Vocab Words OAC Flashcards
Cause
an event or process that leads to a result or change
Climate
general weather patterns over a long period of time
Climatology
the study of weather patterns over a long period of time
Continent
any of Earth’s main continuous areas of land, such as Africa, Asia, and North America
Effect
a result or change that happens because of an event or process
El Niño
a climate pattern where water near the equator gets hotter than usual and affects the weather around the world; El Niño happens in the Pacific Ocean
Energy
the ability to make things move or change
Equator
the imaginary line that divides Earth into northern and southern hemispheres (halves)
Gyre
a giant pattern of moving water that spans whole oceans and moves water from place to place in a circle
Latitude
the distance of a place north or south of Earth’s equator
Longitude
the distance of a place east or west of Earth’s prime meridian
Model
an object, diagram, or computer program that helps us understand something by making it simpler or easier to see
Observe
to use any of the five senses to gather information about something
Ocean Current
ocean water flowing in a continuous path
Prediction
an idea about what might happen that is based on what you already know
Prevailing Winds
winds that move in one direction and are strong enough to push ocean currents
Scientific Community
scientists around the world who share information and ideas
Solar
related to the sun
Temperature
a measure of how hot or cold something is
Transfer
to move from one object to another or one place to another
Upwelling
a process in which deep, cold water rises toward the surface of the ocean
