Vocabulary Unit A Earth Science Howard Middle School

1.Celsius – Metric system scale for measuring temperature in which the freezing temp. of water is 0 0 and the boiling temp. is Centimeters – Common SI unit used for measuring distance. ( 2.54cm = 1 inch ) 3.Composition – What something is made of or its mix of ingredients.

4.Consistence – The resistance of a soil to breaking apart. 5.Dust Bowl – A severe drought and poor agricultural practices created conditions whereby the wind blew away much topsoil. 6.Fertilizer – Material added to soil to increase its ability to grow plants.

7.Grassland - These soils form in areas that have both wet and dry seasons but less overall rain than areas with forest soil. 8.Milliliters – Common SI unit used for measuring volume. 9.Nutrients - An essential element required by an organism to grow and reproduce.

10.Observation – Any description or measurement gathered by the senses. 11.Opinion – A personal belief, not necessarily supported by facts. 12.Sand - Sediments larger than 0.05mm but smaller than 0.2mm.

13. Texture - Perhaps a soils most permanent attribute determined by the mixture of particle sizes and the proportion of different sizes. 14. Trade Off - Getting one thing at the cost of another. 15. Translucent – Transmitting light diffusely; semitransparent.

16. Transparent – Able to transmit light clearly so that an object can be distinctly seen through a substance. 17. Decompose - To break down either by physical or chemical means. 18. Organic Matter - Matter containing compounds that contain carbon atoms.

19. Silt - Sediments that have a size between sand and clay, or from to 0.05mm. 20. Clay - Sediments smaller than 0.002mm. 21. Weathering - The breakup of rock caused by mechanical or chemical processes.

22.Opaque – Unable to transmit light. 23.Evidence – Something you can observe, measure, and prove. 24.Metric System – A system of measuring used by most of the world. 25.Data – The information gathered by an observation or experiment.

26. Soil – Made of pieces of rock that have been broken down and organic matter. 27. Control – In an experiment it is the part that doesnt change.