Term | Definition |
air pressure | the force put on a given area by the weight of the air above it |
atmosphere | the blanket of gases that surrounds Earth |
barometer | a device or tool used for measuring air pressure |
condensation | the changing of a gas into a liquid |
cirrus cloud | a high-altitude cloud with a feather-like shape, made of ice crystals |
cumulus cloud | a puffy cloud that appears to rise up from a flat bottom |
evaporation | the slow changing of a liquid into a gas |
humidity | the amount of water vapor in the air |
precipitation | any form of water particles that falls from the atmosphere and reaches the ground |
stratus cloud | a cloud that forms in a blanket-like layer |
invertebrate | an animal that does not have a backbone |
vertebrate | an animal that has a backbone |
anemometer | an instrument for measuring the speed of the wind |
troposphere | the lowest layer of the atmosphere where weather and cloud formation occur |
rain gauge | an instrument or device used for measuring rainfall |
wind vane | a device, as a rod to which a freely rotating pointer is attached, for indicating the direction of the wind |
pan balance | an instrument for determining weight, typically including a pan on each of two sides |
microscope | an optical instrument having a magnifying lens for inspecting objects too small to be seen by the unaided eye |
physical properties | an observation or measurement which can include appearance, texture, color, odor and others |
technology | the use of scientific knowledge to solve practical problems |
scientific method | the steps that scientists use to learn and study the world around them |
weathering | the various mechanical and chemical processes that cause exposed rock to decompose |
rapid Earth processes | evidence of changes on Earth in such examples as volcanic eruptions, landslides, and earthquakes |
slow Earth processes | evidence of changes on Earth in such examples as erosion, weathering, deposition, and mountain building |
design process | the set of steps that engineers or designers use to come up with solutions that solve problems or meet needs |