Glossary W...

Wahoo: A large fish that lives in the open ocean in warm parts of the Pacific.

Walker circulation: Wind pattern over the Pacific Ocean that pushes warm water in a westerly direction.

Waste: disposal Removal of garbage from urban areas.

Wastewater: Water that carries wastes from homes, businesses, and industries; a mixture of water and dissolved or suspended solids.

Wastewater treatment plant: System that removes harmful substances from wastewater.

Water conditioning: Leaving water for a few weeks to allow bacterial levels to stabilise.

Water cycle: The cycling of water on Earth as it evaporates from the oceans, condenses into clouds, falls as rain and returns to the oceans.

Water vapour: Water that has evaporated into the air.

Wavelength: Distance between wave crests.

Weather lore: Sayings that have become part of weather forecasting.

Weather vane: An instrument used to measure wind direction.

Weight: The force that is exerted on an object by gravity. It is measured in newtons.

Wetland: A place where the soil is very wet and the habitat is part land, part water. Marshes, swamps, bogs and fens are different types of wetlands. Wetlands provide food and shelter to many kinds of animals.

Wetsuit: Neoprene suit used to keep divers and surfers warm.

Whale: A large sea mammal that has smooth skin and breathes through a blowhole located on top of its head. The toothed whales, including sperm whales, orcas, dolphins and porpoises, have sharp teeth for catching fishes. The baleen whales, including the blue whale, gray whale and humpback, have flexible baleen fringes in their mouths for eating krill.

Wharf: A structure built out over the water where boats can dock. A wharf is supported by heavy wooden or concrete pilings. The plural of wharf is "wharves."

Wobbegong: A coral-reef shark from Australia and the south Pacific, with spotted skin that makes it almost invisible among the coral.

Wolf-eel: A long, eel-shaped fish with large teeth, most common in northern Pacific waters.

Work placement: Working in a workplace for experience but no pay. Observing and performing simple tasks under supervision.

Workplace assessor: Person in the workplace who has been trained to test your skills and has substantial experience in the industry.