 |
|
A
| B | C | D |
E | F | G | H
| I | J | K | L | M | N | O
| P | Q | R | S
| T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z
|
A·gri·cul·ture
['a-gri-"k&l-ch&r]. The science, art, or practice
of cultivating the soil, producing crops, and raising livestock
and in varying degrees the preparation and marketing of the resulting
products.
At·mo·sphere
['at-m&-"sfir]. The mixture of gases surrounding the
Earth. The Earth's atmosphere consists of about 79.1% nitrogen
(by volume), 20.9% oxygen, 0.036% carbon dioxide and trace amounts
of other gases. The atmosphere can be divided into a number of
layers according to its mixing or chemical characteristics, generally
determined by temperature. The layer nearest the Earth is the
troposphere, which reaches up to an altitude of about 8 km (about
5 miles) in the polar regions and up to 17 km (nearly 11 miles)
above the equator. The stratosphere reaches to an altitude of
about 50 km (31 miles) and lies above the troposphere. The mesosphere
extends up to 80-90 km and is above the stratosphere, and finally,
the thermosphere, or ionosphere, gradually diminishes and forms
a fuzzy border with outer space. There is very little mixing of
gases between layers.
|
|
A
| B | C | D |
E | F | G | H
| I | J | K | L | M | N | O
| P | Q | R | S
| T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z |
Bar·o·me·tric
Pres·sure ["bar-&-'me-trik 'pre-sh&r]. The
pressure of the atmosphere (usually expressed in terms of the
height of a column of mercury).
Bar·ri·cade
['bar-&-"kAd]. An obstruction or rampart constructed
to block the advance of the ocean.
Bi·o·sphere
['bI-&-"sfir]. An irregularly shaped envelope of the
Earth's air, water, and land, encompassing the heights and depths
at which living things exist. The biosphere is a closed and self-regulating
system sustained by grand-scale cycles of energy and materials.
|
|
A
| B | C | D |
E | F | G | H
| I | J | K | L | M | N | O
| P | Q | R | S
| T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z |
Cli·mate
['klI-m&t]. The average weather (usually taken over a 30-year
time period) for a particular region and time period. Climate
is not the same as weather, but rather, it is the average pattern
of weather for a particular region. Weather describes the short-term
state of the atmosphere. Climatic elements include precipitation,
temperature, humidity, sunshine, wind velocity, phenomena such
as fog, frost, and hail storms, and other measures of the weather.
Cli·mate
Sys·tem ['klI-m&t 'sis-t&m]. The atmosphere, the
oceans, the biosphere, the cryosphere, and the geosphere, together
make up the climate system.
Cli·ma·to·lo·gist
["klI-m&-'tä-l&-jist]. A person who studies
climate.
Car·bon Di·ox·ide
['kär-b&n (")dI-'äk-"sId]. A heavy colorless gas
(CO2) that does not support combustion,
dissolves in water to form carbonic acid, is formed especially
in animal respiration and in the decay or combustion of animal
and vegetable matter, is absorbed from the air by plants in photosynthesis,
and is used in the carbonation of beverages. CO2
is one of the greenhouse gas chemical compounds.
Con·cen·tra·tion
["kän(t)-s&n-'trA-sh&n]. The amount of a component
in a given area or volume. In this case, a measurement of how
much of a particular gas is in the atmosphere compared to all
of the gases in the atmosphere.
|
|
A
| B | C | D |
E | F | G | H
| I | J | K | L | M | N | O
| P | Q | R | S
| T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z |
De·for·es·ta·tion
[(")dE-"for-&-'stA-sh&n]. The change of forested
lands to non-forest uses. This is often cited as one of the major
causes of the enhanced greenhouse effect for two reasons: 1) trees
that are burned or decompose release carbon dioxide; and, 2) trees
that are cut no longer remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.
