Vocabulary Flashcards
Weather
The condition of the atmosphere at a particular time and place.
Water cycle
The continuous movement of water around the earth
Humidity
The 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 temperature
Condensation
The change of state from a gas to a liquid
Dew point
The temperature 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 that falls from air to the earth
Air mass
A large body of air that has similar temperature and moisture throughout
Front
The boundary that forms between two different air masses
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 had high wind speeds and low central pressure and that touches the ground
Hurricane
A large, rotating tropical weather system with wind speeds of at least 119 km/h
Thermometer
A tool used to measure air the temperature
Barometer
An instrument used to measure air pressure
Windsock
A come shaped cloth bag open at both ends that measures direction
Wind vane
Shaped like an arrow with a large tail attached to a pole
Anemometer
Three or four cups connected by spoke to a Pole to measure wind
isobars
Line that connect points to equal air pressure rather than equal elevation
Weather
The condition of the atmosphere at a particular time and place
Climate
The average weather conditions in an area over a long period of time
Latitude
The distance north or south from the equator measured in degrees
Prevailing winds
Winds that blow mainly from one direction
Elevation
The height of an object above sea level the height of surface landforms above sea level
Surface currents
A streamlike movement of water that occurs at or near the surface of the ocean
Ice age
A period in time where ice collected in high latitudes and move to lower latitudes
Global warming
The rise in average global tempuratures
Greenhouse effect
The earths natural heating process in which gases in the air trap thermal energy
Biome
Large region characterized by a specific type of climate and the plants and animals that live there
Tropical zone
The warm zone located around the equator
Temperature zone
The climate zone between the Tropics and the polar zone
Deciduous
Describes trees that lose their leaves when the weather becomes cold.
Evergreens
Trees that keep their leaves year round
Polar zone
The northernmost and southernmost climate zones
Microclimate
A small region with unique climatic characteristics
