 |
|
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 78.1% nitrogen
(by volume), 20.9% oxygen, 0.93% argon, 0.038% carbon dioxide and trace amounts
of other gases. The atmosphere can be divided into a number of
layers with different properties.
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 weather we experience takes place within the troposphere. The stratosphere lies atop the troposphere and reaches an altitude of
about 50 km (31 miles). The ozone layer that protects us from the sun’s ultraviolet radiation is within the stratosphere. The mesosphere
extends from the top of the stratosphere up to 80-90 km. 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]. The regions of the Earth's air, water, and land, where life exists. 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 components of the Earth system which affect climate, including: the atmosphere, oceans, glaciers, the solid Earth and the biosphere.
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 most important in a climate context because it acts as a greenhouse gas.
Con·cen·tra·tion
["kän(t)-s&n-'trA-sh&n]. The amount of a substance
in a given volume. In this case, a measurement of the fraction of the atmosphere composed of a certain gas.
|
|
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 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]. A unit for measuring temperature. Fahrenheit degrees represent a thermometric scale on which, under standard atmospheric pressure, the boiling point of water is 212 degrees, the freezing point of water is 32 degrees, and zero degrees 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 ecology, which is the sum of the relationships between organisms and their environment. An ecological disturbance is an event that interrupts these relationships between organisms and the environment.
E·co·sys·tem
["E-k&-"sis-t&m]. A natural community of organisms and the physical environment in which they interact.
En·vi·ron·ment
[in-'vI-r&(n)-m&nt]. All of the physical, chemical, and biotic factors (climate, soil, living things, etc.) 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]. A general warming effect felt on Earth’s surface, produced by greenhouse gases. These gases allow incoming solar radiation to pass through the Earth's atmosphere, but trap heat by preventing some of the infrared radiation from the Earth’s surface from escaping to 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. However, the greenhouse effect is becoming stronger as a result of human activities, which is causing the warming we have observed over the past century.
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 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 a historical context, this refers to the period lasting throughout much of the 19th century in which the United States and Europe shifted from an agricultural to a manufacturing based economy.
In·dus·tri·al
[in-'d&s-trE-&l]. Relating to industry; in this case,
industrial practices referring to 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]. A colorless, odorless, flammable hydrocarbon (CH4) that is produced by the decomposition of organic matter, and other processes. Methane is a greenhouse gas; one molecule of methane is 25 times more effective at trapping heat than a molecule of carbon dioxide, when their effects are compared over 100 years.
|
|
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 effects on humans and the environment. In the troposphere, ozone combines 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). Radiation emitted from the Earth's surface and the atmosphere has a longer wavelength (infra-red radiation) than solar radiation because the Earth is cooler than the Sun. Greenhouse gases have little impact on short wave radiation, allowing energy from the Sun to reach Earth’s surface, but absorb long wave radiation emitted by the surface of the Earth, and thereby trap heat.
|
|
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]. Energy from the sun, also known as solar radiation and short-wave radiation.. Solar energy 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).
|
