Lecture 4: Earths Physical Systems

Molecules

Combinations of two or more atoms chemically bonded together

Mixtures

Atoms and molecules that come together but don't react with each other

Organic compounds

Made of carbon atoms joined together with covalent bonds

Proteins

Polymers made of amino acids

Hydrogen ions

Determine acidity in aqueous solutions

Potential energy

Energy of position or composition

Light reactions

Reactions in photosynthesis that use solar energy to split water molecules

Calvin cycle

Reactions in photosynthesis that link carbon atoms to form sugars

Respiration

Process that releases energy by burning carbohydrates

Geology

Study of Earth's physical features, processes, and history

Core

Dense center of the Earth made of solid iron

Asthenosphere

Area of the upper mantle with soft rock

Lithosphere

Uppermost mantle and crust of the Earth

Divergent plate boundaries

Plates move apart as magma rises to the surface

Transform plate boundaries

Plates slip and grind alongside each other

Rock cycle

Process of rocks being heated, melted, cooled, broken down, and reassembled

Igneous rock

Rock that forms when lava or magma cool

Sedimentary rock

Rock formed from compacted sediment layers

Natural hazards

Earthquakes, tsunamis, and volcanoes

Plate boundaries

Areas where tectonic plates meet

Faults

Fractures in Earth's crust where movement occurs

Mass wasting

Downward gravitational movement of rock or soil

Autotrophs

Organisms that use the sun's radiation directly to produce their own food

Pyroclastic flow

Flow of gas, ash, and rock from a volcanic eruption

Acidity

Determined by hydrogen ions in aqueous solutions

Acids

Solutions with pH below 7

Human-induced climate change

Human activities affecting natural processes

Radioisotopes

Isotopes that decay and change identity by emitting subatomic particles and high-energy radiation

Covalent bonds

Form when electrons are shared between atoms

Ionic bonds

Form when electrons are transferred between atoms, creating oppositely charged ions

Solutions

Evenly distributed mixtures

Hydrocarbons

Organic compounds made of hydrogen and carbon

Polymers

Long chains of repeated molecules

Nucleic acids

Polymers made of nucleotides, carry hereditary information

Carbohydrates

Include simple and complex sugars

Lipids

Include fats, oils, waxes, and steroids

pH scale

Quantifies the acidity or alkalinity of a solution

Energy

Capacity to change the position, composition, or temperature of matter

Kinetic energy

Energy of motion

Photosynthesis

Process by which autotrophs use solar energy to produce food

Chloroplasts

Cell organelles where photosynthesis occurs

Mantle

Thick layer of less dense, elastic rock surrounding the core

Plate tectonics

Movement of large plates of lithosphere due to convection currents

Rock

Solid aggregation of minerals

Mineral

Naturally occurring solid element or inorganic compound with a crystal structure, distinct chemical composition, and physical properties

Magma

Liquid rock that has melted at high temperatures

Lava

Magma that erupts and reaches the surface

Sediment

Particles that come to rest from weathered rock

Earthquakes

Sudden release of energy at tectonic plate boundary

Volcanoes

Formed where molten rock, ash, or hot gas erupts through the Earth's surface

Landslides

Large amounts of rock or soil collapsing and flowing downhill

Tsunamis

Ocean waves triggered by earthquakes, volcanoes, or landslides

Chlorophyll

Pigment that uses solar energy to initiate photosynthesis

pH

Quantifies the acidity or alkalinity of a solution

Bases

Solutions with pH above 7

Kinetic energy

Energy of motion

Potential energy

Energy of position or composition

Plate tectonics

Movement of large plates of lithosphere due to convection currents

Volcanoes

Formed where molten rock, ash, or hot gas erupts through the Earth's surface

Landslides

Large amounts of rock or soil collapsing and flowing downhill

Tsunamis

Ocean waves triggered by earthquakes, volcanoes, or landslides

Natural hazards

Earthquakes, tsunamis, and volcanoes

Earthquakes

Sudden release of energy at tectonic plate boundary

Tsunamis

Ocean waves triggered by earthquakes, volcanoes, or landslides

Natural processes

Earthquakes and tsunamis are examples

Environment

Consists of atmosphere, hydrosphere, lithosphere, and biosphere

Atmosphere

Part of the environment, contains gases surrounding the Earth

Hydrosphere

Part of the environment, includes all water on Earth

Lithosphere

Part of the environment, includes Earth's crust and upper mantle

Biosphere

Part of the environment where all life occurs

Matter

Any material that has mass and occupies space

Energy

Capacity to change the position, composition, or temperature of matter

Conservation of Matter

Energy can't be created or destroyed, only transformed

Thermodynamics

Amount of energy available to do work is decreasing with time

Composition

Matter of environmental 'spheres'

Elements

Substances with specific properties that cannot be broken down

Atoms

Smallest units with all element's chemical properties

Protons

Positively-charged particles in an atom

Neutrons

Particles in an atom with no charge

Electrons

Negatively-charged particles in an atom

Isotopes

Atoms of the same element with different number of neutrons