| A | B |
|---|
| Weather | The short-term changes in the air for a given place and time |
| Climate | A region's average weather conditions over a long period |
| Prevailing winds | winds that blow in the same direction over large areas of Earth |
| Thunderstorms | Storms that produce rain, lightning, and thunder. Most common in spring and summer |
| Blizzards | Storms that produce strong winds and large amounts of snow |
| Tornadoes | Small, rapidly twisting funnel of air that touches the ground and can be very distructive |
| Hurricanes/Typhoons | Large, rotating storm that form over tropical waters in the Atlantic or Pacific Oceans. They produce drenching rains, strong winds. |
| Rain Shadow | Dry area on the mountainside facing away from the direction of the wind |
| Monsoons | Seasonal winds that bring either dry or moist air |
| Savannas | Areas of tall grasses and scattered trees and shrubs |
| Steppes | Semidry grasslands or prairies |
| Permafrost | Permanently frozen layers of soil |
| Environment | Surroundings |
| Ecosystem | A group of plants and animals that depend on each other for survival |
| Humus | Decayed plant or animal matter |
| Desertification | The spread of desert-like conditions |
| Natural resources | Any material in nature that people use and value |
| Renewable Resource | Resources Earth replaces naturally |
| Nonrenewable resources | Resources that can not be replaced |
| Deforestation | The clearing of trees |
| Reforestation | Planting of trees |
| Fossil fuels | Nonrenewable resources that formed from ancient plants and animals |
| Hydroelectric Power | Electricity from waterpower |
| Nuclear Energy | Obtained by splitting atoms |
| Extinct | To die out |
