Question | Answer |
Conduction | the transfer of heat that occurs when molecules touch and pass the heat along |
Examples of Conduction | heat traveling down a match, burning feet on sand, food cooking in a frying pan |
Convection | the transfer of heat by the flow of material causing a current to form |
Examples of Convection | water boiling, ocean currents, heat from a vent spreading out in a room |
Radiation | heat transfer in the form of rays or waves |
Examples of radiation | rays of sunlight coming to Earth, heat waves coming off a fire |
Polar Easterlies | wind that travels from east to west near the North and South poles |
Westerlies | wind that travels west to east; crosses the United States |
Trade Winds | Winds that cross the major oceans, helped early sailors to navigate |
Doldrums | windless zone near the equator with daily rainfall |
Coriolis Effect | the rotation of Earth causes wind to curve and creates ocean gyres |
Global Winds | effect the entire planet, caused by the Coriolis Effect and uneven heating of Earth |
Jet Stream | a narrow belt of strong winds traveling west to east in the upper Troposphere |
gyres | rotating ocean current |
gyre pollution problems | plastics end up in the oceans, some break down and are eaten by fish, some wash up on beaches, and many end up trapped in the gyre whirlpools |
anemometer | measures wind speed |
barometer | measures air pressure |
occurs in low air pressure | stormy, cloudy weather |
occurs in high air pressure | clear dry weather |
compass | tells direction, red always points North |
hygrometer | measures humidity |
humidity | water vapor in the air |
radar | shows precipitation on a weather map |
rain guage | measures rain fall |
satellite | can be used to view clouds from space in order to help predict weather |
thermometer | measures temperature |
weather balloon | carries instruments to measure weather conditions at high altitudes |
wind vain | indicates the direction wind is coming from |
cirrus | thin feathery clouds that indicate fair or changin weather |
stratus | low blanket of clouds that covers the sky and usually indicates rain or snow |
cumulus | fluffy white clouds |
cumulonimbus | very tall dark storm clouds |
rain | precipitation that occurs when the air temperature is above freezing |
snow | occurs when water vapor changes directly to a solid |
sleet | forms as rain falls through layers of freezing air on its way down |
hail | pellets of ice that grow larger as they are blown back up in the clouds |
condensation | water vapor changes to a liquid |
dew point | the temperature at which condensation occurs |
weather | the state of the atmosphere at a specific time and place |
wind | air moving in a specific direction; caused by uneven heating |