Earth Science - Introductory

Earth science will be a breeze once you master these essential terms. This comprehensive vocabulary list covers core topics like weather and climate, natural disasters, ecology and conservation, plate tectonics, types of rock, oceanography, and more. Best of all, you can mine this list again and again — it's a renewable resource.
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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. accumulation
    an increase by natural growth or addition
  2. acid rain
    precipitation with toxic gas emissions combined with water
  3. active
    (of e.g. volcanos) erupting or liable to erupt
  4. adaptation
    the process of adjusting or conforming to new conditions
  5. aerosol
    a cloud of solid or liquid particles in a gas
  6. aftershock
    a tremor following the main tremor of an earthquake
  7. agriculture
    the practice of cultivating the land or raising stock
  8. air pollution
    pollution of the atmosphere
  9. air pressure
    the pressure exerted by the atmosphere
  10. alternative energy
    energy derived from sources that do not use up natural resources or harm the environment
  11. altitude
    elevation above sea level or above the earth's surface
  12. Antarctic Ocean
    the southern waters surrounding Antarctica
  13. aquifer
    underground layer of rock or sand that yields groundwater
  14. Arctic Ocean
    ice covered waters surrounding the North Pole
  15. Atlantic Ocean
    the 2nd largest ocean
  16. atmosphere
    the mass of air surrounding the Earth
  17. atmospheric pressure
    the pressure exerted by the atmosphere
  18. avalanche
    a slide of large masses of snow, ice and mud down a mountain
  19. axis
    the center around which something rotates
  20. barometer
    an instrument that measures atmospheric pressure
  21. bed
    (geology) a stratum of rock (especially sedimentary rock)
  22. big bang theory
    (cosmology) the theory that the universe originated sometime between 10 billion and 20 billion years ago from the cataclysmic explosion of a small volume of matter at extremely high density and temperature
  23. biodegradable
    capable of being decomposed
  24. biodiversity
    the variety of plant and animal life in a habitat
  25. biomass
    the total amount of living matter in a given unit area
  26. biosphere
    the regions of the Earth where living organisms exist
  27. blizzard
    a weather event with widespread snowfall and strong winds
  28. boulder
    a large smooth mass of rock detached from a place of origin
  29. canyon
    a ravine formed by a river in an area with little rainfall
  30. carbon
    an abundant nonmetallic element in all organic compounds
  31. carbon cycle
    the organic circulation of carbon from the atmosphere into organisms and back again
  32. carbon dioxide
    a colorless, odorless greenhouse gas essential for photosynthesis
  33. Celsius scale
    a temperature scale that defines the freezing point of water as 0 degrees and the boiling point of water as 100 degrees
  34. cinder
    a fragment of incombustible matter left after a fire
  35. circulation
    free movement or passage
  36. cirrus
    a wispy white cloud at a high altitude
  37. cleavage
    the act of splitting
  38. climate
    the weather in some location averaged over a period of time
  39. climate change
    a shift in the world's average weather and temperature
  40. cloud
    a visible mass of water or ice particles suspended at a considerable altitude
  41. coal
    fossil fuel consisting of carbonized vegetable matter
  42. coarse-grained
    not having a fine texture
  43. coastal
    located on or near or bordering on a shore
  44. cold front
    the front of an advancing mass of colder air
  45. combustion
    a reaction of a substance with oxygen to give heat and light
  46. community
    group of interdependent organisms living in the same region
  47. compaction
    an increase in the density of something
  48. composition
    the way in which someone or something is put together
  49. compression
    the process of becoming smaller or pressed together
  50. condensation
    process of changing from a gas to a liquid or solid state
  51. conglomerate
    a composite rock made up of particles of varying size
  52. conservation
    careful management of the environment and natural resources
  53. continent
    one of the large landmasses of the earth
  54. continental drift
    the gradual movement of very large land masses
  55. continental shelf
    the relatively shallow seabed surrounding a continent
  56. coral reef
    a reef consisting of coral consolidated into limestone
  57. core
    the central part of the Earth
