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Science vocab
45 science words
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| weather | the condition of Earth's atmosphere at a particular time and place |
| climate | the characteristic weather conditions in an area over a long period of time |
| meteorologist | a scientist who studies weather |
| atmosphere | the outer layer of gases in space , such as a planet or star; the mixture of gases that surrounds the solid Earth; one of the four parts of the Earth system |
| troposphere | the layer of the atmosphere where convection turns the air over; the largest part of the atmosphere |
| precipitation | any type of liquid or solid water that falls to Earth's surface, such as rain, snow, or hail |
| rain shadow | an area on the downside of the mountain that gets less precipitation than the side that faces the wind |
| microclimates | the climate of a smaller area within a subclimate |
| ozone | a gas molecule that consists of three oxygen atoms |
| radiation | energy that travels across distances as certain types of waves |
| conduction | the transfer of heat energy from one substance to another through direct contact without obvious motion |
| convection | the transfer of energy from place to place by the motion of heated gas or liquid; in Earth's mantle, convection is thought to transfer energy by the motion of solid rock, which when under great heat and pressure can move like a liquid |
| condensation | the process in which gas changes into liquid |
| greenhouse effect | the process by which certain certain gases in a planets atmosphere absorb and emit infrared radiation, resulting in an increase in surface temperature |
| greenhouse gases | gases, such as carbon dioxide and methane, that absorb and give off infrared radiation as part of the greenhouse effect |
| smog | the combination of smoke and fog; a type of air pollution that occurs when sunlight causes unburnt fuels, fumes, other gases to react chemically, often seen as a brownish haze |
| fossil fuels | fuels formed from the remains of prehistoric organisms that are burned for energy |
| particulate | tiny particles or droplets, such as dust, dirt, and pollen, that are mixed with air |
| air pressure | the force of air molecules pushing on an area |
| altitude | the distance above sea level |
| barometer | an instrument that measures air pressure in the atmosphere |
| wind | the horizontal movement of air caused by differences in the air pressure |
| coriolis effect | the influence of Earth's rotation on objects that move over Earth |
| el nino | A disturbance of wind patterns and ocean currents in the Pacific Ocean that causes temporary climate changes in many parts of the world |
| isobar | a line on a weather map connecting places that have the same air pressure |
| global winds | winds that travel long distances in steady patterns over several weeks |
| low pressure system | a large and often stormy weather that occurs when air moves around and into a low-pressure center, then moves up to a higher altitudes |
| high pressure system | a generally calm and clear weather system that occurs when air sinks down in a high-pressure center spreads out towards areas of lower pressure as it nears the ground |
| monsoons | a wind that changes with the direction |
| sleet | small pellets of ice that forms when rain passes through the layer of cold air and freezes before hitting the ground |
| storm surge | a rapid rise in water level in a coastal area that occurs when a hurricane pushes a huge mass of ocean water, often leading to flooding and widespread destruction |
| jet streams | a wind that flows in the upper troposphere from west to east over vast distances at great speeds |
| dew point | the temperature at which air with a given amount of water vapor will reach saturation |
| humidity | the amount of water vapor in the air |
| relative humidity | the comparison of the amount of water vapor in air with the maximum amount of water vapor that can be present in air at that temperature |
| cirrus | clouds that form in very cold air in very high altitudes; made of ice crystals, have a feathery appearance |
| cumulus | puffy, tall, white clouds with dark bases, if they grow taller they can produce precipitation |
| stratus | smooth low clouds that often cover the whole sky and produce light precipitation |
| air mass | a large volume of air that has nearly the same temperature and humidity at different locations at the same altitude |
| cold front | forms when a cold air mass pushes a warm air mass and forces the warm air to rise. as the warm air rises, its moisture condenses and forms tall clouds |
| warm front | forms when a warm air mass pushes a cold air mass. the warm air rises slowly over the cold air and its moisture condenses into flat clouds |
| stationary front | occurs when two air masses push against each other without moving. a stationary front becomes a warm or cold front when one air mass advances |
| tropical storm | a low-pressure system that starts on the tropics with winds of at least 65 kilometers per hour but less than 120 kilometers per hour |
| hurricane | a tropical low-pressure system with sustained winds of 120 kilometers per hour or more |
| tornado | a violently rotating column of air stretching from a cloud to the ground |
Created by:
ajbush
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