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Earth Science
Earth systems, structures, and processes
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| weather | the condition of the atmosphere at a certain time and place |
| temperature | how warm the air is |
| rain gauge | measures precipitation (rain, sleet, snow, hail) |
| anemometer | measure wind speed |
| wind vane | can show you which direction the wind is blowing. |
| barometer | measures air pressure (the weight of the air) |
| clouds | masses of tiny water droplets |
| stratus | low, sheetlike gray clouds that bring rain sometimes |
| Cumulonimbus | large thunderhead clouds that bring thunderstorms |
| cumulus | puffy, fair-weather clouds |
| cirrus | wispy, high-level clouds that are associated with fair weather and approaching rain |
| air mass | a large body of air with about the same temperature and humidity, or moisture, throughout |
| front | where two air masses meet |
| cold front | cold air mass bumps against a warm air mass, bringing strong storms (thunderstorms or snowstorms). Causes a drop in temperature. |
| warm front | a warm air mass meets a colder air mass and rises over it. Often brings rain, stratus clouds, and an increase in temperature. |
| stationary front | two air masses meet and stop moving; brings clouds and precipitation that often lasts several days |
| prevailing westerlies | the global winds that affect the United States – blow from West to East |
| jet stream | an air current that flows from west to east When the jet stream dips south, it brings cold arctic air down into the United States. When the jet stream bends north, it carries warm air from the south |
| gulf stream | a warm ocean current in the Atlantic Ocean that carries warm waters out across the Atlantic Ocean and toward the north; keeps weather along the coast mild |
| El Nino | the unusual warming of surface water in the Pacific Ocean |
| La Nina | the unusual cooling of surface water in the Pacific Ocean |
| hygrometer | used to measure humidity |
| climate | typical weather throughout the year in the same area |
| hurricane | storm that forms over oceans with winds reaching OVER 74 mph |
| tornado | funnel-shaped column of air that touches the ground when destroying anything in its path |
| drought | long period of dry weather |
| flood | large overflowing of water onto land that is normally dry |
| humidity | the amount of water vapor in the air. |
| deposition | the process of soil, rock, or sand being deposited or added to a landform by the forces of erosion |
| landform | part of Earth's surface that formed naturally and has a certain shape |
| weathering | the process that breaks rock down into smaller pieces. |
| atmosphere | Gases blanketing and surrounding the earth (the air) |
| exosphere | The outermost layer of the atmosphere |
| thermosphere | Thermosphere is the fourth layer of the atmosphere where the air is very thin. |
| mesosphere | Mesosphere burns up most meteors and asteroids before reaching the surface of the earth. |
| stratosphere | The stratosphere contains the ozone layer and is above the troposphere. |
| ozone layer | A layer in the earth's stratosphere containing a high amount of ozone, which absorbs most of the ultraviolet radiation reaching the earth from the sun. |
| trophosphere | The troposphere is the lowest layer of the atmosphere. This is where nearly all weather occurs. |
| global warming | A gradual increase in the overall temperature of the earth's atmosphere |
| greenhouse effect | Warming of Earth's surface and the air above it. It is caused by gases in the air that trap energy from the sun. (Green house gases) |
Created by:
mrstwilliams
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