  58. crater
    a bowl-shaped geological formation at the top of a volcano
  59. crest
    the top or extreme point of something
  60. crust
    the outer layer of the Earth
  61. crystal
    a solid having a highly regular atomic structure
  62. crystalline
    consisting of or containing or of the nature of crystals
  63. crystallization
    the formation of crystals
  64. cumulus
    a globular cloud
  65. current
    a steady flow of a fluid or gas
  66. cycle
    a periodically repeated sequence of events
  67. cyclone
    an atmospheric system in which air circulates rapidly
  68. dam
    a barrier constructed to contain the flow of water
  69. debris
    the remains of something that has been destroyed
  70. decay
    the organic phenomenon of rotting
  71. deforestation
    the removal of trees
  72. deformation
    alteration in the shape or dimensions of an object as a result of the application of stress to it
  73. density
    the amount per unit size
  74. depletion
    the state of being used up
  75. deposit
    the natural process of laying something down
  76. deposition
    the natural process of laying something down
  77. desert
    arid land with little or no vegetation
  78. desertification
    a gradual transformation into arid, uninhabitable land
  79. destabilize
    make unsturdy, insecure, or less able to function smoothly
  80. dew point
    the temperature at which the water vapor in the air becomes saturated and condensation begins
  81. distribution
    the property of being scattered about over a range or area
  82. dormant
    not erupting but not extinct
  83. drainage basin
    the entire geographical area drained by a river and its tributaries; an area characterized by all runoff being conveyed to the same outlet
  84. drought
    a shortage of rainfall
  85. dust storm
    a windstorm that lifts up clouds of dust or sand
  86. earth
    the third planet from the sun
  87. earthquake
    vibration from underground movement along a fault plane
  88. ecology
    the environment as it relates to living organisms
  89. ecosystem
    organisms interacting with their physical environment
  90. element
    a substance that cannot be separated into simpler substances
  91. elevation
    distance of something above a reference point
  92. energy
    any source of usable power
  93. environment
    the area in which something exists or lives
  94. eon
    the longest unit of geological time
  95. epicenter
    a point on the Earth's surface directly above an earthquake
  96. epoch
    a unit of geological time that is divided into ages
  97. equator
    an imaginary line around the Earth forming a great circle
  98. era
    a major division of geological time
  99. erosion
    the process of wearing or grinding something down
  100. eruption
    the sudden occurrence of a violent discharge
  101. estuary
    the wide part of a river where it nears the sea
  102. evaporation
    the process of becoming a suspension of particles in the air
  103. extinction
    the state of being no longer in existence
  104. extraction
    taking out something
  105. extrusive
    forced while molten through cracks in the earth's surface
  106. eye
    an area that is approximately central within some larger region
  107. Fahrenheit
    of or relating to a temperature scale proposed by the inventor of the mercury thermometer
  108. Fahrenheit scale
    a temperature scale that defines the freezing point of water as 32 degrees and the boiling point of water a 212 degrees
  109. fault
    a crack in the earth's crust resulting from displacement
  110. feedback
    the process in which output of a system is returned to input
  111. fertilizer
    any substance used to improve the quality of soil
  112. fine-grained
    consisting of fine particles
  113. fissure
    a long narrow depression in a surface
  114. flash flood
    a sudden and great flow of water in a short period of time
  115. flood
    the rising of a body of water and its overflowing onto land
  116. flood plain
    a low plain adjacent to a river that is formed chiefly of river sediment and is subject to flooding
  117. fluorescence
    light emitted during absorption of radiation of some other (invisible) wavelength
  118. foliated
    having thin leaflike layers or strata
  119. foliation
    (geology) the arrangement of leaflike layers in a rock
  120. forecast
    a prediction about how something will develop
  121. forest fire
    an uncontrolled fire in a wooded area
  122. formation
    (geology) a distinct unit of rocks or layers
  123. fossil
    the remains of a plant or animal from a past geological age
  124. fossil fuel
    energy-producing substance derived from preserved organisms
