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| Conditions of temperature, air pressure, cloud cover, precipitation (rain or snow), and humidity that occur at a particular place at a particular time. |
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| Average weather conditions that occur in a region over a long period of time, usually a minimum of 30 years. |
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| A relatively thin layer of Earth that has conditions suitable for supporting life as we know it. |
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| Solid portion of Earth, composed of rocks, minerals, and elements. |
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| The layer of gases that surround Earth. |
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| All the water on Earth, whether present as liquid, water vapour or ice. |
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| Solid particles less than 0.66mm in diameter suspended in Earth's atmosphere. |
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| The distance above Earth's surface, measured from sea level (the surface of Earth's oceans). |
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| Layer of atmospheric gases at 0km to 10km from Earth's surface. |
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| Atmospheric layer above the troposphere, from 10 to 50km above Earth's surface. |
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| A molecule made up of three atoms of oxygen. |
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| A layer in the stratosphere containing high levels of ozone gas. |
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| The third atmospheric layer above Earth's surface. |
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| Furthest atmospheric level from Earth's surface. |
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| Any change in the structure or function of an organism that makes it more suited to its environment. |
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| Change that occurs in the climate of a region over time, usually a minimum of 30 years. |
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| Evidence that relies on reports from people about particular events and their interpretation of these events; has not been tested for bias or to ensure it applies to general situations. |
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| Evidence collected in a manner that, as much as possible ensures it is unbiased and reflects general situations, rather than particular events; is usually collected by trained scientists and checked by other scientists. |
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| Energy that is transmitted as electromagnetic waves. |
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| The amount of solar energy received by a region of Earth's surface. |
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| The degree by which Earth's poles are tilted form the perpendicular of the plane of its orbit, or 23.5˚C. |
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| Imaginary lines that run parallel to Earth's equator. |
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| One of the two points in Earth's orbit at which the poles are tilted toward or away from the Sun. |
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| One of the two points in Earth's orbit when the number of daylight hours is equal to the number of hours of night. |
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| The angle between a ray falling on a surface and the line of the perpendicular to that surface. |
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| Change the direction of a ray of radiant energy. |
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| To convert radiant energy into another form of energy, such as kinetic energy. |
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| Percent of incoming solar radiation that a surface reflects. |
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| Natural Greenhouse Effect |
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| The absorption of thermal energy by the atmosphere. |
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| Gases that contribute to the greenhouse effect. |
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| The difference between the amount of incoming radiation and outgoing radiation from Earth's surface and atmosphere. |
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| Movement of thermal energy from an area of high temperature to an area of low temperature. |
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| Emissions of energy as particles or waves. |
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| The transfer of thermal energy by direct contact between the particles of a substance, without moving the particles to a new location. |
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| The transfer of thermal energy by the movement of particles from one location to another. |
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| Substances with no definite shape (such as gases and liquids). |
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| Flow from one place to another in one direction. |
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| Mass per volume of a substance. |
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| The pressure exerted by the mass of air above any point on Earth's surface. |
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| Movement of cool air from an area of high atmospheric pressure to an area of low atmospheric pressure. |
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| The deflection of any object from a straight line path, caused by the rotation of Earth. |
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| A band of fast-moving air in the stratosphere. |
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| Amount of energy required to raise the temperature of 1g of a substance by 1˚C. |
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| A device used to determine the transfer of thermal energy. |
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| The process by which water molecules move from Earth's surface into the atmosphere and then back again. AKA Water Cycle. |
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| The process by which water molecules move from Earth's surface into the atmosphere and then back again. AKA Hydrologic Cycle. |
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| The state of a substance (solid, liquid or vapour). |
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| The amount of energy absorbed when 1mol of a substance changes from solid phase to liquid phase, without a change in temperature. |
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| The amount of energy released when 1mol of a substance in the liquid phase changes to the solid phase, without a change in temperature. |
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| The amount of energy absorbed when 1mol of a substance changes from vapour phase to gas phase, without a change in temperature. |
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| The amount of energy released when 1mol of a substance changes from the vapour phase to the liquid phases without a change in temperature. |
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| A large geographical region with a particular range of temperature and precipitation levels, and the plants and animals that are adapted to those climate conditions. |
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| System (In Animals & Plants) |
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| A set of organs or parts that performs one or more functions as a unit. |
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| Everything that is outside of a system. |
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| A system that exchanges both matter and energy with its surroundings. |
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| Any system that exchanges energy with its surrounding but does not exchange matter. |
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| A subtype of grassland biome found in regions such as North America; prairies have cooler average temperature than the other subtype of the grassland biome, savanna. |
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| A subtype of grassland biome found in regions such as Africa, Central America, and Australia; prairies have warmer average temperature than the other subtype of the grassland biome, prairie. |
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| A summary of the average temperature and precipitation for each month of the year for a given location, presented as a graph. |
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| Carbon-basses fuels formed the remains of living organisms |
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| Any process that releases carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, such as burning of fossil fuels. |
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| Any process that removes carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, such as photosynthesis. |
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| Human-made chemicals that can absorb large quantities of thermal energy. |
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| Enhanced Greenhouse Effect |
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| The change in Earth's net radiation budget, caused by the increase in human-generated greenhouse gases. |
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| The observed increase in Earth's average temperature over time. |
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| General Circulation Model |
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| A climate model that incorporates the laws of physics to model climate on a global scale. |
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| An international agreement to phase out the production and use of CFC's. |
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| Hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFC's) |
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Definition
| Compounds with similar properties to CFC's, but which destroy ozone much more slowly. |
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| United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) |
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| An agreement by the world's nations to act in ways that will stabilize greenhouse gas emissions from anthropogenic sources. |
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| The use of the world's resources in a way that mantains the resources for future generations. |
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| An international agreement to reduce the emission of greenhouse gases. |
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| Emission-Reduction Credits (ERC's) |
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| Credits given to a country under the Kyoto Protocol for actions that contribute to the global reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. |
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| Carbon Dioxide Sequestering |
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| A process of pumping carbon dioxide into the ground and storing it in sealed containers; may also refer to pumping carbon dioxide gas into the ocean bottom at very deep levels. |
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