Geography Chapter 3 Vocabulary

Front 1

Weather

Back 1

The condition of the atmosphere in one place during a limited period of time.

Front 2

Climate

Back 2

The term for weather patterns that an area typically experiences over a long period of time.

Front 3

Axis

Back 3

An imaginary line running from the North Pole to the South Pole through the planet's center.

Front 4

Temperature

Back 4

The measure of how hot or cold a place is.

Front 5

Revolution

Back 5

One trip around the sun.

Front 6

Equinox

Back 6

"Equal Night"

Front 7

Tropic of Cancer

Back 7

Located at 23 1/2 degees North. The northernmost point on the Earth to recieve the direct rays of the sun.

Front 8

Solstice

Back 8

Marks the beginning of summer in the Northern Hemisphere.

Front 9

Tropic of Capricorn

Back 9

Located at 23 1/2 degrees South.

Front 10

Greenhouse Effect

Back 10

Without the Greenhouse effect, the Earth would be too cold for most living things.

Front 11

Global Warming

Back 11

Is believed to be caused in part of human activities, such as the burning of coal, oil, and natural gas.

Front 12

Artic Circle

Back 12

Latitude 66 1/2 degrees North. Experiences continuous daylight of twilight.

Front 13

Antartic Circle

Back 13

Latitude of 66 1/2 degrees South. Experiences daylight or twilight for the other 6 months of the year.

Front 14

High Latitudes

Back 14

The Earths polar areas, which stretch from 60 N to 90 N and from 60 S to 90 S

Front 15

Low Latitudes

Back 15

Between 30 s and 30 N.

Front 16

Midlatitudes

Back 16

Between 30 N and 60 N in the Northern Hemisphere and between 30 S and 60 s in the southern Hemisphere.

Front 17

Prevailing Winds

Back 17

Global winds that blow in fairly constant patterns.

Front 18

Coriolis Effect

Back 18

Causes prevailings winds to blow diagonally rather than along strict north-south or east-west directions.

Front 19

Doldrums

Back 19

A narrow generally windless band.

Front 20

Currents

Back 20

Cold and warms streams of water that move through water.

Front 21

El Nino

Back 21

A periodic change in the pattern of ocean currents, water temperatures, and weather in the mid-Pacific Region.

Front 22

Tropics

Back 22

Low latitudes where tropical climates are found.

Front 23

Sahara

Back 23

Extends over almost the entire northern 1/3 of the African Continent.

Front 24

Oasis

Back 24

An area of lush vegatation.

Front 25

Coniferous

Back 25

Trees; Most of which are Evergreens, have cones.

Front 26

Decidous

Back 26

Trees; Most of which have broad leaves, change color and drop their leaves in Autumn.

Front 27

Prairies

Back 27

Inland grasslands.

Front 28

Permafrost

Back 28

Permantly frozen subsoil.

Front 29

Hypothesis

Back 29

A scientific explination.

Front 30

Smog

Back 30

A visible chemical haze in the atmosphere that endangers people's health.