  125. fracture
    a crack in the earth's crust
  126. fresh water
    water that is not salty
  127. front
    phenomenon at the boundary between two different air masses
  128. gaseous
    existing as or having characteristics of a gas
  129. gemstone
    a crystalline rock that can be cut and polished for jewelry
  130. geode
    a hollow rock with an interior cavity lined with crystals
  131. geologist
    a specialist in the history of the Earth recorded in rocks
  132. geology
    science of the history of the earth as recorded in rocks
  133. geosphere
    the solid part of the Earth
  134. geothermal energy
    energy derived from the heat in the interior of the earth
  135. geyser
    a spring that discharges hot water and steam
  136. glacier
    a slowly moving mass of ice
  137. global warming
    a rise in the average temperature of the earth's atmosphere
  138. grain
    the physical composition of something
  139. grassland
    land where grass or grasslike vegetation grows and is the dominant form of plant life
  140. gravel
    rock fragments and pebbles
  141. gravity
    the force of attraction between all masses in the universe
  142. greenhouse effect
    warming due to solar radiation trapped by the atmosphere
  143. greenhouse gas
    a substance in the air that warms a planet by trapping heat
  144. habitat
    the type of environment in which an organism normally lives
  145. hailstone
    small pellet of ice that falls during a hailstorm
  146. hailstorm
    a storm during which hail falls
  147. hardness
    the property of being rigid and resistant to pressure
  148. hazard
    a source of danger
  149. heat
    a form of energy transferred by a difference in temperature
  150. heat wave
    a period of unusually hot weather
  151. hot spot
    a point of relatively intense heat or radiation
  152. hot spring
    a natural spring of water at a temperature of 70 F or above
  153. humidity
    wetness in the atmosphere
  154. hurricane
    a severe tropical cyclone usually with heavy rains and winds
  155. hydroelectricity
    electricity produced by water power
  156. hydrosphere
    the watery layer of the earth's surface
  157. ice age
    a period when glaciers cover much of the Earth's surface
  158. iceberg
    a large frozen mass floating at sea
  159. ice cap
    a mass of ice and snow that permanently covers a large area of land (e.g., the polar regions or a mountain peak)
  160. ice floe
    a flat mass of ice floating at sea
  161. ice storm
    a storm with freezing rain that leaves everything glazed with ice
  162. igneous
    produced by the action of fire or intense heat
  163. impact
    a forceful consequence; a strong effect
  164. index fossil
    a fossil known to have lived in a particular geologic age that can be used to date the rock layer in which it is found
  165. Indian Ocean
    the 3rd largest ocean
  166. industrialization
    the development of commercial enterprise
  167. infiltration
    the slow passage of a liquid through a medium
  168. inorganic
    relating or belonging to the class of compounds not having a carbon basis
  169. intrusive
    forced while molten into cracks between layers of other rock
  170. irrigation
    the act of supplying dry land with water by artificial means
  171. landfill
    an area where waste is disposed of by burying it underground
  172. landslide
    the descent of a large mass of dirt and rock down a slope
  173. latitude
    an imaginary line around the Earth parallel to the equator
  174. lava
    rock that in its molten form issues from volcanos
  175. levee
    an embankment built to prevent a river from overflowing
  176. lightning
    an electric discharge between clouds or from cloud to earth
  177. lightning rod
    a metallic conductor that is attached to a high point and leads to the ground; protects the building from destruction by lightning
  178. loam
    a rich soil consisting of sand, clay and organic materials
  179. loess
    a fine accumulation of clay and silt deposited by the wind
  180. longitude
    the angular distance from the prime meridian at Greenwich
  181. luster
    the property of something that shines with reflected light
  182. maelstrom
    a powerful circular current of water
  183. magma
    molten rock in the earth's crust
  184. magnetism
    attraction for iron
  185. magnitude
    the property of relative size or extent
  186. mantle
    the layer of the earth between the crust and the core
  187. matter
    that which has mass and occupies space
  188. metal
    a chemical element or alloy that is usually a shiny solid
  189. metamorphic
    having undergone transformation by pressure, heat, etc.
