matter with a definite volume but no definite shape, taking the shape of their container with moderate kinetic energy and weaker cohesive forces than solids.

Gases

Aggregate state of matter with neither a definite shape nor a definite volume, expanding to fill their container with high particle kinetic energy and weak attractive forces.

Plasma

A state of matter named by Irving Langmuir in 1928, formed by supplying energy to gas to ionize particles into free electrons, positive ions, and neutral particles that respond to electric and magnetic fields.

Bose–Einstein Condensate

State predicted by Satyendra Nath Bose and Albert Einstein in 1924 and produced experimentally in 1995, forming near absolute zero ($0\,\text{K}$ or $-273.15\,^\circ\text{C}$) as atoms overlap into a single quantum wave.

Endothermic Process

A phase change or reaction in which thermal energy is absorbed from the surroundings into the system, such as melting, vaporization, and sublimation.

Exothermic Process

A phase change or reaction in which thermal energy is released from the system into its surroundings, such as freezing, condensation, and deposition.

Sublimation

An endothermic process in which a substance transitions directly from a solid state into a gaseous state without entering the liquid state.

Deposition

An exothermic process in which a substance transitions directly from a gaseous state into a solid state without entering the liquid state.

Phase Changes Diagram

A diagram illustrating phase transitions between solid, liquid, and gas, detailing their thermodynamic classification as endothermic or exothermic processes.

Heating Curve

A plot of temperature against heat added for a pure substance, depicting flat plateaus during phase transitions where temperature remains constant while overcoming cohesive forces.

Heat

The energy transferred between bodies due to temperature differences until thermal equilibrium is established, measured in Joules ($\text{J}$), kilojoules ($\text{kJ}$), calories ($\text{cal}$), or kilocalories ($\text{kcal}$).

Temperature

A physical property defined by Esp3sito & Zandanel (2015) that quantifies the state of molecular agitation or average kinetic energy of particles in a substance, measured in degrees Celsius ($^\circ\text{C}$) or Kelvin ($\text{K}$).

Specific Heat ($c$)

A material property identified by Joseph Black defined as the amount of energy required for a unit mass of a substance to increase its temperature by one degree.

Sensible Heat

The energy transferred to or from a body that causes an exclusive change in temperature without undergoing a phase transition.

Latent Heat

The energy transferred per unit mass to induce a phase change in a substance at constant temperature.

Latent Heat of Fusion ($L_f$)

The amount of heat required per unit mass to transition a substance from solid to liquid at its melting point.

Latent Heat of Vaporization ($L_v$)

The amount of heat required per unit mass to transition a substance from liquid to gas at its boiling point.