click below
click below
Normal Size Small Size show me how
Weather
Sci-110 Notecards
Term | Definition |
---|---|
barometer | instrument that measures atmospheric pressure |
standard atmospheric pressure | average measurement of atmospheric pressure, also called normal pressure, and one atmosphere of pressure |
greenhouse effect | the process of heating the atmosphere in the lower parts by the absorption of solar radiation and re-emission of infrared radiation. |
inversion | layer where the temperature increases in height |
wind | horizontal movement of air |
jet stream | powerful belt of wind near the top of the troposhere |
saturated air | equilibrium condition between evaporation and condensation |
humidity | the amount of water vapor in the air |
absolute humidity | measurement of the amount of water vapor in the air at a particular time |
relative humidity | the relationship between the actual absolute humidity and the maximum humidity at a certain temperature |
dew point temperature | the temperature at which condensation begins |
dew | if above 32 degrees F the water vapor that is liquidized |
frost | if temperature is below 0 degrees C the water vapor is a solid |
condensation nuclei | tiny particles in the air that are from condensation of water vapor |
precipitation | water that returns to the surface of Earth, in either the liquid or solid form |
ice-forming nuclei | the liquid droplets between -40 degrees C and 0 degrees C solid particles |
air mass | large more or less uniform body of air with nearly the same temperature and moisture conditions |
front | the boundary between air masses of different temperatures |
cold front | when cold air mass moves into warmer air displacing it |
warm front | warm air mass advances over a mass of cooler air |
stationary front | stream of cold air moves along the north side of the front, and a stream of warm air moves along the south side in an opposite direction |
occluded front | lifted completely off the ground into the atmosphere |
storm | other fronts accompanied by a rapid and violent weather change |
thunderstorm | brief but intense storm, with rain, lightning and thunder, and gusty and often strong winds, and sometimes hail |
hail | a frozen form of precipitation that can be very destructive |
tornado | smallest, most violent weather disturbance, long narrow funnel or ropelike structure that drops from a thunder cloud and may or may not touch the ground |
hurricane | very intense low pressure area with winds greater than 75 mi/h or less, over the atlantic or pacific ocean east of the international dateline |
typhoon | very intense low-pressure area of wind greater than 75 mi/h that occurs over the north pacific ocean west of the international dateline |
climate | general pattern of the weather that occurs for a region over a number of years |
climate change | departure from the expected average pattern of climate for a region over time |
proxy data | a natural source used to infer temperature change, rainfall, or some other past climate condition |
wind chill factor | time depended on the air temperature and the wind speed calculation |