Across
- 3. a system in which both energy and matter are exchanged with the surroundings.
- 6. the mostly solid, rocky part of the Earth; extends from the center of the core to the surface of the crust.
- 8. During the __________ cycle, this element moves through every sphere except the atmosphere, because it is rarely a gas.
- 11. The transfers of energy between Earth’s spheres can be thought of as parts of an energy __________.
- 13. In the __________-term carbon cycle, plants convert carbon dioxide from the atmosphere into carbohydrates, such as glucose.
- 18. a mixture of gases that surrounds a planet or moon.
- 19. According to the __________ law of thermodynamics, energy is transferred between systems, but it cannot be created or destroyed.
- 22. Earth's interior is heated by radioactive decay and gravitational contraction are examples of __________ sources of energy.
- 23. __________ must be altered, or fixed, before organisms can use it in this cycle.
- 24. a food __________ is used to represent the relationships between multiple food chains.
- 26. Many __________ on Earth cycle between reservoirs.
- 27. carbon moves through Earth’s four spheres over a very long time period during the __________-term carbon cycle.
- 28. Earth’s four main spheres are open systems that can be thought of as huge __________ of matter and energy.
- 31. A __________ is a group of processes in which matter and energy repeatedly move through a series of reservoirs.
- 33. The __________ law of thermodynamics states that when energy transfer takes place, matter becomes less organized with time.
- 34. anything that has mass and takes up space.
- 36. Plants capture solar energy by a chemical process called __________.
Down
- 1. the ability to do work.
- 2. a system in which energy, but not matter, is exchanged with the surroundings.
- 4. the study of the complex relationships between living things and their nonliving, or abiotic, environment.
- 5. the portion of the Earth that is water.
- 7. Energy enters the system in the form of sunlight and is released into space as __________.
- 9. The Earth system is composed of four “__________” that are storehouses of all of the planet’s matter.
- 10. non-living
- 12. Earth’s most important __________ energy source is the sun.
- 14. All natural cycles can be altered by __________ activities.
- 15. The sequence in which organisms consume other organisms can be represented by a food __________.
- 16. Because Earth’s interior is warmer than its surface layers, hot materials move toward the surface in a process called __________.
- 17. The __________ cycle is the continuous movement of this compound from the atmosphere to Earth’s surface and back to the atmosphere.
- 20. A __________ is a place where matter or energy is stored.
- 21. This cycle has a short-term cycle and a long-term cycle.
- 25. the part of Earth where life exists; includes all of the living organisms on Earth.
- 29. a community of organisms and their abiotic environment.
- 30. An organized group of related objects or components that interact to create a whole.
- 32. Carbon is stored in the geosphere in buried plant or animal remains and in a type of rock called a __________.
- 35. the contamination of the environment with harmful waste products or impurities.