  190. meteorite
    a stony or metallic object from space that hits the earth
  191. meteorologist
    a specialist who studies weather conditions
  192. meteorology
    the earth science dealing with phenomena of the atmosphere
  193. mine
    get from the earth by excavation
  194. mineral
    a solid inorganic substance occurring in nature
  195. mining
    the act of extracting ores or coal from the earth
  196. Mohs scale
    a scale of hardness of solids
  197. molten
    reduced to liquid form by heating
  198. monsoon
    rainy season in southern Asia
  199. mountain
    a land mass that projects well above its surroundings
  200. mountain chain
    a series of hills or mountains
  201. mountain range
    a series of hills or mountains
  202. mudslide
    a rapid downward flow of soft, wet earth from a slope
  203. natural resource
    material in the environment that can be used by people
  204. neap tide
    a less than average tide occurring at the first and third quarters of the moon
  205. niche
    status or place of an organism within its environment
  206. nuclear energy
    the energy released by a nuclear reaction
  207. ocean
    a large body of water that is part of the hydrosphere
  208. ocean current
    the steady flow of surface ocean water in a prevailing direction
  209. ocean floor
    the bottom of a sea or ocean
  210. oceanography
    the branch of science dealing with physical and biological aspects of the oceans
  211. ore
    a mineral that contains metal valuable enough to be mined
  212. organic
    having properties characteristic of living beings
  213. organism
    a living thing that can act or function independently
  214. ozone
    a colorless gas that is a screen for ultraviolet radiation
  215. ozone layer
    a region of the stratosphere that blocks UV radiation from the sun
  216. Pacific Ocean
    the largest ocean in the world
  217. paleontology
    the earth science that studies fossil organisms
  218. Pangaea
    (plate tectonics) a hypothetical continent including all the landmass of the earth prior to the Triassic period when it split into Laurasia and Gondwanaland
  219. particle
    (nontechnical usage) a tiny piece of anything
  220. percolation
    the slow passage of a liquid through a filtering medium
  221. period
    a unit of geological time when a system of rocks formed
  222. permeable
    allowing fluids or gases to pass or diffuse through
  223. pesticide
    a chemical used to kill destructive insects or animals
  224. petroleum
    a dark oil consisting mainly of hydrocarbons
  225. plate
    a rigid layer of the Earth's crust
  226. plateau
    a relatively flat raised area of land
  227. plate tectonics
    the movement or study of the movement of Earth's crust
  228. polar
    located at or coming from the earth's extremities
  229. pole
    either of the two endpoints of the Earth's axis of rotation
  230. pollutant
    waste matter that contaminates the water, air, or soil
  231. pollution
    contamination of the natural environment
  232. population
    a group of organisms of the same species inhabiting an area
  233. population growth
    increase in the number of people who inhabit a territory or state
  234. potable
    suitable for drinking
  235. precipitation
    the falling to earth of any form of water
  236. prehistoric
    belonging to or existing before recorded times
  237. preserve
    a region where animals are protected
  238. pressure
    the force exerted by the atmosphere
  239. process
    a sustained phenomenon through a series of states
  240. rainfall
    water falling in drops from vapor condensed in the atmosphere
  241. rain forest
    a forest with heavy annual rainfall
  242. rain gauge
    gauge consisting of an instrument to measure the quantity of precipitation
  243. rain shadow
    an area that has little precipitation because some barrier causes the winds to lose their moisture before reaching it
  244. recharge
    charge anew
  245. reclamation
    the conversion of wasteland into land suitable for use
  246. recycle
    use again after processing
  247. reforestation
    the restoration (replanting) of a forest that had been reduced by fire or cutting
  248. renewable
    capable of being replaced
  249. renewable resource
    any natural resource (as wood or solar energy) that can be replenished naturally with the passage of time
  250. reservoir
    lake used to store water for community use
  251. resource
    a new or reserve supply that can be drawn upon when needed
  252. Richter scale
    a system once used to measure the strength of an earthquake
  253. ridge
    a long narrow natural elevation or striation
  254. rift valley
    a valley with steep sides
  255. river
    a large natural stream of water (larger than a creek)
  256. rock
    material consisting of the aggregate of minerals
  257. runoff
    the occurrence of surplus liquid exceeding capacity
  258. sand
    a loose material consisting of grains of rock or coral
  259. sandstorm
    a windstorm that lifts up clouds of dust or sand
  260. savanna
    a flat grassland in tropical or subtropical regions
  261. sea breeze
    a cooling breeze from the sea (during the daytime)
  262. sea level
    level of the ocean's surface
  263. seamount
    an underwater mountain rising above the ocean floor
  264. season
    one of the natural periods into which the year is divided by the equinoxes and solstices or atmospheric conditions
  265. seasonal
    occurring at or dependent on a particular season
  266. sediment
    matter that has been deposited by some natural process
