Teacher copy Spaceship Earth I&S | Quizlet

cycle

A repeated sequence of events or processes in a system, such as the water cycle.

open system

A system where matter and energy can enter and leave.

fossil fuels

Natural fuels like coal, oil, and gas formed from the remains of ancient organisms.

commercial fishing

Fishing for profit, usually on a large scale.

precipitation

Any form of water that falls from the sky, like rain, snow, or hail.

closed system

A system where only energy, not matter, enters or leaves.

primary energy

Energy found in nature that has not been subjected to any conversion or transformation.

industrial fishing

Large-scale fishing operations using advanced technology and equipment.

transpiration

The release of water vapor from plants into the air.

ecosystem

A community of living organisms interacting with their environment.

consumption

The act of using resources, goods, or services.

purse seine netting

A large fishing net that closes around a school of fish like a drawstring purse.

decomposition

The breakdown of dead organisms into simpler substances.

drainage basin

The land area drained by a river and its tributaries.

production

The process of creating goods or resources.

pole and line fishing

A sustainable fishing method using a rod, line, and bait.

system

A group of interacting or interdependent elements forming a complex whole.

source (of a river)

The origin or starting point of a river.

sustainable

Using resources in a way that meets current needs without compromising future generations.

exploitation

The use of resources or people in an unfair or unsustainable way.

water vapour

Water in its gas form found in the atmosphere.

mouth (of a river)

The place where a river flows into a larger body of water.

hypothesis

A testable idea or explanation that leads to scientific investigation.

overfishing

Catching too many fish, leading to population decline.

input

Anything that enters a system to be processed.

natural resource

Materials found in nature that are used by humans.

variable

Anything that can change or be changed in an experiment.

extinction

The complete disappearance of a species.

output

Anything that leaves a system as a result of a process.

finite / renewable

A resource that is limited in quantity but can renew naturally over time.

independent variable

The variable that is changed on purpose in an experiment.

scarce

A resource that is in short supply.

process

A series of actions or steps taken to achieve a particular result.

infinite / nonrenewable

A resource that exists in limited supply and cannot be replenished quickly.

dependent variable

The variable that is measured or observed in an experiment.

plentiful

A resource that exists in large amounts.

evapotranspiration

The total evaporation of water from soil and plants.

evaporation

The process by which water changes from liquid to gas.

trend

A general direction in which something is developing or changing.

deficit

A situation where something is lacking or in shortage.

Water cycle

The continuous movement of water between Earth's surface and the atmosphere.

essential resource

A resource necessary for survival or functioning.

pattern

A repeated or regular arrangement or sequence.

surplus

An excess or more than what is needed.

Ecological footprint

The impact of a person or country on the environment based on resource use.

over-consumption

Using resources at a rate that exceeds the Earth's ability to renew them.

climate change

Long-term changes in temperature and weather patterns on Earth.

greenhouse gasses

Gases like CO₂ and methane that trap heat in the atmosphere.

Linear economy

A system where resources are used once and then discarded as waste.

circular economy

A system that aims to reuse, recycle, and reduce waste for sustainability.

food miles

The distance food travels from production to consumer.

Overshoot Day

The date when humanity's resource use exceeds what Earth can regenerate in a year.

Gross National Income

The total income earned by a country's people and businesses, including overseas income.

correlation

A relationship or connection between two variables.

unsustainable

Using resources in a way that cannot continue long-term.

Reduce, reuse, recycle

A principle encouraging waste reduction through smarter consumption and reuse.

plastic pollution

Harmful accumulation of plastic objects in the environment.

renewable energy sources

Energy that comes from naturally replenished sources like wind or solar power.

data collection

The process of gathering information for analysis.

data representation

The way data is shown visually, such as through graphs or charts.

open questions

Questions that allow for detailed and elaborated responses.

closed questions

Questions with limited, usually one-word or fixed-choice answers.

primary data

Data collected firsthand by the researcher.

consumption category (goods, services, shelter, mobility, food)

The types of resources or services consumed in daily life.

raw data

Unprocessed data collected directly from a source.

big picture data

Data that helps show broad patterns or large-scale insights.

indicator

A measure or sign that shows the state or level of something.

per capita

Per person; often used in statistics to show averages across a population.