Unit 2 Vocab

1. the condition of the atmosphere at a particular time, including temperature, precipitation, and humidity for a particular day or week
3. the process by which rocks and soil slowly break apart and are worn away
5. a community of living organisms and their natural environment, or habitat
6. the average condition of the atmosphere of an area over a long period of time, including temperature precipitation, and seasonal changes
9. a resource that is limited and cannot be replaced quickly enough to keep up with its use
10. the outermost and thinnest layer of Earth
11. The central part of the earth below the mantle, consisting of the inner and outer core
12. the process of water turning into vapor and rising into the atmosphere due to the sun's heating; part of the hydrologic cycle
13. plant life in an area
15. when the day and night are of equal length; occurs twice a year on March 21 or 22 and September 21 or 22
16. a raw material or energy source that replaces itself over time
18. this kind of plate is a section of Earth's crust that floats on Earth's mantle
19. an area along the rim of the Pacific Ocean where tectonic plates meet, causing many active volcanoes and earthquakes

2. a shaking of Earth's crust generally caused by the collision or sliding of tectonic plates
4. the point at which the sun is farthest north or farthest south of the Equator; the beginning of summer and winter
7. The second layer of the earth, made out of molten rock called magma
8. unfinished or natural materials such as minerals, oil, or coal used to make finished products
11. the process of water vapor turning into liquid droplets due to cooling in the hydrologic cycle
14. the process of water falling to the Earth as rain, snow, sleet, or hail
17. the natural environment of a living plant or animal