Earth's Climate and Auroras — Lessons 11 & 12

Vocabulary flashcards covering auroras, climate zones, and Earth's climate system components.

Aurora borealis

Northern lights; atmospheric phenomenon caused by solar particles colliding with gases in Earth's atmosphere near the North Pole.

Aurora australis

Southern lights; auroral phenomenon near the South Pole.

Atmospheric phenomena

Natural events in Earth's atmosphere; auroras are examples of atmospheric phenomena.

Magnetic field lines

Imaginary lines representing Earth's magnetic field; solar particles travel along these lines toward the poles.

Oxygen collisions (aurora colors)

Collisions between solar particles and oxygen atoms produce red or green auroral light.

Nitrogen collisions (aurora colors)

Collisions with nitrogen produce green and purple auroral light.

Steppe

Semi-arid grassland with large temperature range and low precipitation; drought-resistant vegetation.

Humid continental climate

Large annual temperature range; precipitation typically >75 cm; varied vegetation and humidity.

Humid subtropical climate

Large temperature range; 75–165 cm of precipitation; long hot summers and mild wet winters; broadleaf and evergreen trees.

Mediterranean climate

Low annual temperature range; about 40 cm precipitation; long dry summers and mild, wet winters; broadleaf and evergreen trees.

Tropical rainforest (rain forest)

Tropical climate with a small temperature range; about 200 cm of annual rainfall; dense vegetation and high biodiversity.

Subarctic climate

Largest annual temperature range; 25–50 cm annual precipitation; evergreen trees; brief, cool summers and long winters.

Desert climate

Large temperature range; hot days and cold nights; less than 25 cm annual rainfall; little to no vegetation.

Tundra

Average temperature below 4°C; about 25 cm annual precipitation; treeless plains with freezing months.

Savanna

Tropical grassland with a small temperature range; around 50 cm annual rainfall; alternating wet and dry periods; open grasslands with drought-resistant shrubs.

Marine west coast climate

Low annual temperature range with frequent rainfall; deciduous trees and dense forests; mild winters and summers.

Middle-latitude climates

Region between the tropics and polar regions; generally moderate temperatures and precipitation; includes several subtypes.

Cryosphere

Portion of Earth's climate system where water is frozen: polar ice caps, sea ice, permafrost, seasonal snow cover, and mountain glaciers.

Geosphere

The solid Earth; land.

Hydrosphere

All of Earth's water bodies: oceans, lakes, and rivers.

Biosphere

All ecosystems and living organisms on Earth.

Atmosphere

Layer of gases surrounding Earth; the air.

Permafrost

Ground that remains permanently frozen in polar regions.

Sea ice

Frozen seawater; seasonal ice covering parts of oceans.

Snow cover

Seasonal layer of snow on the ground.

Mountain glaciers

Glaciers formed in mountainous regions.

Icecaps

Large sheets of ice covering polar regions.

Deciduous trees

Trees that shed their leaves seasonally.

Broadleaf trees

Trees with broad leaves; includes deciduous and evergreen species.

Evergreen trees

Trees that keep their leaves year-round.