| A | B |
|---|
| ocean currents | Global patterns created from the movement of the oceans as they're heated up at the equator; such as the Gulf Stream |
| Geosphere | The mostly solid, rocky part of the Earth; extends from the center of the core to the surface of the crust. |
| Hydrosphere | All the water on the Earth found in lakes, rivers, aquifers and oceans, 97% of which is in oceans |
| atmosphere | The envelope of gases surrounding and insulating the earth or another planet. |
| Biosphere | Consists of all life on Earth |
| weather | The condition of Earth's atmosphere at a particular time and place. |
| climate | The average weather conditions in an area over a long period of time |
| Evaporation | The change of state from a liquid to a gas as energy is gained |
| Condensation | The change of state from a gas to a liquid as energy is lost |
| Precipitation | Any form of water that falls from clouds and reaches Earth's surface (rain, sleet, snow, hail). |
| insulate | To cover with a material that keeps electricity, heat, or sound from escaping. |
| altitude | height above sea level |
| Aquifer | An underground formation that contains groundwater |
| Percolation | The downward movement of water through soil or another filter due to gravity. |
| Runoff | water that flows over the ground surface rather than soaking into the ground and ends up in the ocean via rivers |
| Transpiration | Evaporation of water from the leaves of a plant |
| Cryosphere | Frozen water on earth |
| maritime | A humid air mass that forms near or over bodies of water |
| polar | A cold air mass that forms near the north or south pole and has high air pressure |
| continental | A dry air mass that forms over land |
| tropical | A warm air mass that forms in the tropics and has low air pressure |
| Elevation | height above sea level |
| global winds | winds that blow steadily from specific directions over long distances |
| Infiltration | the process by which water on the ground surface enters the soil |
| Respiration | in the water cycle the process where organisms with animal cells release moisture in their breath |
| water cycle | The continuous process by which water moves from Earth's surface to the atmosphere and back when powered by the Sun and pulled down by gravity |
| Latitude | distance north or south of the Equator, measured in degrees |
| Polar Easterly Winds | cool air spreads and sinks over the surfaces of the north and south poles and flows away from the poles, turning west by the Coriolis effect |
| Westerlies winds | between 30 and 60 degrees north and 30 and 60 degrees south, causes weather to move from west to east across the united states |
| trade winds | Prevailing winds that blow northeast from 30 degrees north latitude to the equator and that blow southeast from 30 degrees south latitude to the equator |
| doldrums (horse latitudes) | A global wind system found at the equator with little or no wind due to similar temperatures throughout the year |
