Global air circulation patterns within the atmosphere held to Earth by gravity and warmed as heat radiates from Earth; influenced by convection of warm, less dense air (rises and spreads out) and cold, dense air (sinks).

Average weather patterns for a particular region.

Heat transfer caused by the rising of hotter, less dense fluids and the falling of cooler, denser fluids.

A circular movement of fluids caused by the rising of hotter, less dense fluid and the falling of cooler, denser fluid.

The apparent deflection of moving air, as seen by an observer on Earth, as a result of Earth’s rotation.

The amount of matter in a given space or volume.

Relating to the whole world.

Directional movements of ocean water; surface currents result from steady winds over the ocean surface; deep currents result from density variations due to temperature and salinity differences.

The spinning of Earth on its axis that causes day and night to occur.

Saltiness or dissolved salt content of a body of water.

Average kinetic energy of all the particles in a material; measured by a thermometer in degrees (usually degrees Celsius or degrees Fahrenheit).