Vocabulary Word Definition Image

biogeochemical cycles In ecology and Earth science, 

a biogeochemical cycle or 
substance turnover or cycling 
of substances is a pathway 
by which a chemical 
substance moves through 
biotic and abiotic 
compartments of Earth.

fossil fuels A fossil fuel is a fuel formed 

by natural processes, such as 
anaerobic decomposition of 
buried dead organisms, 
containing energy originating 
in ancient photosynthesis. 
The age of the organisms 
and their resulting fossil fuels 
is typically millions of years, 
and sometimes exceeds 650 
million years.

global warming Global warming​ is a 

long-term rise in the 
average temperature of the 
Earth's climate system, an 
aspect of climate change 
shown by temperature 
measurements and by 
multiple effects of 
the​warming​.

runoff Surface runoff is the flow of 

water that occurs when 
excess stormwater, 
meltwater, or other sources 
flows over the Earth's 
surface.
groundwater Water that is underground

nitrogen fixation Nitrogen fixation is a process 

by which nitrogen in the air is 
converted into ammonia or 
related nitrogenous 
compounds. Atmospheric 
nitrogen, is molecular 
dinitrogen, a relatively 
nonreactive molecule that is 
metabolically useless to all 
but a few microorganisms.

transpiration Transpiration​ is the 

process by which moisture 
is carried through plants 
from roots to small pores 
on the underside of leaves, 
where it changes to vapor 
and is released to the 
atmosphere. T ​ ranspiration 
is essentially evaporation 
of water from plant leaves.

precipitation In meteorology, precipitation 

is any product of the 
condensation of atmospheric 
water vapor that falls under 
gravity. The main forms of 
precipitation include drizzle, 
rain, sleet, snow, graupel and 
hail.
evaporation Evaporation​ is a type of 
vaporization that occurs on 
the surface of a liquid as it 
changes into the gas 
phase. The surrounding 
gas must not be saturated 
with the e
​ vaporating 
substance.

sublimation Sublimation​ is the 

transition of a substance 
directly from the solid to 
the gas phase, without 
passing through the 
intermediate liquid phase.

condensation Condensation is the change 

of the physical state of 
matter from gas phase into 
liquid phase, and is the 
reverse of vapourisation. The 
word most often refers to the 
water cycle.

Water cycle The water cycle, also known 

as the hydrologic cycle or the 
hydrological cycle, describes 
the continuous movement of 
water on, above and below 
the surface of the Earth.

Carbon cycle The carbon cycle is the 

biogeochemical cycle by 
which carbon is exchanged 
among the biosphere, 
pedosphere, geosphere, 
hydrosphere, and atmosphere 
of the Earth. Carbon is the 
main component of 
biological compounds as well 
as a major component of 
many minerals such as 
 limestone. 

Nitrogen cycle The nitrogen cycle is the 

biogeochemical cycle by 
which nitrogen is converted 
into multiple chemical forms 
as it circulates among 
atmosphere, terrestrial, and 
marine ecosystems. The 
conversion of nitrogen can be 
carried out through both 
biological and physical 
processes.