abrasion
The erosion of rock by being either carried along a stream or sandblasted by wind. The process wears down the rock
acid rain
Acid precipitation which can cause serious environmental damage. It is caused by pollution, especially from the burning of coal, car exhaust, and smoke from factories.
aeolian
Any wind-related process. Refers to things carried, deposited, or eroded by the wind. Named for the Greek god of the wind.
aftershock
A mini earthquake that occurs after a large earthquake, sometimes intermittently for several years.
albedo
The percentage of the sun's radiation that is reflected offf a surface. For example: the ________ of snow is very high because its white color is very reflective.
alluvial fan
Fan-shaped deposits of sediment found at the foot of a mountain range brought there by mountain streams on their way from the mountains to the valley below.
anticyclone
An area of high pressure with winds that rotate clockwise in the Northern Hemisphere and counter-clockwise in the Southern Hemisphere. (opposite of a cyclone)
antipode
Two points or regions on opposite sides of the planet from each other. For example, if you were able to dig a hole through the earth from the United States, you would reach the Indian Ocean -- not China -- because the ________ of the United States is a region in the Indian Ocean.
Arctic Circle
Latitude 66.5 degrees N., marking the southern boundary of that portion of the N. Hemisphere that receives a 24 hour period of sunlight once each year - occurs on June 22.
Antarctic Circle
Latitude 66.5 degrees S, marking the northern boundary of that portion of the S. Hemisphere that receives a 24 hour period of sunlight once each year - occurs on December 22.
arid
Dry, often used to describe the land, which is an area that is dry due to limited precipitation.
arroyo
A Spanish term meaning a dry streambed that fills with water following heavy rains. Similar to a wadi and a wash.
atmosphere
One of the four spheres of the Earth. The layer of gas that surrounds the Earth where weather and climate take place. Often referred to as air. The other three spheres are the biosphere, the hydrosphere, and the lithosphere.
axis
An imaginary line that runs from the north pole to the south pole around which the earth turns. It is angled at 23.5 degrees which causes the seasons.
bay
A body of water formed by a curved indention of a coastal shoreline, larger than a cove and smaller than a gulf.
Beaufort scale
A scale developed by a British admiral to measure wind speed using visual clues. It runs from 0-12 with 0 being calm and 12 being hurricane force winds.
biosphere
One of the four spheres of the earth. The areas of Earth that are home to all living things. The other three spheres are the lithosphere, hydrosphere and atmosphere.
calving
The breaking off of large chunks of ice from a glacier or an ice seet, sometimes forming icebergs.
cataract
A series of rapids, especially those along the Nile River, or of a large river with a single drop.
Celsius
A system for the measurement of temperature, with 0 degrees the temperature at which water freezes and 100 degrees the temperature at which water boils.
climate
The average weather for a place over a long period of time, typically determined by 30 years of daily records.
cold front
The boundary between a mass of cold air and a mass of warm air where the cold air is pushing the warm air upward, creating a storm.