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Geography Ch.3 Vocab
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Solar system | composed of the sun, planets, small system bodies, and other objects held in orbit around the sun by the sun's gravity |
| atmosphere | the layer of gases that surround the earth |
| rotation | movement of the earth on its axis 360 degrees every 24 hours |
| axis | line about which the earth rotates |
| revolution | the earth's trip around the sun once a year |
| equinox | point in time twice each year when the length of day and night are approximately equal all over the planet |
| solstice | event when the sun reaches its greatest angular distance from the equator twice a year |
| latitude zones | one of three zones in relation to the equator (tropics, temperate, or polar) |
| tropics | latitude zone closest to the equator with consistently warm temperatures |
| temperate zone | latitude zone with neither the constant warmth of the tropics nor the extreme cold of the poles |
| polar regions | latitude zone that receives only a small amount of sunlight in winter |
| weather | the condition of the atmosphere at a given time and place |
| Coriolis effect | the influence of the earth's location on wind direction |
| precipitation | concentrated water droplets falling to the earth |
| hydrologic cycle | the process of evaporation, condensation, precipitation |
| dew point | the point at which water vapor begins condensation |
| orographic | precipitation related to mountains |
| rain shadow | the land beyond the mountains that is usually very dry because little water vapor survives passage over the mountains |
| front | the line between two air masses where rain or snow falls |
| climate | the average weather over an extended length of time |
| climate zones | zone that determines the climate of landmasses in that region |
| biome | any large region where distinct populations of plants and animals are found living together |
| climate change | gradual changes in the world's climate |