ATMOSPHERE
the envelope of gases surrounding Earth
CARBON CAPTURE
a technology that captures carbon dioxide emissions to prevent them from entering the atmosphere when burning fossil fuels
CARBON FOOTPRINT
the amount of greenhouse gases emitted by someone or something during a certain amount of time
CLIMATE
the average course or condition of weather at a specific location over a long period of time
CLIMATE CHANGE
the change of Earth’s global and regional climate patterns
EMISSION
a substance discharged into the air
FOSSIL FUELS
natural gas, coal and oil; fuel sources that were created from ancient plant and animal remains
GLACIER
a mass of ice formed by mass accumulation of snow that moves slowly down a slope or valley
GLACIER RETREAT
when the end of a glacier does not extend as far down the slope/valley as it once did
GLOBAL WARMING
a gradual increase in the average atmospheric and oceanic temperatures on Earth
GREENHOUSE EFFECT
the process by which the Earth’s atmosphere traps the sun’s radiation that in turn warms the surface and lower atmosphere of Earth
GREENHOUSE GASES
a gas that contributes to the greenhouse effect by trapping radiation from the sun; examples include water vapor, carbon dioxide, and methane
ICE SHEET
a permanent layer of ice covering a large amount of land, particularly in the poles
KEELING CURVE
a graph created by Charles David Keeling that maps the change of carbon dioxide concentrations in Earth’s atmosphere since the 1950s
NEGATIVE EMISSIONS
removing existing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere while simultaneously not creating new carbon dioxide emissions to create a deficit
RENEWABLE ENERGY
a source of energy that can be replenished on a human timescale, such as wind, solar, geothermal, and tidal
WEATHER
The current state of the atmosphere in respect to heat or cold, wetness or dryness, calm or storm, clearness or cloudiness
Glossary terms provided by PBS NOVA