Understanding Weather Flashcards
Water cycle
The continuous movement of water sources into the air,onto land,into and over the ground,and back to the water sources;a cycle that links all of the Earth’s solid,liquid,and gaseous water together.
Humidity
Amount of water vapor or moisture in the air.
Relative humidity
The amount of moisture the air contains compared with the maximum amount it can hold at a particular temperture.
Condensation
The change of state from a gas to a liquid.
Dew Point
The temperture to which air must cool to be completely saturated.
cloud
A collection of millions of tiny water droplets or ice crystals.
Precipitation
solid or liquid water falls from the air to the earth’s surface
Air mass
large body of air that has a similar temperature and moisture throughout.
Front
different air masses meet a boundary line forms between them.
Thunderstorm
Small,intense weather systems that produce strong winds ,heavy rain,lightning and thunder.
lightning
The large electrical discharge that occurs between two oppositely charged surfaces.
Thunder
The sound that results from the rapid expansion of air along a lightning strike.
Tornado
A small rotating column of air that has high wind speeds and low central pressure and touches the ground
Hurricane
a large,rotating tropical weather system with wind speed at least 119 km
Thermometer
tool used to measure various atmospheric conditions or temperture
Weather
The condition of the Atmosphere at a particular time and place.
Barometer
An instrument used to measure air pressure.
windsock
a device used to measure wind direction.
wind vane
a device used to measure wind direction.
anenoneter
measure wind speed
isobars
lines that connect points to equal air pressure
Weather
Condition at the atmosphere at a particular time and place.
climate
average weather conditions in an area over a long time period.
Latitude
Distance north,or south measured in degrees ,from the equator .
Prevailing winds
Winds that blow mainly from one direction
Elevation
The height of surface landforms of sea level.
Surface currents
stream like movements that occur at or near a surface of the ocean
Biome
large region characterized by a specific type of climate and the plants and animals that live there.
Tropical zone
warm zone located around the equator.
Temperate zone
climate zone between the tropics and the polar zone.
deciduous
trees that lose their leaves when the climate turns cold.
Evergreens
Trees that keep there leaves all year round.
Polar zone
includes northernmost and southernmost climate zones.
Microclimate
small regions with unique climate characteristics
Ice age
Period which ice collects in high latitudes and moves towards lower latitudes
global warming
Rise in average global temperatures that can result from an increase in the green house effect.
green house effect
gases in the atmosphere trap thermal energy.
