| A | B |
|---|
| weather | condition of the atmosphere duringa limited time |
| climate | weather patterns over a long period of time |
| temperature | how hot or cold a place is |
| axis | an imaginary line through the center of the earth from the north pole to the south pole |
| revolution | trip around the sum |
| equinox | daylight and nighttime hours are equal |
| solstice | beginning of summer in northern hemisphere |
| greenhouse effect | the ability of gases to trap heat, warming the earth |
| global warming | warming of the earth and its atmosphere |
| prevailing winds | wind that blows in a constant direction |
| coriolis effect | causes prevailing winds to blow diagonally |
| doldrums | a narrow windless area at the equator |
| currents | cold and warm streams of water |
| El Nino | change in the pattern of ocean currents and temperatures |
| windward | the side of a mountain range facing the wind |
| leeward | facing away from the direction the wind is blowing |
| rain shadow | dry areas on the leeward side of mountains |
| natural vegetation | plant life in an area not changed by people |
| oasis | area of vegetation in a desert |
| coniferous | trees with cones that keep their foliage in winter |
| deciduous | trees that change color and lose their leaves in fall |
| mixed forests | climate with coniferous and deciduous trees |
| chaparral | area with woody brushes and short trees |
| prairies | inland grasslands |
| permafrost | frozen subsoil |
| hypothesis | scientific explanation |
| smog | a chemical haze in the air |
