Essential Earth Science & Weather Terms Glossary
Classified in Geology
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Key Earth Science and Weather Terms Defined
Acid Rain
Rainwater containing chemicals that result from the burning of fossil fuels.
Altitude
The height of a place above sea level.
Anticyclone
An area of high pressure usually associated with fine, settled weather.
Climate
The average weather conditions of a place over many years.
Condensation
The process by which water vapor changes to a liquid or a solid when cooled.
Continental Crust
A part of the thin outer layer of the Earth that is relatively light, so it cannot sink and cannot be destroyed.
Depression
An area of low pressure usually associated with clouds, rain, and strong winds.
Dew Point
The temperature at which moist air becomes saturated.
Drought
A prolonged period of weather that is drier than usual.
Ecosystem
A system where plants and animals interact with each other and their natural surroundings.
Global Warming
The increase in the world's average temperature, believed to result from the release of carbon dioxide and other gases into the atmosphere by the burning of fossil fuels.
Greenhouse Effect
The way that gases in the atmosphere trap heat from the Sun.
Hurricane
A severe tropical storm with low pressure, heavy rainfall, and winds of extreme strength which can cause widespread damage.
Isobar
A line joining points of equal pressure.
Isotherm
A line joining points with the same temperature.
Lahar
A rapid downhill movement of mud, water, and volcanic ash.
Latitude
The distance of a place north or south from the equator.
Natural Hazard
A force of nature, such as an earthquake, volcanic eruption, flood, or storm, that is a danger to people's lives and a threat to their property and way of life.
Ocean Currents
The flow of water in certain directions within the sea.
Oceanic Crust
A part of the thin outer layer of the Earth that is heavy.
Plate Boundary or Margin
The place where two plates meet.
Plate Tectonics
The theory that the surface of the Earth is divided into several moving plates consisting of continental and oceanic crust.
Plates
Huge slabs of the Earth's crust.
Precipitation
The deposition of moisture, usually from clouds.
Prevailing Wind
The direction from which the wind usually comes.
Raw Materials
Natural resources that are used to make things.
Satellite Image
A photograph, sometimes using false colors, taken from space to show features and changes on the Earth's surface.
Shield Volcano
A gentle-sided volcano where lava is ejected, often non-violently, onto the Earth's surface.
Tectonic Processes
Movements within the Earth's crust.
Tidal Surge
A rapid rise in sea level caused by storms.
Tropical Cyclone
A severe tropical storm with low pressure, heavy rainfall, and winds of extreme strength that can cause widespread damage.
Tsunami
A very large wave caused by an earthquake on the ocean floor.
Volcano
A cone-shaped mountain or hill formed from lava and ash.
Weather
The day-to-day condition of the atmosphere, including temperature, sunshine, rainfall, and wind.