| A | B |
|---|
| plate tectonics | the study of large pieces, or plates, of the earth |
| region | an area with common features that set it apart from other areas |
| isthmus | a narrow strip of land that connects two larger pieces of land |
| archipelago | a group of islands |
| Central America | the land stretching between southern Mexico and Northern Columbia |
| Greenland | the world’s largest island and is located of the northeast coast of North |
| Caribbean islands | an archipelagoes located between North and South America |
| Middle America | Mexico, Central America, and the Caribbean islands |
| tributary | a river or stream that flow into a larger body of water |
| elevation | the distance above sea level |
| Amazon River | located in South America and is the longest river in the Western hemisphere |
| Great Lakes | fresh water lakes on the border between the United States and Canada |
| Andes Mountains | mountains that border the west coast of South America |
| Mount Aconcagua | located in the Andes of South America and is the tallest mountain in the Americas (22,834 feet) |
| mountains | high, rounded or pointed landforms with steep sides, higher than a hill |
| hills | a rounded, raised landform, not as high as a mountain |
| plateau | a high, flat landform that rises steeply above the surrounding land |
| plain | large area of flat or nearly flat land, low elevation |
| latitude | measures the distance north and south of the equator, expressed in degrees and shown as east-west lines on a map |
| parallel line | any line of latitude, lines that are parallel never meet or cross |
| longitude | measures the distance east or west of the prime meridian, expressed in degrees and shown as north-south lines on a map |
| meridian | any line of longitude west or east of the prime meridian,they meet at the North and South poles |
| prime meridian | the line of longitude marked 0 degrees on the map |
| degrees | a unit of measurement to measure the distance between latitudes and between longitudes |
| grid | a pattern created by the crossing of lines of latitude and longitude used to measure exact location. |
| environment | includes all the land, water, plants, and animals found in an area |
| climate | the weather patterns of an area over a long period of time |
| Parts that make up climate: | 1) temperature, 2) precipitation, 3) wind, and air pressure |
| Factors which affect climate: | 1) latitude, how far north or south of the equator a place is located, 2) elevation, and 3) ocean currents |
| precipitation | any form of water, such as rain, hail, or snow, that falls to the earth |
| tropical climate | climate in the low latitudes extending from the Tropic of Cancer to the Tropic of Capricorn. These climates receive the sun’s direct rays; therefore, temperatures are very warm and do not change much year around |
| polar climate | climate in the high latitudes located near the North Pole and South Poles, and they are the world’s coldest climates because the receive the fewest direct sunrays |
| temperate climate | climate that fall between the low and high latitudes; they are generally cool in the winter and warm in the summer |
| current | a portion, part, of a body of water or air that flows continuously in the approximate same path |
| natural resources | things found in nature that can be useful to man |
| mineral | a natural substance found in the earth: iron, gold, silver, etc |
| vegetation | plant life |
| renewable resources | resources that can replace or rebuild themselves: animals, plants, soil, water, etc |
| nonrenewable resources | resources that can never be renewed or replaced: coal, iron, oil, etc |
| pollution | damaging or dirtying the environment |
| extinct | something that is no longer in existence |
