abiotic factor—any nonliving part of an ecosystem

acceleration—increase of speed or velocity

acid rain--precipitation, as rain, snow, or sleet, containing relatively high concentrations of acid-forming chemicals, as the pollutants from coal smoke, chemical manufacturing, and smelting, that have been released into the atmosphere and combined with water vapor: harmful to the environment

action—exertion of power or force

aerial map— a picture that shows Earth’s surfaces…taken from outer space

air mass—large body of air that has the same temperature and humidity throughout

air pressure—the weight of the air in an area

anemometer—instrument used to measure the speed of wind

balanced force—forces that have a net force of zero….no movement will occur

barometer—instrument used to measure air pressure

basin --  a natural or artificial hollow place containing water

biotic factor—any part of an ecosystem that is living

canyons—deep valley with steep sides created by moving water

carnivore—an animal that eats meat or flesh

cirrus cloud—a high cloud that is white and wispy

cold front-- the zone separating two air masses, of which the cooler, denser mass is advancing and replacing the warmer

commensalism-  living with, on, or in another, without injury to either

community—all of the populations that live in an area

condensation—the change of a substance from the gaseous to the liquid state…like when water vapor forms small drops of water.

consumer—an organism that gets energy by eating other organisms

contour map—map that shows elevation with contour circles

cumulonimbus cloud—clouds that bring thunderstorms or severe weather

cumulus cloud—vertical clouds that arepuffy white or light gray clouds that look like floating cotton balls

dam—something used to stop the flow of water

deceleration—decrease in speed

decomposer—an organism that gets energy by breaking down nutrients in dead organisms

delta--  a low, flat piece of land at or near the mouth of a river

deposition—the process of adding sand or soil to a new location

desert-- a region so arid because of little rainfall that it supports only sparse and widely spaced vegetation or no vegetation at all

drag—resistance to movement

ecosystem—a group of living things and their nonliving environment

elevation—height above sea level

endangered species—a species that is nearly extinct

energy—the capacity to do work…it can be used to move muscles, operate machines, cook meals, and heat rooms

equator--the great circle of the earth that is equidistant from the North Pole and South Pole

erosion—the process of natural forces moving soil and small rocks from one place to another

evaporation—the change of phase from liquid into a gas, water vapor

extinction-- the act or process of becoming extinct; a coming to an end or dying out

flood plain—flat land near a river formed by deposition during floods

food chain—the path of energy as it flows from one organism to the next

food web—a diagram of several connected food chains

force—push or pull on an object

friction—the force that act on an object to stop its motion

fulcrum-- the support, or point of rest, on which a lever turns in moving a body

gravity—force that pulls things towards Earth

habitat—physical space occupied by a population

herbivore—a consumer that eats only plants

humidity—the amount of water vapor in the air

inclined plane—a slanted surface

inertia—the tendency of an object to remain at rest or in motion unless it is acted on by a force

jet stream-- strong, generally westerly winds concentrated in a relatively narrow and shallow stream in the upper troposphere of the earth.

land breeze—the movement of air created by cool air over land moving toward the ocean

levee-- an embankment designed to prevent the flooding of a river

lever—simple machine made up of a stiff bar that rests on a middle support

mass—the amount of space an object takes up

meanders—a looping change of direction in a river or stream

mining-- the act, process, or industry of extracting ores, coal, etc., from mines

momentum—the product of the mass and velocity of an object

mountain breeze—the movement of air caused by cool air sinking and moving down the slope of a mountain

mutualism-- a relationship between two species of organisms in which both benefit from the association

niche—the habitat and lifestyle of a population

nonrenewable resource—a resource that can not be replaced…such as water

North Pole—northern most part of the Earth…where the Arctic region is located

omnivore—a consumer that eats both plants and animals

parasitism-- a relation between organisms in which one lives as a parasite on another

pesticides-- a chemical preparation for destroying plant, fungal, or animal pests

plateau-- land area having a relatively level surface considerably raised above adjoining land on at least one side, and often cut by deep canyons (looks like a mountain with the top cut off)

pollution-- the introduction of harmful substances or products into the environment

population--  a group of organisms of the same species living in the same place

prairie-- an extensive, level or slightly undulating, mostly treeless tract of land in the Mississippi valley, characterized by a highly fertile soil and originally covered with coarse grasses, and merging into drier plateaus in the west (synonyms- grassland, savannah)

precipitation—any form of water that falls from the sky

predator—an organism that eats other organisms

prevailing westerlies-- The west-to-east winds that occur in the temperate zones of the Earth

prey—an organism that is eaten by another organism

producer—organisms that produce their own food

pulley—a simple machine that uses grooved wheels and a rope to raise, lower, or move a load

rain gauge—weather instrument used to measure the amount of rainfall in a given area

rainforest-- a tropical forest, usually of tall, densely growing, broad-leaved evergreen trees in an area of high annual rainfall

reaction—the response of an object to an action

recycling-- to treat or process (used or waste materials) so as to make suitable for reuse

relief map—map that shows the landforms

renewable resource—a natural resource that can be replaced such as trees

run-off—rain that lands on top of a mountain, travels down the mountain to lower ground, moving over and through the rock and soil, and joins larger bodies of water or forms streams

scavenger-- an animal or other organism that feeds on dead organic matter

screw—an inclined plane that is wrapped around a pole; holds things together and can used to lift materials

sea breeze—the movement of air caused by cool air over the ocean moving toward the land

sediment-- mineral or organic matter deposited by water, air, or ice.