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Meteorology vocab
Science stuff
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Weather | the state of the earths 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 mixture of gases that surrounds the solid earth |
| troposphere | the layer of the atmosphere nearest earths surface |
| Precipitation | Any type of liquid or solid water that falls to earth's surface |
| Rain shadow | an area on the downward side of a |
| Microclimates | a 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 from one substance to another through direct contact |
| Convection | the transfer of energy from place to place by the motion of heated gases or liquids |
| Condensation | the process by which a gas changes into a liquid |
| Greenhouse effect | the process by which certain gases in planet 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 unburned fuels, fumes and other gases to react chemically, often seen as brownish hazel |
| 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 in the air |
| Air pressure | the force of air molecules pushing 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 the earths 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 weather ap 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 into a low pressure center, then moves up to 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 an upper troposphere from west to east over a 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 feathery appearance |
| cumulus | fluffy , 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:
KingBilly13
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