Glossary
A
- absorb
- - soak in, retain
- adapt
- - to change behaviors in order to survive or succeed
- altitude
- - height or distance from sea level of a place
- analyze
- - to study or examine something in order to explain
- atmosphere
- - the blanket of air around the earth where weather happens
- average
- - typical, usual
B
- biome
- - plants, animals, and climate found in a certain area
C
- carbon dioxide
- - a gas released by the burning of coal, natural gas, oil, and wood that traps heat in the atmosphere.
- carbon footprint
- - the amount of carbon dioxide one human releases into the environment in one year
- climatologist
- - scientist who studies climate
- coral reef
- - a structure or ridge of coral skeletons that forms in warm, shallow sea waters
D
- deciduous forest
- - forests where trees lose their leaves each year
- drought
- - abnormal dry weather causing a shortage of water
E
- emit
- - give off
- equator
- - an imaginary line going around the earth halfway between the north and south poles
- evaporation
- - the process by which liquid water changes to water vapor
- extreme
- - a kind or degree that is much beyond what is normal or average
F
- forecast
- - prediction of a future event or condition
- fossil fuels
- - coal, oil, and natural gas, which come from the remains of ancient plants and animals over millions of years
G
- glacier
- - large bodies of ice that remain permanently frozen and may move slowly
H
- humidity
- - water vapor or moisture in the air
I
- interact
- - two or more things act upon each other
L
- latitude
- - distance measured from the earth's equator either north or south
M
- measure
- - to use numbers to describe a trait or condition
- meteorologist
- - scientist who studies weather
- methane
- - a gas produced by microbes in wetlands and rice paddies and by the digestive tracts of animals such as cattle and sheep.
- moderate
- - not too much or too little, within medium limits
N
- nitrous oxide
- - a gas produced when chemicals in human-produced fertilizers break down in the soil text
O
- ocean currents
- - a river-like movement of water in the ocean that flows in one direction
P
- permafrost
- - the permanently frozen subsoil ground layer found in arctic and subarctic regions
- photosynthesis
- - The process by which plants use sunlight, water, and carbon dioxide to make their own food and release oxygen
- pollinator
- - organisms that spread pollen among or within plants, such as bees and butterflies
- precipitation
- - water that falls to the earth's surface in the form of rain, snow, sleet or hail
- prevailing
- - most common
R
- range
- - the difference between highest and lowest
- regional
- - referring to a given area
- reproduce
- - to have young
S
- satellite
- - spacecraft equipment that orbit the earth to take measurements and send back information
T
- temperature
- - a measure of how hot or cold something is
- temperature variation
- - change or difference between high and low temperatures
- temporary
- - not lasting or permanent
- transport
- - move from one place to another
- tundra
- - biome with plains of permanently frozen subsoil and no trees
V
- variety
- - diversity, having different types or forms
- vegetation
- - plant life
W
- water vapor
- - water in the form of gas
