Ocean, Atmosphere, and Climate Vocabular

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What is a continent?

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Any of Earth’s main continuous areas of land, such as Africa, Asia, and North America.

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What is the equator?

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The imaginary line that divides Earth into northern and southern hemispheres (halves).

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What are prevailing winds?

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Winds that move in one direction and are strong enough to push ocean currents.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-5

NGSS.MS-ESS2-6

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What is energy?

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The ability to make things move or change.

Tags

NGSS.MS-PS3-5

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What is a model?

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An object, diagram, or computer program that helps us understand something by making it simpler or easier to see.

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What is climate?

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The average weather conditions in a particular area over a long period.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-6

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What is climatology?

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The scientific study of climate, including the statistics of temperature, humidity, wind, and precipitation.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-6

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What is latitude?

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The measurement of distance north or south of the equator.

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What is longitude?

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The measurement of distance east or west of the prime meridian.

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What is a gyre?

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A large system of rotating ocean currents, typically driven by wind.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-4

NGSS.MS-ESS2-6