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chapter 14 vocab
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| climate | long-term average weather conditions that occur in a particular region |
| rain shadow | an area of low rainfall on the downwind slope of a mountain |
| specific heat | the amount of joules of thermal energy needed to raise the temperature of 1kg of a material by 1 degree C |
| microclimate | localized climate that is different from the climate of the larger area surrounding it |
| ice age | cold periods lasting millions of years when glaciers cover much of Earth |
| El Nino/Southern Oscillation | the combined ocean and atmospheric cycle that results in weakened trade winds across the Pacific Ocean |
| monsoon | wind circulation pattern that changes direction with the seasons |
| drought | a period with below-average precipitation |
| global warming | the rise in Earth's average surface temperature during the past 100 years |
| greenhouse gas | gases in the atmosphere that absorb Earth's outgoing infrared radiation |
| deforestation | large-scale cutting and/or burning of forests |
| global climate model | is a set of complex equations used to predict future climates |