biosphere: environments that support
life - land, water, air
continental plates: tectonic plates upon which the land masses
of the earth are located, 20-80km thick
crust: uppermost layer of the earth, 7km thick under oceans
geosphere: the solid, rocky part of the earth
mantle: a layer of the earth beneath the crust, consisting
of slightly fluid rock up to 3000km thick
organic material: living or once living material based on carbon
subduction zones: areas where one tectonic plate moves under
another and is absorbed into the mantle
tectonic plates: large areas of the earths crust which float
on the mantle
(this is the glossary for an earth recycling
page)