Flashcards Environmental Science Key Terms: Plate Tectonics, Climate, and Ocean Circulation | Quizlet

convergent boundaries

an area where plates move towards one another and collide

coriolis effect

the deflection of an object's path due to the rotation of earth

climate

the average weather that occurs in a given region over a long period of time

divergent plate boundaries

an area beneath the ocean where tectonic plates move away from each other

albedo

the percentage of incoming sunlight reflected from a surface

El Nino-Southern Oscillation (ENSO)

a reversal of wind and water currents in the south pacific

greenhouse effect

absorption of infared radiation by atmospheric gases and reradiation of the energy back toward Earth

greenhouse warming potential

an estimate of how much a molecule of any compound can contribute to global warming over a period of 100 years relative to a molecule of CO2

greenhouse gases

gases in Earth's atmosphere that trap heat near the surface

gyre

a large-scale pattern of water circulation that moves clockwise in the northern hemisphere and counterclockwise in the southern hemisphere

hot spot

a place where molten material from earth's mantle reaches the lithosphere

parent material

the rock material from which the inorganic components of a soil are derived

island arcs

long chains of active volcanoes

transform boundaries

two plates slide against each other

soil horizon

The layer of soil that differs in color and texture from the layers above or below it. (O, A, E, B, C, & R)

soil erosion

the movement of sediment from broken rock

porosity

storage space between particles

permeability

how easy water can flow through

soil texture triangle

a chart used to classify the makeup of various soils (clay, loam, sand)

watershed

an area of land that feeds all the water running under it and draining off into a body of water

insolation

measure of incoming solar radiation

rain shadow

a region with dry conditions found on the leeward side of a mountain range as a result of humid winds from ocean causing precipitation on the windward side

upwelling

upward movement of ocean water towards the surface as a result of diverging wind currents (deep currents)

thermohaline circulation

an oceanic circular pattern that drives the mixing of surface water and deep water

Convection

circulates air flow and helps regulate temperature around the globe

weathering

the breaking down of rock

deposition

the dropping of sediment in a new place

la nina

normal wind patterns but with increased trade winds

weather

day-to-day conditions of the atmosphere, including temperature, precipitation, and other factors