Earth's Spheres
This sphere is Earth's outermost layer and traps the heat coming from the sun. (Think: Earth's insulator.)
What is the atmosphere?
This is the ability to do work. It can come from the sun and heat from Earth's interior.
What is energy?
This is the process of continuous movement of water on, above, and below the Earth's surface.
What is the water cycle?
Where does most of the energy that drives Earth's systems come from?
What is the sun?
Formed from the cooling and solidification of magma or lava, this type of rock includes granite and basalt.
This sphere include the solid metal inner core, liquid outer core, the mantle and the crust.
What is the geosphere?
This type of force creates new land features like mountains, volcanoes, and deltas.
What is a constructive force.
This is the process by which molecules at the surface of a liquid absorb enough energy to change to a gas.
What is evaporation?
The thermosphere, mesosphere, stratosphere and troposphere are the four main layers of this important Earth feature.
What is the atmosphere?
The three major rock types are igneous, metamorphic and this type of rock.
What is sedimentary?
All of Earth's water, including the water that cycles through the atmosphere, makes up this sphere.
What is the hydrosphere?
This is a group of parts that work together as a whole.
What is a system?
The process by which water vapor becomes liquid water.
What is condensation?
This invisible force is caused by the movement of air from high to low pressure and is responsible for rustling leaves, flying kites, and powering turbines.
What is wind?
This scientific theory explains the movement of Earth's lithospheric pieces, leading to earthquakes, mountain formation, and continental drift.
What is plate tectonics?
The parts of Earth that contain all living organisms are collectively known as this.
What is the biosphere?
This type of force wears down existing landforms through processes like weathering, erosion, and plate tectonics.
What is a destructive force?
Water that forms in clouds and falls to Earth as rain, snow, hail or sleet.
What is precipitation?
This is the most abundant gas in the atmosphere at 78%.
What is nitrogen?
This is a naturally occurring solid that can form by inorganic processes, has a crystal structure and definite chemical composition.
What is a mineral?
This sphere is the part of the Earth system that includes all frozen water, including snow cover, glaciers, etc.
What is the cryosphere?
This is the representation of the physical features of a place or region, particularly its surface shape and elevation, usually shown with contour lines on maps.
What is topography?
What is transpiration?
It's the force exerted by the weight of the atmosphere on Earth's surface, and changes in it can signal approaching storms or fair weather.
What is air pressure?
This solid material has atoms arranged in a highly ordered, repeating pattern and can form naturally as minerals like quartz or salt.