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Unit 4
Weather and Climate
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Weather | short-term atmospheric conditions in a particular area (including temperature, humidity, precipitation, wind, and visibility) |
| Temperature | average kinetic energy of molecules in a substance |
| Thermometer | device for measuring temperature |
| Humidity | amount of water vapor in the air |
| Saturation | the point at which the air cannot hold any more water vapor (no more water can evaporate) |
| Relative humidity | amount of water vapor in the air compared to the amount of water needed to reach saturation |
| Psychrometer | device used to measure relative humidity |
| Dew point | temperature at which the air is saturated with water vapor (any cooler, and the water vapor begins to condense back into liquid water) |
| Evaporation | process of a liquid changing into a gas |
| Precipitation | any form of water that falls from the atmosphere to the ground |
| Condensation | process of a gas changing into a liquid |
| Rain | precipitation in the form of liquid water |
| Snow | precipitation that forms when temperatures are cold enough that water vapor sublimes directly from a gas to solid ice crystals |
| Hail | precipitation in the form of “balls” of ice |
| Sleet | precipitation that begins as liquid, but freezes as it falls through the air |
| Cloud | collection of small water droplets or ice crystals suspended in air; forms when water vapor cools and condenses in the atmosphere |
| Cirrus cloud | high-altitude cloud with feather-like shape, made of ice crystals |
| Cumulus cloud | puffy cloud that appears to rise up from a flat bottom |
| Stratus cloud | cloud that forms in a blanket-like layer |
| Barometer | an instrument for measuring atmospheric pressure |
| Air pressure | force caused by collisions of air molecules with surfaces |
| Density | amount of mass in a given volume of a substance |
| Altitude | refers to the distance from the surface of the Earth |
| Wind | air moving from high pressure to low pressure |
| Anemometer | instrument used to measure wind speed |
| Windsock | device used to determine wind direction |
| Visibility | measure of clarity or transparency of air |
| Air mass | large body of air that has similar temperature, pressure, and moisture properties |
| Water cycle | continuous movement of water between Earth’s surface and the air, changing from liquid to gas, to liquid |
| Front | the meeting point between two air masses of different densities (due to different temperatures) |
| Cold front | movement of cold air in to displace warm air |
| Warm front | movement of warm air in to displace cold air |
| Stationary front | the meeting point between two unmoving air masses of different densities/temperatures |
| High-pressure system | a system of falling air; little precipitation |
| Low-pressure system | a system of rising air; more precipitation |
| Coriolis effect | the deflecting of wind and water currents due to the rotation of the Earth |
| Jet stream | a high-speed, high-altitude airstream blowing from west to east near the top of the troposphere; has important effects on the formation of weather fronts |
| Polar jet stream | faster, lower-altitude jet streams that flow nearer to the poles than to the equator in both hemispheres |
| Subtropical jet stream | slower, higher-altitude jet streams that flow nearer to the equator than to the poles in both hemispheres |
| Climate | long-term average weather conditions (temperature and precipitation) in a region |
| Temperature range | the difference between the maximum and the minimum temperature for a particular location |
| Average yearly precipitation | average amount of precipitation in an area each year |
| Pattern of precipitation | precipitation trends in an area at different times of the year |
| Solar energy | energy originating from the sun |
| Latitude | measurement of the location on earth with respect to the equator and the poles |
| Topography | the shape and features of the surface of the Earth |
| Rain shadow | dry region on the side of a mountain that is sheltered from the wind (leeward side) |
| Elevation | distance above sea level |
| Ocean current | large stream of water that flows in the ocean |
| Surface currents | circulating water that flows near the surface of the ocean |
| Climate zones | areas of latitude with similar climates due to the angle at which solar energy reaches the Earth’s surface |
| Tropical climate zone | warm areas near the equator |
| Temperate climate zone | areas of varying temperatures between the poles and the equator |
| Polar climate zone | cold areas near the poles |
| Tectonic plates | moving plates of rock that make up the solid surface of the Earth |
| Pangaea | the original supercontinent which has broken apart over millions of years to form the 7 continents that we have today |
| Particulates | tiny particles of solids suspended in air |
| Sunspots | temporarily dark areas on the sun that may have an effect on Earth’s weather |
| Ice age | periods of global cooling during which polar glaciers spread over a much larger portion of the Earth than usual |
| Greenhouse effect | stabilization of the temperature in the troposphere due to the presence of carbon dioxide and several other gases in the atmosphere |
| Fossil fuels | natural fuels, such as oil, coal, and natural gas; formed millions of years ago from the remains of living organisms |
| Deforestation | removal of large amounts of trees/plants, usually for use as raw materials or to clear land for other use |
| Carbon sources | processes that put carbon into the atmosphere |
| Carbon sinks | processes that remove carbon from the atmosphere |
| Global warming | trend of increasing average yearly temperatures on Earth |
| Climate models | computer programs that allow us to predict future climate changes based on different variables |
Created by:
CSchveder74
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