Earth System Science Vocabularies Part I:
General Science Topics, Processes and Concepts

States of Matter

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Forms of matter as solid, liquid or vapor, differing in their observable physical properties

Processes that Alter States of Matter

condensation

Process by which a vapor becomes liquid or solid

chemical fractionation

Compositional differentiation via numerous chemical processes

phase transformations

Change of a crystal from one polymorph to another

melt(ing)

Transformation from a solid to a liquid state

crystallization

Transformation from a liquid or vapor to a solid state

dehydration

A (metamorphic) reaction that results in the transfer of H2O to the fluid phase

metamorphism

Mineralogical, chemical and textural adjustment of solid rocks to physical and chemical conditions

weathering

Physical disintegration or chemical decomposition of rock

solution

A homogeneous mixture of two or more components in a single phase, often refers specifically to a solution in water (an aqueous solution); a process of chemical weathering by which rock and mineral material passes into solution

precipitation

The formation of an insoluble solid by a reaction which occurs in solution

Chemistry: topics and concepts

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inorganic chemistry

Study of compounds that contain no carbon

crystallography

Study of crystals, their growth, structure, and physical properties

analytical chemistry

Characterization of the composition, structure and properties of materials

organic chemistry

The study of carbon-containing compounds, typically containing carbon-carbon bonds

biochemistry

The study of the chemistry of living systems

physical chemistry

Encompassing thermodynamics, quantum chemistry, and chemical kinetics

thermodynamics

A set of laws that predicts the equilibrium configuration of a system and how it will change if its environmental parameters are changed

entropy

A measure of the extent to which the energy of a system is available for conversion to work

enthalpy

H=E + PV (E=internal energy of a system and PV are pressure and volume respectively); -of a reaction is the heat evolved or absorbed in a reaction at constant pressure

intensive parameter

A property that is independent of the amount of a material, e.g. density

extensive parameter

A property that is dependent of the amount of material, e.g. mass or volume

pressure

A measure of force exerted on a unit area

temperature

The condition of a body that determines the transfer of heat to or from another body

First Law of Thermodynamics

A statement of the conservation of energy; heat absorbed by a system must either raise the internal energy of the system or do work on the environment

Second Law of Thermodynamics

Heat can never pass spontaneously from a body at a lower temperature to one at a higher temperature

Gibbs free energy

A function of state that is reversible during a reversible isobaric-isothermal reaction

heat capacity

Quantity of heat needed to raise one unit mass of a substance one degree Celsius

calorimetry

Measurement of thermal constants of a substance

activity or fugacity

Thermodynamic partial pressure of a component; the ideal thermodynamic concentration of a substance which permits the application of the law of mass action

phase equilibria

Chemical reactions among multiple phases

exothermic reactions

Chemical reactions that liberate heat

endothermic reactions

Chemical reactions that consume heat

adiabatic reactions

A process that occurs without gain or loss of heat to or from the system

reversible reactions

A reaction that can be forced to occur in either direction by variation of pressure, temperature, volume or quantity of reacting substances

irreversible reactions

A reaction that takes place in one direction only, and therefore proceeds to completion

kinetics

The study of rates at which chemical reactions proceed

statistical mechanics

Theoretical predictions of the behavior of a microscopic system based on application of statistical laws to the behavior of component particles

Physics: topics and concepts

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Mechanical Transfer of Heat and Mass

convection

Transfer of heat in a fluid by the circulation flow due to temperature differences (resulting in density differences)

conduction

Transfer of heat controlled by thermal conductivity of materials, related to heat flux and temperature gradient

Heat Source

radioactive decay

Spontaneous emission of particles (alpha or beta) or gamma rays from the unstable nucleus of a nuclide; results in the generation of heat

kinetic energy/friction

Energy arising from motion; resistance to motion

Electro-Magnetic Properties

magnetic field

Forces related to magnetic poles; associated with electric currents and the motions of electrons in atoms

electrical conductivity

Measure of the ease with which a conduction current can be caused to flow through a material under the influence of an applied electric field; reciprocal of resistivity

Gravitational

accretion

Process whereby small particles and gases in the solar nebula come together to form larger bodies, eventually of planetary size

impact

A collision of two planetary bodies at or near cosmic velocity

orbital/precession

Change in the direction of axis of rotation; westward motion of the equinoxes caused mainly by the gravitational attraction of the sun and moon on the equatorial bulge of the earth

Kepler's laws of planetary motion

1. The planets describe ellipses with the sun at a focus. 2. The line from the sun to any planet describes equal areas in equal times. 3. The squares of the periodic times of the planets are proportional to the cubes of their mean distances from the sun.

tides

Rhythmic, alternate rise and fall of a surface (water, land) resulting from gravitational attraction

isostasy (bouyancy)

Condition of equilibrium, similar to floating, of the components of the lithosphere above the aesthenosphere

Mechanics

kinematics

Study of the way in which velocities and accelerations of various parts of a moving system are related

momentum

A dynamical quantity, conserved in a closed system, defined as the product of mass and velocity; linear and angular momentum

oscillation (vibration)

Any motion that repeats itself in equal intervals of time; periodic motion.

