Water Cycle & Weather Flashcards
Fluffy clouds that are flat on the bottom - form low in the sky
Cumulus clouds
Clouds that bring thunderstorms
Cumulonimbus clouds
Formed during condensation; mass of tiny water droplets
Cloud
The study of Earth’s atmosphere
Meteorology
Measures the temperature of the air
Thermometer
The weight of air as it presses down on Earth’s surface
Air pressure
Measures the amount of precipitation that has fallen in an area
Rain gauge
Low-level clouds that form in layers
Stratus clouds
Thin clouds that look like feathers
Cirrus clouds
Precipitation that flows downhill on Earth’s surface toward streams, rivers, lakes, and oceans
Runoff
Forms as a warm air mass pushes into a cold air mass
Warm front
Rain that freezes as it is falling
Sleet
Precipitation that falls when the temperature in a cloud is below freezing
Snow
Precipitation that falls to the ground in the form of liquid water
Rain
Forms as a cold air mass meets a warm air mass
Cold front
Forms when drops of rain freeze and strong winds carry them into a cloud
Hail
Measurement of the amount of water vapor in the air
Humidity
A cloud that forms close to the ground
Fog
The conditions of the atmosphere at a certain time and place
Weather
Any form of water that falls from clouds to Earth’s surface
Precipitation
The movement of water into the air as water vapor and back to Earth as precipitation
Water cycle
The place where two air masses meet
Front
A large body of air that has about the same temperature, air pressure, and moisture
Air mass
The layers of air that surround Earth’s surface
Atmosphere
