| A | B |
|---|
| astronomy | study of the universe beyond the earth |
| atmosphere | thick blanket of gases surrounding the earth |
| background radiation | low levels of energy evenly distributed throughout the universe |
| big bang theory | theory that all matter and energy in the universe was compressed into an extremely small volume that suddenly, billions of years ago, began expanding in all directions |
| biodegradable | able to be broken down into component parts by microorganisms |
| biosphere | ecosystem encompassing all the life on earth and the physical environment that supports it |
| Doppler effect | apparant shift in the wavelength of energy, such as a sound wave or a light wave, emitted by a source moving away from or toward an observer |
| earth science | study of the earth and the universe around it |
| ecology | study of the complex relationships between living things and their environment |
| ecosystem | community of organisms and the environment they inhabit |
| elements | substance that cannot be broken down into a simpler form by ordinary chemical means |
| experimentation | process by which a scientific procedure is carried out according to certain guidelines |
| geology | study of the origin, history, and structure of the solid earth and the processes that shape it |
| geosphere | the solid earth |
