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