  267. sedimentary
    formed by or containing the accumulation of deposited matter
  268. sedimentary rock
    rock formed from consolidated clay deposits
  269. sedimentation
    the accumulation of matter deposited by some natural process
  270. seepage
    the slow escape of liquid or gas through small holes
  271. seismic
    subject to or caused by an earthquake or earth vibration
  272. seismograph
    an instrument for measuring movements of the ground
  273. semiprecious
    used of gemstones having less commercial value than precious stones
  274. silt
    mud or clay or small rocks deposited by a river or lake
  275. sinkhole
    a depression in the ground communicating with a subterranean passage and formed by solution or by collapse of a cavern roof
  276. sleet
    precipitation consisting of a mixture of rain and snow
  277. smelt
    extract by heating, as a metal
  278. smog
    air pollution by a mixture of smoke and fog
  279. soil
    material in the top layer of the surface of the earth
  280. solar
    relating to the sun or utilizing the energies of the sun
  281. solar power
    energy from the sun that is converted into thermal or electrical energy
  282. solar radiation
    radiation from the sun
  283. sonar
    a method of finding objects under water using sound waves
  284. species
    taxonomic group whose members can interbreed
  285. spring
    a natural flow of ground water
  286. stalactite
    a cylinder of calcium carbonate hanging from a cave roof
  287. stalagmite
    a cylinder of calcium carbonate projecting from a cave floor
  288. stratum
    one of several parallel layers of material
  289. stratus
    a large dark low cloud
  290. stress
    (physics) force that produces strain on a physical body
  291. subduction
    movement of the edge of one tectonic plate under another
  292. surface
    the outermost level of the land or sea
  293. sustainability
    the capacity of being prolonged
  294. swell
    a rounded elevation (especially one on an ocean floor)
  295. system
    a group of independent elements comprising a unified whole
  296. technology
    the practical application of science to commerce or industry
  297. tectonic
    pertaining to the structure or movement of the earth's crust
  298. temperate
    mild or free from extremes
  299. temperature
    the degree of hotness or coldness of a body or environment
  300. tension
    a stress that produces an elongation of a physical body
  301. texture
    the physical composition of something
  302. thermal
    relating to or associated with heat
  303. thermometer
    measuring instrument for measuring temperature
  304. thunderstorm
    a storm resulting from strong rising air currents
  305. tide
    the periodic rise and fall of the sea level
  306. tilt
    property possessed by a line that departs from the vertical
  307. time scale
    an arrangement of events used as a measure of duration
  308. topsoil
    the layer of soil on the surface
  309. tornado
    a violently destructive windstorm occurring over land
  310. trench
    a long steep-sided depression in the ocean floor
  311. tropical
    relating to part of the Earth's surface with hot climate
  312. tropical rain forest
    a rain forest in a tropical area
  313. trough
    a narrow depression, as between waves
  314. tsunami
    a cataclysm resulting from a destructive sea wave
  315. tundra
    a vast treeless plain where subsoil is permanently frozen
  316. typhoon
    a tropical cyclone in the western Pacific or Indian oceans
  317. undertow
    a current that flows away from the shore after waves break
  318. uranium
    a heavy, silvery-white, radioactive, metallic element
  319. urbanization
    the social process whereby cities grow
  320. vapor
    a visible suspension in the air of particles of a substance
  321. vegetation
    all the plant life in a particular region or period
  322. vein
    a layer of ore between layers of rock
  323. volcanic
    relating to eruptions of gas and lava from the earth's crust
  324. volcanic glass
    a kind of natural glass produced when molten lava cools very rapidly
  325. volcano
    a fissure in the earth's crust through which gases erupt
  326. warm front
    the front of an advancing mass of warmer air
  327. waste
    any materials unused and rejected as worthless or unwanted
  328. water pollution
    pollution of the water in rivers and lakes
  329. watershed
    the geographical area drained by a river and its tributaries
  330. water table
    underground surface below which the ground is fully saturated with moisture
  331. water vapor
    water in a vaporous form diffused in the atmosphere but below boiling temperature
  332. wave
    a ridge that moves across the surface of a liquid
  333. weather
    atmospheric conditions such as temperature and precipitation
  334. weather map
    (meteorology) a map showing the principal meteorological elements at a given time and over an extended region
  335. wetland
    an ecosystem, like a bog or swamp, saturated with water
  336. wildfire
    a destructive burning that is raging and rapidly spreading
  337. wind
    air moving from high pressure to low pressure
  338. wind farm
    a power plant that uses wind turbines to generate electricity
  339. wind power
    power derived from the wind (as by windmills)
  340. wind turbine
    a turbine that is driven by the wind
  341. wind vane
    mechanical device attached to an elevated structure
Created on Wed Feb 15 21:34:31 EST 2017 (updated Fri Apr 21 13:50:03 EDT 2017)

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