ºF means
and should be read as De·grees
Fahr·en·heit [di-'grEs 'far-&n-"hIt]. Units for
measuring temperature. Fahrenheit units represent a thermometric
scale on which under standard atmospheric pressure the boiling
point of water is at 212 degrees above the zero of the scale,
the freezing point is at 32 degrees above zero, and the zero point
approximates the temperature produced by mixing equal quantities
by weight of snow and common salt.
Drought
['draut]. A period of abnormally dry weather long enough to cause
serious shortages of water for agriculture and other needs in
the affected area.
|
|
A
| B | C | D |
E | F | G | H
| I | J | K | L | M | N | O
| P | Q | R | S
| T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z |
E·co·lo·gi·cal
Di·stur·bance ["E-k&-'lä-ji-k&l di-'st&r-b&n(t)s].
Ecological means related to the ecology, which is the totality
or pattern of relations between organisms and their environment.
An ecological disturbance is an event or circumstance that interrupts
the relationship between organism and environment.
E·co·sys·tem
["E-k&-"sis-t&m]. The complex of a community
of organisms and the community's environment functioning as an
ecological unit.
En·vi·ron·ment
[in-'vI-r&(n)-m&nt]. The complex of physical, chemical,
and biotic factors (as climate, soil, and living things) that
act upon an organism or an ecological community and ultimately
determine its form and survival. The circumstances, objects, and
conditions that surround each of us.
|
|
A
| B | C | D |
E | F | G | H
| I | J | K | L | M | N | O
| P | Q | R | S
| T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z |
Fos·sil Fu·el
['fä-s&l 'fyü(-&)l]. A general term for a fuel that is
formed in the Earth from plant or animal remains, including coal,
oil, natural gas, oil shales, and tar sands.
|
|
A
| B | C | D |
E | F | G | H
| I | J | K | L | M | N | O
| P | Q | R | S
| T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z |
Green·house
Ef·fect ['grEn-"haus E-'fekt]. The effect produced
as greenhouse gases allow incoming solar radiation to pass through
the Earth's atmosphere, but prevent most of the outgoing infrared
radiation from the surface and lower atmosphere from escaping
into outer space. This process occurs naturally and has kept the
Earth's temperature about 60 degrees Fahrenheit warmer than it
would otherwise be. Current life on Earth could not be sustained
without the natural greenhouse effect.
Green·house
Gas ['grEn-"haus 'gas]. Any gas that
absorbs infra-red radiation in the atmosphere. Greenhouse gases
include water vapor, carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), nitrous oxide
(N2O), halogenated fluorocarbons (HCFCs)
, ozone (O3), perfluorinated carbons (PFCs),
and hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs).
Gla·cier
['glA-sh&r]. A very large body of ice moving slowly down a
slope or valley or spreading outward on a land surface.
|
|
A
| B | C | D |
E | F | G | H
| I | J | K | L | M | N | O
| P | Q | R | S
| T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z |
Ha·bi·tat
['ha-b&-"tat]. The place or environment where a plant
or animal naturally or normally lives and grows.
Heat Stress
['hEt 'stres]. A variety of problems associated with very warm
temperatures and high humidity. Heat exhaustion is a condition
marked by weakness, nausea, dizziness, and profuse sweating that
results from physical exertion in a hot environment. Heat stroke
is a condition marked especially by cessation of sweating, extremely
high body temperature, and collapse that results from prolonged
exposure to high temperature.
|
|
A
| B | C | D |
E | F | G | H
| I | J | K | L | M | N | O
| P | Q | R | S
| T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z |
In·dus·tri·al
Re·vo·lu·tion [in-'d&s-trE-&l "re-v&-'lü-sh&n].
A rapid major change in an economy marked by the general introduction
of power-driven machinery or by an important change in the prevailing
types and methods of use of such machines.
In·dus·tri·al
[in-'d&s-trE-&l]. Relating to industry; in this case,
industrial practices refer how products are made and used.
|
|
A
| B | C | D |
E | F | G | H
| I | J | K | L | M | N | O
| P | Q | R | S
| T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z |
Me·te·or·o·lo·gist
["mE-tE-&-'rä-l&-jist]. A person who studies the
science of weather-related phenomena.
