apex predator: An animal at the top of the food chain. Such predators also have no predators themselves.
biogeochemist: Someone who studies processes that cycle (or eventually deposit) pure elements or chemical compounds (including minerals) between living species and nonliving aspects (such as rock or soil or water) of an ecosystem. This field of study is known as biogeochemistry.
bond: (in chemistry) A semi-permanent attachment between atoms — or groups of atoms — in a molecule. It’s formed by an attractive force between the participating atoms. Once bonded, the atoms will work as a unit. To separate the component atoms, energy must be supplied to the molecule as heat or some other type of radiation.
carbon: A chemical element that is the physical basis of all life on Earth. Carbon exists freely as graphite and diamond. It is an important part of coal, limestone and petroleum, and is capable of self-bonding, chemically, to form an enormous number of chemically, biologically and commercially important molecules.
carnivore: An animal that either exclusively or primarily eats other animals.
chemical reaction: A process that involves the rearrangement of the molecules or structure of a substance, as opposed to a change in physical form (as from a solid to a gas).
chemistry: Chemistry often is used as a term to refer to the recipe of a compound, the way it’s produced or some of its properties. People who work in this field are known as chemists.
climate: The weather conditions that typically exist in one area, in general, or over a long period.
climate change: Long-term, significant change in the climate of Earth. It can happen naturally or in response to human activities, including the burning of fossil fuels and clearing of forests.
cold-blooded: Adjective for an animal whose body temperature varies with that of its environment.
ecosystem: A group of interacting living organisms — including microorganisms, plants and animals — and their physical…
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