| A | B |
|---|
| weather | the condition of the atmosphere at a particular time and place |
| climate | the average weather conditions in an area over a long period of time |
| latitude | the distance north or south from the equator, measured in degrees |
| prevailing winds | winds that blow mainly from one direction |
| elevation | the height of an object or surface landform above sea level |
| surface currents | a streamlike movement of water that occurs at or near the surface of the ocean |
| biome | a land region characterized by a specific trype of climate and the plants and animals that live there |
| tropical zone | the warm zone located around the equator |
| temperate zone | the climate zone between the Tropics and the polar zone |
| deciduous | describes trees that lose their leaves when the weather becomes cold |
| evergreens | trees that keep their leaves year-round |
| polar zone | the northernmost and southermost climate zones |
| microclimate | a small region with unique climatic characteristics |
| ice age | a period in which ice collects in high latitudes and moves toward lower latitudes |
| global warming | a rise in average global temperatures |
| greenhouse effect | the natural heating process of a planet, such a Earth, by which gases in the atmosphere trap thermal energy |
