Chapter 1 Vocabulary

4. The 2980-kilometer-thick layer of Earth located beneath the crust.
9. Any size group of interacting parts that form a complex whole.
10. On a topographic map, it tells the distance in elevation between adjacent contour lines.
13. All life on Earth; the parts of the solid Earth, Hydrosphere, and atmosphere in which living organisms can be found
14. The innermost layer of Earth, located beneath the mantle.
15. The scientific study of the oceans and oceanic phenomena.
17. The water portion of Earth; one of the traditional subdivisions of Earth's physical environment.
18. Line on a topographic map that indicates an elevation.
19. The science that examines Earth, its form and composition, and the changes it has undergone and is undergoing
20. A well-tested and widely accepted view that explains certain observable facts.

1. The gaseous portion of a planet.
2. The distance north and south of the equator, measured in degrees. (Hint: Ladder)
3. The distance east or west of the prime meridian, measured in degrees.
5. The name for all sciences that collectively seek to understand Earth.
6. The scientific study of the universe.
7. The layer of Earth under both the atmosphere and the oceans; it is composed of the core, the mantle, and the crust.
8. A map that represents Earth's surface in three dimensions; it shows elevation, distance, directions, and slope angles.
11. The scientific study of the atmosphere and atmospheric phenomena; the study of weather and climate.
12. The thin, rocky layer of Earth.
16. A tentative explanation that is tested to determine if it is valid.