H
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habitat
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Where an organism lives, with distinctive features such as climate or resource availability.
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haboob
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Desert sandstorms that form in the downdrafts of a thunderstorm.
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half-life
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The amount of time required for half of the atoms of a radioactive substance to decay to the daughter product.
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hanging valley
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A cliff where a large glacier cut off the U-shaped valley of a tributary glacier.
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hardness
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The ability of a mineral to resist scratching.
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headwaters
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The location where a stream forms, often high in the mountains.
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heat
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Energy associated with the movement of atoms or molecules that can be transferred.
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heat wave
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A period of prolonged excessively hot weather for a particular region.
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heliocentric model
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Model proposed by Copernicus that put the Sun at the center of the universe.
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hemisphere
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One half of a sphere.
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herbivore
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An animal that only eats producers.
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high pressure zone
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A region where relatively cool, dense air is sinking.
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high tide
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The highest water levels during a day caused by the gravitational pull of the Moon.
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hot spring
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A stream of hot water that flows out of the ground continuously.
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hotspot
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A plume of hot material that rises through the mantle and can cause volcanoes.
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humidity
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The amount of water vapor held in the air.
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humus
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The partially decayed remains of plants and animals; forms the organic portion of soil.
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hurricane
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Cyclone that forms in the tropics and spins around a low-pressure center.
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hybrid vehicle
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A very efficient vehicle that is powered by an internal combustion engine, an electric motor and a rechargeable battery.
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hydrocarbon
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A chemical compound containing hydrogen and carbon that is used for energy.
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hydrogen bond
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A weak intermolecular connection between two polar molecules.
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hydrologic (water) cycle
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The movements of water in and between reservoirs (e.g. oceans, clouds, streams, ice, and ground water).
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hydrolysis
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Hydrogen or hydroxide ions replace the cations in a mineral to change the mineral.
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hydrothermal vent
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A stream of heated water that enters into the ocean at a mid-ocean ridge.
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hypothesis
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A good working explanation for a problem that can be tested.