Question | Answer |
weather | the state of the atmosphere at a certain time,a combination of temperature, precipitation, humidity and wind |
precipitation | after water vapor condenses, it falls to the ground |
evaporation | the change from liquid to water vapor |
condensation | water vapor forms small drops of water |
runoff | excess water that is not absorbed in the ground |
cloud cover | fraction of the sky covered by clouds: cloudy, partly cloudy, partly sunny |
thermometer | instrument used to measure temperature |
anemometer | instrument used to measure wind speed |
front | the area in which 2 air masses meet resulting in stormy weather |
meteorologist | scientist who studies weather |
climate | the average weather conditions in an area over a long period of time |
wind vane | instrument used to measure wind direction |
rain gauge | instrument used to measure amount of rain over a period of time |
barometer | instrument used to measure air pressure |
potential energy | stored energy; energy of position |
kinetic energy | energy of motion; moving energy |
thermal energy | total potential and kinetic energy of the particles in an object |
radiation | transfer of thermal energy by electromagnetic waves through places with or without matter |
transpiration | plants give off water through stomata in leaves |
atmosphere | a layer of gases surrounding a planet |
troposphere | layer of the atmosphere 0-11 miles up |
air mass | a large region of the atmosphere where the air has similar properties throughout |
high pressure system | a whirling mass of cool dry air. It rotates clockwise |
low pressure system | a whirling mass of warm moist air.. it rotates counter-clockwise |
cold front | a boundary between 2 air masses, one cold and one warm, moving so that the colder air replaces the warmer air |
mountain | a very tall natural place - higher than a hill |
density | the measure of how tightly packed the matter in an object is |
water cycle | the continuous process by which water moves from the Earth's surface to the atmosphere and back |
collection | when precipitation accumulates in a body of water, in the ground, or as runoff |
ground water | water stored in soil and rock beneath Earth's surface |
water vapor | water in a gas state |
warm front | boundary between 2 air masses (one warm and one cold) moving so that the warm air replaces the colder air |
stationary front | a boundary between 2 air masses that more or less doesn't move |
data | information |
hemisphere | half of a sphere; the Earth has four hemispheres: northern, southern, eastern, western |
equator | Imaginary, horizontal line around the middle of the Earth |
latitude | the distance north or south of the Equator |
longitude | the distance west or east of the Prime Meridian |
angle of incidence | angle the sunlight hits the Earth (more intensity = warmer); sometimes called angle of insolation |
direct sunlight | Sun rays that strike the Earth in a straight line (most direct, intense rays = Equator) |
indirect sunlight | Sun rays that strike the Earth at an angle |
Earth's axis | imaginary, vertical line through the middle of the Earth; Earth rotates around it |
tilt of the Earth | Earth is tilted on its axis at ≈ 23.5°. |
rotation | spin; the Earth rotates counter-clockwise on its axis |
revolution | orbit; the Earth revolves counter-clockwise around the Sun in an elliptical orbit |
Sun | driving force of weather |
temperature | degrees warm or cold |
wind speed | the swiftness the wind travels across the face of the Earth |
wind direction | reported by the direction from which wind originates |
barometric pressure | weight of the air above the surface of the Earth |
convection | transfer of thermal energy by liquids or gases |
convection current | a continual cycle of heat rising, cooling, sinking, and replacing rising heat. |
conduction | transfer of thermal energy between things that are touching |
sea level | where the ocean meets the land; zero elevation |
elevation | the height of a place above sea level |
altitude | the vertical elevation of an object; the distance above sea level or above Earth's surface |
weather system | all the parts of weather |
heat | energy that exists in matter |
conductor | any object that allows heat (energy) to pass through easily |
insulator | any object that is difficult for heat (energy) to pass through |