Science Ch 4 vocab

Question 0

Evaporation

Answer 0

The process by which molecules at the surface of a liquid absorb enough energy to change to a gas.

Question 1

Water Cycle

Answer 1

The continual movement of water among Earth’s atmosphere, oceans, and land surface through evaporation, condensation, and precipitation.

Question 2

Condensation

Answer 2

The change of state from a gas to a liquid.

Question 3

Humidity

Answer 3

The amount of water vapor in a given volume of air.

Question 4

Relative humidity

Answer 4

The percentage of water vapor in the air compared to the maximum amount of water vapor that air can contain at a particular temperature.

Question 5

Psychrometer

Answer 5

An instrument used to measure relative humidity.

Question 6

Dew point

Answer 6

The temperature at which condensation begins.

Question 7

Cirrus

Answer 7

Wispy, feathery clouds made of ice crystals that form at high levels.

Question 8

Cumulus

Answer 8

Fluffy, white clouds, usually with flat bottoms, that look like rounded piles of cotton.

Question 9

Stratus

Answer 9

Clouds that form in flat layers and often cover much of the sky.

Question 10

Precipitation

Answer 10

Any form of water that falls from clouds and reaches Earth’s surface as rain, snow, sleet, or hail.

Question 11

Rain gauge

Answer 11

An instrument used to measure precipitation.

Question 12

Flood

Answer 12

An overflowing of water in a normally dry area.

Question 13

Drought

Answer 13

A long period of low precipitation.

Question 14

Air Mass

Answer 14

A huge body of air that has similar temperature, humidity, and air pressure at any given height.

Question 15

Tropical

Answer 15

A warm air mass that forms in the tropics and has low air pressure.

Question 16

Polar

Answer 16

A cold air mass that forms north of 50° north latitude or south of 50° south latitude and has high air pressure.

Question 17

Maritime

Answer 17

A humid air mass that forms over oceans.

Question 18

Continental

Answer 18

A dry air mass that forms over land.

Question 19

Jet stream

Answer 19

Bands of high-speed winds about 10 kilometers above Earth’s surface.

Question 20

Front

Answer 20

The boundary where unlike air masses meet but do not mix.

Question 21

Occlude

Answer 21

Cut off, as in a front where a warm air mass is caught between two cooler air masses.

Question 22

Cyclone

Answer 22

A swirling center of low air pressure.

Question 23

Anticyclone

Answer 23

A high-pressure center of dry air

Question 24

Storm

Answer 24

Violent disturbance in the atmosphere

Question 25

Thunderstorm

Answer 25

Small storm often accompanied by heavy precipitation and frequent thunder and lightning

Question 26

Lightning

Answer 26

Sudden spark of electrical discharge as between nearby clouds, or between a cloud and the ground

Question 27

Hurricane

Answer 27

Tropical cyclone with winds of 119 km/h or higher

Question 28

Storm surge

Answer 28

A “dome” of water that sweeps across the coast where the hurricane lands

Question 29

Tornado

Answer 29

A rapidly whirling, funnel-shaped cloud that reaches down to touch Earth’s surface.

Question 30

Evacuate

Answer 30

Moving away temporarily from an area about to be affected by severe weather.

Question 31

Meteorologist

Answer 31

Scientists who study the causes of weather and try to predict it.

Question 32

Isobars

Answer 32

A line on a weather map that joins places that have the same air pressure.

Question 33

Isotherms

Answer 33

A line on a weather map that joins places that have the same temperature.