Terminology |
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| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| National Recreation Areas | Areas of federal land that have been set aside by Congress for recreational use by members of the public. NRDC |
| Natural Environment | In which the environment has not been modified by people |
| Natural Gas | Underground deposits of gases consisting of 50 to 90 percent methane (CH4) and small amounts of heavier gaseous hydrocarbon compounds such as propane (C3H8) and butane (C4H10). planetpals |
| Natural Resources | Things from nature; see earth matters planetpals |
| Nekton | Animals, such as fish and whales, that move independently of water currents between the bottom and surface of the ocean planetpals |
| Neurotoxin | |
| Neutral | Having a pH of 7 and thus being neither acidic nor basic planetpals |
| Niche | The location and role or job for which a species is well suited within its community, including its habitat, what it eats, its activities, and its interaction with other living things planetpals |
| Niche | The portion of the environment which a species occupies, defined in terms of the conditions under which an organism can survive, and may be affected by the presence of other competing organisms. |
| Nitrogen Fixation | The conversion of gaseous nitrogen into a form usable by plants. Ususally by bacteria. |
| Nitrogen Oxides | Harmful gases (which contribute to acid rain and global warming) emitted as a byproduct of fossil fuel combustion. NRDC |
| Nocturnal | Active only at night. |
| Node | Where leaves grow from a plant stem planetpals |
| Noise Pollution | Environmental pollution made up of harmful or annoying noise. NRDC |
| Nonbiodegradable | Not able to be consumed and/or broken down by biological organisms. Nonbiodegradable substances include plastics, aluminum, and many chemicals used in industry and agriculture. planetpals |
| Nonbiodegradable | Not able to be consumed and/or broken down by biological organisms. Such as plastics, aluminum, and many chemicals used in industry and agriculture. planetpals |
| Nonrenewable Resource | Resources exist in the earth that are non renewable because we are taking them away and using them at a much faster rate than they were formed. Examples are copper, aluminum, coal, and oil. planetpals |
| Nonrenewable Resource | Resources exist in the earth that are non renewable because we are taking them away and using them at a much faster rate than they were formed. Examples are copper, aluminum, coal, and oil. planetpals |
| Northern Hemisphere | The area of the earth above the equator planetpals |
| Northern Temperate Zone | The region between latitudes 23.5¡N and 66.5¡N. planetpals |
| Nuclear Energy | Energy produced from changes in atomic nuclei planetpals |
| Nuclear Energy | Energy or power produced by nuclear reactions (fusion or fission). NRDC |
| Nuclear Power | See nuclear energy. NRDC |
| Nuclear Reactor | An apparatus in which nuclear fission may be initiated, maintained, and controlled to produce energy, conduct research, or produce fissile material for nuclear explosives. NRDC |
| Nuclear Tests | Government tests carried out to supply information required for the design and improvement of nuclear weapons, and to study the phenomena and effects associated with nuclear explosions. NRDC |
| Nuclei | The heavy centers of atoms planetpals |
| Nutrient | Any element or simple compound necessary for the health and survival of an organism. This includes air and water, as well as food. |
| Nutrient Cycling | All the processes by which nutrients are transferred from one organism to another. For instance, the carbon cycle includes uptake of carbon dioxide by plants, ingestion by animals, and respiration and decay of the animal. |