Final answer:
The term that refers to the condition of the atmosphere over a long period is 'climate'. Unlike weather, which accounts for short-term conditions, climate involves long-term, predictable atmospheric conditions. The study of these patterns and impacts over long periods is conducted by climatologists.
Step-by-step explanation:
The term which refers to the condition of the atmosphere over a long period is climate. Unlike weather, which describes atmospheric conditions over short time frames like hours, days or weeks, climate refers to long-term, predictable atmospheric conditions. This might span decades, centuries, or even millennia. For instance, the climate of a biome is characterized by consistent seasonal temperature and rainfall ranges.
Climatologists, those who study climate, examine patterns and impacts over these long periods. It's important to understand the contributions of climate in shaping the environment of different biomes, and the potential effects of climate change. In contrast, weather, is more about the short-term atmospheric conditions, like today's temperature or this week's rainfall.
Another saying that differentiates the two nicely is: "Climate is what you expect, and weather is what you get." The predictability of climate is what differs greatly from the often changing and less predictable weather patterns.
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