Vocabulary Word Definition Image

biogeochemical cycles Water, Nitrogen and Carbon

Cycles

fossil fuels Any combustible organic

material, as oil, coal, or
natural gas, derived
from the remains of
former life.

global warming An increase in the

earth's average
atmospheric
temperature that causes
corresponding changes
in climate and that may
result from the
greenhouse effect.

runoff something that drains or

flows off, as rain that
flows off from the land
in streams.

groundwater The water beneath the

surface of the ground,
consisting largely of
surface water that has
seeped down:the source
of water in springs and
wells.
nitrogen fixation any process of
combining atmospheric
nitrogen with other
elements, either by
chemical means or by
bacterial.

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. 

precipitation In meteorology, 
precipitation is any product 
of the condensation of 
atmospheric water vapor 
that falls under gravity.

evaporation Evaporation is a type of 

vaporization that occurs on 
the surface of a liquid as it 
changes into the gas 
phase when it reaches its 
boiling point. 

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
process by which water
vapor in the air is
changed into liquid water.
Condensation is crucial to
the water cycle because it
is responsible for the
formation of clouds.

Water cycle The water cycle describes 

how water evaporates 
from the surface of the 
earth, rises into the 
atmosphere, cools and 
condenses into rain or 
snow in clouds, and falls 
again to the surface as 
precipitation.

Carbon cycle In all four processes, the 

carbon dioxide released in 
the reaction usually ends 
up in the atmosphere. The 
fast carbon cycle is so 
tightly tied to plant life that 
the growing season can be 
seen by the way carbon 
dioxide fluctuates in the 
atmosphere.

Nitrogen cycle This module provides an 

overview of the nitrogen 
cycle and the chemical 
changes that govern the 
cycle.