Climate Change Vocabulary
Climate Change Vocabulary
1. Ecosystem – a natural community of plants, animals, and other organisms and the physical
environment in which they live and interact.
2. Habitat – the place in the environment where a plant or animal lives.
3. Atmosphere – a mixture of gases, such as nitrogen, oxygen, and carbon dioxide, that
surrounds the Earth.
4. Weather – the current conditions of the atmosphere at a particular place and time. Some
characteristics of weather are temperature, humidity, precipitation, cloudiness, wind, and
atmospheric pressure. Weather conditions are temporary and change frequently.
5. Precipitation – any moisture that falls to Earth, such as rain, snow, hail, sleet, or mist.
6. Climate – the pattern of weather over a long period of time. Weather patterns for about 30
years can be used to describe the climate of a particular place.
7. Global Climate – the average climate of the entire Earth.
8. Climate Change – a significant change in the climate over time.
9. Fossil Fuel – an energy-rich substance type of fuel that is created from dead plant and animal
material trapped between layers of rock deep within the Earth. Over millions of years, heat
and pressure transform this material into fossil fuels. Some examples of fossil fuels are coal,
oil, and natural gas. Humans burn fossil fuels to make energy. When fossil fuels are burned,
they release carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas.
10. Coal – a dark-colored rock that is mined from the Earth’s surface and can be burned to create
energy. Coal is a type of fossil fuel.
11. Oil – a dark-colored liquid that can be found deep in the Earth. It can be refined to make
gasoline, diesel, asphalt, and plastics. Oil is a type of fossil fuel.
Minnesota Department of Health
Minnesota Climate & Health Program
PO Box 64975, St. Paul, MN 55164
1
