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Geology & Earth Sciences vocabulary · Weather & Climate

Climate

Meaning in geology & earth sciences, with examples

/ˈklaɪmət/nounCore term

In geology & earth sciences, climate means: The typical weather of a region over a long period, usually averaged over 30 years, including temperature, rainfall and wind.

In Turkish: iklim

How it is used

Used in geography, geology and environmental science. Climates are described as arid, humid, temperate, Mediterranean or continental. Geologists also study past climates (palaeoclimate) using rocks, ice cores and fossils.

Example sentences

  1. Central Anatolia has a dry continental climate with cold winters.

  2. These coal layers show that the climate here was once warm and wet.

Common collocations

  • Mediterranean climate
  • climate change
  • arid climate
  • past climate
  • climate zone
  • weatherThe state of the atmosphere at a particular place and time, such as temperature, wind, cloud, humidity and precipitation over hours or days.
  • greenhouse effectThe warming of the Earth's surface because gases such as water vapour, carbon dioxide and methane absorb heat given off by the ground and send part of it back down.
  • ice ageA long period in Earth's history when global temperatures were low and large ice sheets covered parts of the continents. The last glacial period ended about 11,700 years ago.
  • precipitationWater that falls from clouds to the ground as rain, snow, sleet or hail. It is usually measured in millimetres per day, month or year.

More terms: Weather & Climate

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