Vocabulary Science Final. Chapters 10-17,21

  1. The average weather condition an area over a long period of time
    climate
  2. The height of an object above sea level
    elevation
  3. A large region characterized by a specific type of climate and certain types of plant and animal communities
    biome
  4. The climate of a small area
    microclimate
  5. A long period of climate cooling during which ice sheets cover large areas of Earth's surface; also known as a glacial period
    Ice age
  6. The condition of the atmosphere at a certain time and place including temperature, humidity, precipitation, wind and visibility.
    weather
  7. The amount of water vapor in the air
    humidity
  8. The change of state from a gas to a liquid. For example, the outside of a glass of cold water is wet.
    condensation
  9. Any form of water that falls to the Earth's surface from the clouds
    precipitation
  10. The sound caused by the rapid expansion of air along an electrical strike
    thunder
  11. Rain, sleet or snow that contains a high concentration of acids
    acid precipitation
  12. A narrow belt of strong winds that blow in the upper troposphere
    jet stream
  13. A gradual increase in a average global temperature
    global warming
  14. The lowest layer of the atmosphere, in which temperature decreases at a constant rate as altitude increases
    troposphere
  15. The warming of the surface and lower atmosphere of Earth that occurs when water vapor, carbon dioxide, and other gases absorb and radiate thermal energy
    Greenhouse effect
  16. A horizontal movement of ocean water that is caused by wind and that occurs at or near the oceans's surface
    surface current
  17. The apparent curving of the path of a moving object from an otherwise straight path due to the Earth's rotation
    Coriolis Effect
  18. A subsurface current that is near shore and that pulls objects out to sea
    undertow
  19. A giant ocean wave that forms after a volcanic eruption, submarine earthquake, or landslide has occurred
    Tsunami
  20. Daily changes in the levels of ocean water at high tide and low tide
    tide
  21. The movement of water from ocean to the atmosphere to the land and back to the ocean is called the
    the water cycle
  22. The mountain chain on the ocean floor
    mid-ocean ridge
  23. A huge crack in the ocean floor. A steep, long depression in the deep-sea floor that runs parallel to a chain of volcanic islands or a continental margin
    ocean trench
  24. All organisms that swim actively in open water, independent of currents
    nekton
  25. A process of removing salt from ocean water
    desalination
  26. The boundary between land and a body of water
    shoreline
  27. A large mass of moving ice
    glacier
  28. Unsorted rock material that is deposited directly by a melting glacier
    till
  29. The sudden movement of rock and soil down a slope
    landslide
  30. The flow of a mass of mud or rock and soil mixed with a large amount of water
    mudflow
  31. A tank that separates solid waste from liquids and that has bacteria that break down the solid waste is called
    septic tank
  32. Pollution that comes from a specific site is called
    point-source pollution
  33. The process in which material is laid down
    deposition
  34. The area of land that is drained by a water system
    watershed
  35. The continuoius movement of water from the ocean to the atmosphere to the land and back to the ocean
    water cycle
  36. The process by which rock materials are broken down by the action of physical and chemical processes is called
    weathering
  37. Rain, sleet or snow that contains a high concentration of acids is called
    acid precipitaion
  38. A loose mixture of rock fragments, organic material, water and air that can support the growth of vegetation is called
    soil
  39. The dark, organic material formed in soil from the decayed remains of plants and animals is called
    humus
  40. The process by which wind, water, ice, or gravity transport soil and sediment from one location to another is called
    erosion
  41. Evidence that Mars once had liquid water on it
    areas that look like dry riverbeds
  42. Which planet is known for its spectacular rings
    Saturn
  43. Which planet had a storm system call the Great Dark Spot?
    Neptune
  44. This planet spins with a retrograde rotation
    Venus
  45. Galileo was known for his discovery of the...
    telescope
  46. What is the main source of gravity for tides?
    The moon
  47. Between high tides, what forms when the water is drawn away from the beach?
    low tide
  48. What is the most useful unit for measuring distances within the solar system?
    astronomical unit
Author
martha.hulsey
ID
85415
Card Set
Vocabulary Science Final. Chapters 10-17,21
Description
Vocabulary Science Final. Chapters 10-17,21
Updated