Climate


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