Climate Crossword

1. a graphical representation of current and future climate data from a specific location
4. expansion the increase in the volume of matter as its temperature increases
9. the increase in the amount of lower-energy infrared radiation trapped by the atmosphere as a result of higher levels of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere due to human activities which is leading to an increase in Earth's average global temperature
12. atmospheric conditions- including temperature & precipitation & wind and humidity- in a particular location over a short period of time such as a day or a week
13. circulation the continuous flow of water around the world's oceans driven by differences in water temperatures and salinity
14. the scientists who study glaciers are called
15. age a time in Earth's history when Earth is colder and much of the planet is covered in ice
16. a natural process whereby gases and clouds absorb infrared radiation emitted from Earth's surface and radiate it heating the atmosphere and Earth's surface
19. a circular current in air and other fluids caused by the rising of warm fluid as cold fluid sinks
20. energy, the energy present in the motion of particles at a particular temperature
23. a form of invisible lower-energy radiation
24. the layers of gases surrounding Earth
25. a reservoir such as the ocean that absorbs and stores thermal energy

2. the theory that Earth's continents used to be one supercontinent named Pangaea interglacial period a time between ice ages when Earth warms up
3. the complex set of components that interact with each other to produce Earth's climate
5. the average of the weather in a region over a long period of time
6. effect the positive feedback loop in which an increase in Earth's temperature causes ice to melt so more radiation is absorbed by Earth's surface leading to further increases in temperature
7. the part of the climate system that includes all water on and around Earth
8. any gas in the atmosphere (such as water vapour- carbon dioxide- and methane) that absorbs lower-energy infrared radiation
10. a natural process whereby gases and clouds absorb infrared radiation emitted from Earth's surface and radiate it, heating the atmosphere and Earth's surface
11. a form of invisible higher-energy radiation
17. the part of the climate system made up of the solid rock, soil, and minerals of Earth's crust
18. a reservoir, such as an ocean or a forest that absorbs carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and stores the carbon in another form
21. the theory explaining the slow movement of the large plates of Earth's crust
22. a measure of how much of the Sun's radiation is reflected by a surface
24. resulting from a human influence