Download Chapter 1 Vocabulary

Chapter 1 Vocabulary
The Nature of Science
Section 1.1
Asthenosphere (p. 8) partially molten, plasticlike, flowing layer
located below the solid part of the Earth’s mantle.
Astronomy (p. 6) study of objects beyond Earth’s atmosphere.
Atmosphere (p. 9) blanket of gases surrounding Earth that
contains about 78% nitrogen, 21% oxygen, and 1% other gases such
as argon, carbon dioxide, and water vapor.
Biosphere (p. 9) all Earth’s organisms and the environments in
which they live.
Geology (p. 6) study of materials that make up Earth and the
processes that form and change these materials.
Hydrosphere (p. 8) all the water in Earth’s oceans, lakes, seas,
rivers, and glaciers plus all the water in the atmosphere.
Lithosphere (p. 8) Earth’s rigid outer shell, including the crust and
the solid, uppermost part of the mantle.
Meteorology (p. 6) Branch of Earth science that studies that air
that surrounds our planet. Study of atmospheric phenomena such
as fog, clouds, snow, rain and lightning.
Oceanography (p.6) Study of Earth’s oceans including the
creatures that inhabit its waters, its physical and chemical
properties, and the effects of human activities; discipline usually
considered to have begun with Challenger.
Section 1.2
Control (p.12) standard for comparison in an experiment.
Dependent Variable (p.12) factor in an experiment that can
change if the independent variable is changed.
Hypothesis (p. 11) a suggested explanation for an observation
often stated in the form of a question that can be answered by the
results of an experiment.
Independent Variable (p. 12) factor that is manipulated by the
experimenter in an experiment.
Le Systeme International d’Unites (SI) (p. 14) Modern version
of the metric system based on a decimal system using the number
10 as the base unit; includes the meter (m), liter (L), second (s), and
kilogram (kg).
Scientific Notation (p. 16) a type of shorthand used by scientists
in which a number is expressed as a multiplier and power of 10.
Section 1.3
Law (p. 19) basic fact that describes the behavior of a natural
phenomenon.
Theory (p. 19) an explanation based on many observations during
repeated experiments that is valid only if it is consistent with
observations, makes predictions that can be tested, and is the
simplest explanation of observations.