Introduction to Environmental Sciences - EVS 1101

This set of flashcards covers key terms related to habitability, geological and environmental science concepts discussed in the EVS 1101 Introduction to Environmental Sciences course.

Habitability

Set of conditions necessary for the existence of life.

Geosphere

The solid part of the Earth consisting of rocks, soil, and minerals.

Hydrosphere

All the water found on, under, and over the surface of a planet.

Biosphere

The regions of Earth that are occupied by living organisms.

Atmosphere

The layer of gases surrounding a planet.

Anthroposphere

The portion of the environment that is made or modified by humans.

Chemical differentiation

The process by which the Earth separated into distinct layers according to the density of materials.

Plate tectonics

The scientific theory describing the large-scale motions of Earth's lithosphere.

Circumstellar habitable zone

The region around a star where conditions are right for liquid water to exist.

Great Oxygenation Event (GOE)

A significant increase in Earth's atmospheric oxygen concentrations.

Redox reaction

A type of chemical reaction involving a transfer of electrons between substances.

Photosynthesis

The process by which green plants and some organisms use sunlight to synthesize foods with carbon dioxide and water.

Climate change

Long-term changes in average weather patterns over a significant period.

The Miller-Urey experiment

An experiment that simulated early Earth conditions to demonstrate the possibility of creating organic compounds.

Greenhouse effect

The trapping of heat in the atmosphere by greenhouse gases.