world geography 9th grade ch 3 – Flashcards
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solstice
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two lines of latitude- the tropic of cancer and the tropic of capricorn- mark the points farthest north and south that the suns rays shine directly overhead at noon, the day at which this occurs is called
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equinox
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the days and nights all over the world are equal in length
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weather
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is the condition of the atmosphere at a particular location and time
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climate
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is the term for weather conditions at a particular location over a long period of time
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three types of precipitation
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convectional, orographic, and frontal
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convectional precipitation
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occurs in hot, moist climates where the sun quickly heats the air the heated air rises and by afternoon clouds form and rain falls
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orographic precipitation
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falls on the windward side of hills or mountains that block moist air and force it upward
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rain shadow
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the land on the leeward side is called _______ because it gets little rain from the descending dry air
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frontal precipitation
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movement causes most precipitation in the middle latitudes feature cold dense air masses that push lighter warm air masses upward causing precipitin to form
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front
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the boundary between two air masses of different temperatures or density
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hurricanes
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storms that form over warm, tropical ocean waters
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drought
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a long period of time without rain or with very minimal rainfall
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tornado
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a powerful funnel-shaped column of spiraling air
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precipitation
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falling water droplets in the form of rain, sleet, snow, or hail
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blizzard
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is a heavy snowstorm with winds of more than 35 mph and reduced visibility
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convection
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the transfer of heat in the atmosphere by upward motion of the air
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El Niño
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the warming of the waters off the coast of South America
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greenhouse effect
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the layer of gasses released by the burning of coal and petroleum traps some solar energy, causing higher temperatures in the same way that a greenhouse traps solar energy
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tundra
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the flat, treeless lands forming a ring around the Arctic Ocean are called
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permafrost
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subsoil that is constantly frozen is called
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ecosystem
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an interdependent community of plants and animals is called
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biomes
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the ecosystem of a region is called
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4 major biomes
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forest, grassland, desert, and tundra
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deciduous trees
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broadleaf trees, such as maple, oak, birch, and cottonwood are also called
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rainforest
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is located in the tropical zone and, due to nearly constant precipitation, it is covered fit a heavy concentration of broadleaf trees
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coniferous
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needleleaf trees, such as pine, fir, and cedar are also called _____ because they are cone bearing
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steppe
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prairie are used to identify temperate grasslands