The biosphere is the global ecological system integrating all living beings and their relationships. This includes their interactions with the lithosphere (the rigid outer part of the earth, consisting of the crust and upper mantle), hydrosphere (all surface water), and atmosphere (the envelope of gases surrounding the planet).

An element is matter than cannot be separated into different types of matter by ordinary chemical methods.

An exoskeleton (external skeleton) is common in arthropods like insects, spiders, and crustaceans.

Smaller rocks shed by asteroids and comets are called meteoroids. When these rocks reach Earth's atmosphere, they burn up in the mesosphere and become meteors. If a meteor manages to reach the Earth, it is called a meteorite.

Food is mixed with gastric acid and pepsin in the stomach to help break down protein.