Earth Science & Geology
What is the largest ocean on Earth?
Pacific Ocean
What do you call a community of living organisms interacting with the nonliving components of their environment?
Ecosystem
Which instrument is used to measure air temperature?
Thermometer
What part of a plant absorbs sunlight to make food?
Leaves
What term is used for harmful substances introduced into the environment?
Pollution
What is the hardest mineral?
Diamond
Which animal group includes mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, and fish?
Vertebrates
What is the general term for water falling from clouds, such as rain, snow, or hail?
Precipitation
What are trees that shed their leaves annually called?
Deciduous
What common action helps reduce the amount of waste sent to landfills?
Recycling
What term is used for the sudden, violent shaking of the ground caused by movement within the Earth's crust?
Earthquake
What is the term for a natural environment where a particular species lives?
Habitat
What visible water vapor in the air reduces visibility, often occurring in the morning?
Fog
What is the scientific term for the study of plants?
Botany
What term means cutting down large areas of trees?
Deforestation
What layer of the Earth lies directly beneath the crust?
Mantle
What is the layer of tropical trees that forms a dense overhead cover in a rainforest?
Canopy
What causes the seasons on Earth?
The tilt of the Earth's axis
What chemical compound gives plants their green color?
Chlorophyll
What environmental disaster is caused when sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides mix with water vapor in the atmosphere?
Acid Rain
Which primary type of rock is formed from the cooling and solidification of magma or lava?
Igneous
What specific region of the atmosphere is most responsible for filtering out the majority of the sun's damaging ultraviolet (UV) radiation?
Ozone layer (located in the stratosphere)
Which layer of the atmosphere is where all Earth's weather occurs?
Troposphere
What is the name of the waxy coating on plant leaves that prevents water loss?
Cuticle
What specific measure is used to quantify the amount of biologically productive land and water required to support a person or activity?
Ecological Footprint