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Science vocab 5.0
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| weather | the atmospheric conditions, along with short-term changes, of a certain place at a certain time. |
| air pressure | the pressure that a column of air exerts on the air or a surface, below it. |
| humidity | the amount of water vapor in the air. |
| relative humidity | the amount of water vapor present in the air compared to the maximum amount of water vapor the air could contain at that temperature. |
| dew point | temperature at which air is fully saturated because of decreasing temperatures while holding the amount of moisture constant. |
| precipitation | water, in liquid form, that falls from the atmosphere. |
| water cycle | the series of natural processes by which water continually moves throughout the hydrosphere. |
| high pressure system | a large body of circulating air with high pressure at its center and lower pressure outside of the system. |
| low pressure system | a large body of circulating air with low pressure at its center and higher pressure outside of the system. |
| air mass | a large area of air that has uniform temperature, humidity, and pressure. |
| front | a boundary between two air masses. |
| tornado | a violent, whirling column of air in contact with the ground. |
| hurricane | an intense tropical storm with winds exceeding 119 km/h. |
| blizzard | a violent winter storm characterized by freezing temperatures, strong winds, and blowing snow. |
| surface report | a description of a set of weather measurements made on Earth’s surface. |
| upper-air report | a description of wind, temperature, and humidity conditions above Earth’s surface. |
| Doppler radar | a specialized type of radar that can detect precipitation as well as the movement of small particles, which can be used to approximate wind speed. |
| isobar | lines that connect all places on a map where pressure has the same value. |
| computer model | detailed computer programs that solve a set of complex mathematical formulas. |