translation

Uniform movement in one dimension, without rotation

rotation

Circular turning of a body about an axis

rigid body dynamics

Deforming (solid) body suffers no distortion, dilation or rotation

fluid dynamics

Study of motion in fluids

Dynamic Properties and Processes

viscosity

Property of a substance to offer internal resistance to flow

rheology

Study of the deformation and flow of mater

diffusion

Flow of material from regions of high to low concentration; proportional to concentration gradient

infiltration

Flow of a fluid into a solid substance; driven by pressure gradient

Principle of Relativity

The observed value of the velocity of light is constant and is independent of the motion (frame of reference) of the observer

Waves

transverse

Particle motion is perpendicular to the direction of propagation of the wave (S or shear wave)

longitudinal

Particle motion is in the direction of propagation of the wave (P or primary wave, compressional)

standing

A water wave, the form of which oscillates vertically between two nodes without progressive movement

sound

Acoustic waves, longitudinal motion; compressional

refraction

Deflection of a wave due to its passage from one medium to another of differing density; changes the velocity

reflection

The return of a wave incident upon a surface to its original medium

diffraction

Phenomena observed when waves are obstructed by obstacles or apertures, the disturbance spreads beyond the limits of the geometrical shadow of the object.

scattering

Irregular reflection or dispersal of waves or particles

interference

Interaction between two or more waves

optics

The study of light and its wave properties

Quantum Mechanics

quantum theory

electromagnetic radiation is emitted and adsorbed in discrete quanta, each of magnitude hv where h is Planck's constant and v is the frequency of the radiation; encompasses black body radiation, photoelectric effect, Compton effect and Bohr theory of the atom

Schrodinger equation

fundamental equation of wave mechanics; expresses the probability density for a particle or set of particles.

uncertainty principle

There is a fundamental limit to the precision with which a position coordinate of a particle and its momentum in that direction can be simultaneously known

Biology: topics and concepts

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cellular biology

Study of life at the cellular level

botany

Study of plant life forms

zoology

Study of animal life forms

ecology

The study of the interrelations between living organisms and their environment, including both the physical and biotic factors.

genetics

Study of heredity, how differences between individuals are transmitted from one generation to the next, and how the information in the genes is used in the development of functioning of the adult organism.

anatomy/physiology

Study of the form and function of plants and animals. Physiology - the study of the relation between structure and function.

taxonomy

Classification applied to living organisms

evolution

Changes in the genetic composition of a population during successive generations; the gradual development of more complex organisms from simpler ones

adaptation

Any morphological, physiological or behavioural characteristic which fits an organism to the conditions under which it lives; the genetic or developmental processes by which such characteristics arise

adaptive radiation

Evolutionary diversification of species from a common ancestral stock, filling available ecological niches

mutation

A change, spontaneous or induced, that converts one allele into another; any change of a gene or of chromosomal structure or number

natural selection

Evolutionary theory which postulates the survival of the best adapted forms, with inheritance of those characteristics wherein their fitness lies, and which arise as random variations due to mutation

Mathematics: topics, concepts and skills

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Topics

arithmetic

Science of numbers, including processes such as addition, subtraction, multiplication, division and the extraction of roots

algebra

Investigation of the properties of number by means of symbols; solving of equations, summation of series, permutations and combinations, matrices, and sets

geometry

Concerned with the properties of lines, curves and surfaces; divided into pure, algebraic and differential geometry

trigonometry

Relations among the sides and angles of triangles

differential calculus

Dealing with continuously varying quantities; based on the derivative of one quantity with respect to another of which it is a function (inverse of integral calculus).

integral calculus

Purpose is to find the value of a function of a variable when its derivative is known; integration is used in the solution of such problems as finding the area enclosed by a given curve. (inverse of differential calculus)

tensor

The generalization of a vector; a mathematical entity specifiable by a set of components with respect to a system of coordinates

non-linear systems

Mathematical representation of which the result of an action is not necessarily proportional to its cause

chaos

Encompasses principles related to e.g., self-organization, sensitive dependence on initial conditions, strange attractors

fractals

A shape made of parts similar to the whole in some way; includes concepts of fractal dimensions, similarity and scaling

Quantitative Skills

computation

To determine by mathematical means; calculate.

estimation

To judge approximately; to determine roughly the size, extent or nature.

quantities

Including e.g. units of measure, dimensions, orders of magnitude

measurement

Amount, degree, dimensions, capacity of something as determined by comparison to a standard

error and uncertainty

Difference between measured and actual values; and indefinite, indeterminate

probability

Mathematical basis of a prediction; ratio of the outcomes that could produce an event to the total number of possible outcomes

statistics

Numerical quantity calculated from a set of observations

Representation

graphs

A diagram that represents the variation of a variable in comparison with that of one or more other variables

tables

Systematic arrangement of data in rows and columns

formulae

A group of numerical symbols associated to express a single concept or principle

schematics

A diagrammatic representation.

modeling/visualization

A description or analogy used to help visualize something that cannot be directly observed; a system of postulates, data, and inferences presented as a mathematical description of an entity

equations as language

Using equations to describe natural phenomena