Me·thane
['me-"thAn]. Colorless, odorless, flammable hydrocarbon (CH4) that is a product of decomposition of organic matter
and of the carbonization of coal. Methane is one of the greenhouse
gas chemical compounds.
|
|
A
| B | C | D |
E | F | G | H
| I | J | K | L | M | N | O
| P | Q | R | S
| T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z |
O·zone
['O-"zOn]. Ozone consists of three atoms of oxygen bonded
together in contrast to normal atmospheric oxygen which consists
of two atoms of oxygen. Ozone is an important greenhouse gas found
in both the stratosphere (about 90% of the total atmospheric loading)
and the troposphere (about 10%). Ozone has other effects beyond
acting as a greenhouse gas. In the stratosphere, ozone provides
a protective layer shielding the Earth from ultraviolet radiation
and subsequent harmful health effect on humans and the environment.
In the troposphere, oxygen molecules in ozone combine with other
chemicals and gases (oxidization) to cause smog.
|
|
A
| B | C | D |
E | F | G | H
| I | J | K | L | M | N | O
| P | Q | R | S
| T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z |
Pho·to·syn·the·sis
['fO-(")tO-'sin(t)-th&-s&s]. The process by which
green plants use light to synthesize organic compounds from carbon
dioxide and water. In the process oxygen and water are released.
Increased levels of carbon dioxide can increase net photosynthesis
in some plants. Plants create a very important reservoir for carbon
dioxide.
Pre·ci·pi·ta·tion
[pri-"si-p&-'tA-sh&n]. Rain, hail, mist, sleet, snow
or any other moisture that falls to the Earth.
|
|
A
| B | C | D |
E | F | G | H
| I | J | K | L | M | N | O
| P | Q | R | S
| T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z |
Ra·di·a·tion
["rA-dE-'A-sh&n]. Energy emitted in the form of electromagnetic
waves. Radiation has different characteristics depending upon
the wavelength. Because the radiation from the Sun is relatively
energetic, it has a short wavelength (ultra-violet, visible, and
near infra-red) while energy re-radiated from the Earth's surface
and the atmosphere has a longer wavelength (infra-red radiation)
because the Earth is cooler than the Sun.
|
|
A
| B | C | D |
E | F | G | H
| I | J | K | L | M | N | O
| P | Q | R | S
| T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z |
So·lar En·er·gy
['sO-l&r 'e-n&r-jE]. Also called solar radiation. Energy
from the Sun. Also referred to as short-wave radiation. Of importance
to the climate system, solar radiation includes ultra-violet radiation,
visible radiation, and infra-red radiation.
Stra·to·sphere
['stra-t&-"sfir]. The part of the atmosphere directly
above the troposphere. See Atmosphere.
|
|
A
| B | C | D |
E | F | G | H
| I | J | K | L | M | N | O
| P | Q | R | S
| T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z |
Ther·mal
['th&r-m&l]. Thermal properties are dependent on temperature;
they are related to, or caused by heat.
To·po·gra·phy
[t&-'pä-gr&-fE]. The configuration of a surface including
its relief and the position of its natural and man-made features.
The shape of a surface.
|
|
A
| B | C | D |
E | F | G | H
| I | J | K | L | M | N | O
| P | Q | R | S
| T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z |
Wea·ther
['we-[th]&r]. Weather is the specific condition of the atmosphere
at a particular place and time. It is measured in terms of such
things as wind, temperature, humidity, atmospheric pressure, cloudiness,
and precipitation. In most places, weather can change from hour-to-hour,
day-to-day, and season-to-season. Climate is the average of weather
over time and space. A simple way of remembering the difference
is that 'climate' is what you expect (e.g., cold winters) and
'weather' is what you get (e.g., a blizzard).
|
