| A | B |
|---|
| polar molecule | a molecule that has a positive end and an negative end |
| hydrogen bond | the type of bond formed between the positive end of one water molecule and the negative end of another water molecule |
| transpiration | loss of water through plant leaves |
| percolation | movement of liquid through a porous material, such as soil particles |
| water table | the top level of the area below the ground that is saturated with water |
| leaching | removal of soluble minerals by percolation |
| carbon cycle | the cycle of matter - carbon atoms move from inorganic to organic form then back to inorganic |
| combustion | chemical reaction in which a substance reacts very quickly with oxygen to release energy |
| peat | slowly decomposing plant matter produced in low-energy environments like bogs |
| albedo | the extent to which a surface reflects light. Higher albedo = more light reflected, less absorbed |
| nitrogen cycle | the cycle of matter in which nitrogen moves from nitrogen gas in the atmosphere to organic forms in living things, then back to inorganic forms in soil and gas in atmosphere |
| nitrogen fixation | the processes in which atmospheric nitrogen is converted into nitrate ions (2 ways: lightning and bacteria in soil) |
| denitrification | process in which nitrates are converted to nitrites then to nitrogen gas |
| fertilizer | material used to provide nutrients to plants |
| phosphorus cycle | cycling of phosphorus between biotic and abiotic components of environment |
| nutrient | a chemical that is essential to living things |
