Vocabulary Flashcards
Definitions
Atmosphere
The layers of gases surrounding the Earth
Carbon cycle
The process by which carbon is recycled through the soil, water, living things and the atmosphere
Fossil fuels
Fuels that contain the carbon of plants and animals that died and were preserved millions of years ago
Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD)
A variable and irregular cycle of warming and cooling of waters in the equatorial area of the Indian Ocean
Lithosphere
The land masses on Earth
Permafrost
Areas on Earth where the temperature in layers of soil or rock beneath the surface never rises above freezing point
Sustainable ecosystems
Ecosystems that are diverse and provide for the needs of the organisms that live there
Weather
The conditions in the atmosphere
Biosphere
All living things on Earth
Climate
The long-term averages of weather conditions
Greenhouse effect
The warming of Earth caused by greenhouse gases
La Nina
An extreme of the Southern Oscillation that causes significant rainfall in parts of Australia
Nitrogen cycle
The process by which nitrogen cycles between living and non-living environments
Southern Oscillation Index (SOI)
A measure of the Southern Oscillation calculated using the difference in air pressure between Tahiti and Darwin
Biodiversity
The variety of ecosystems in the biosphere, the variety of species within those ecosystems and the genetic variation within those species
