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air
mass- large body of air with uniform properties
throughtout.
air pressure- measure of the force of air
pressing down on the Earth's surface.
altocumulus- middle clouds that occur in
layers or patches
anemometer- instrument used to measure wind
speed
anticyclone- high pressure area that contains
cold dry air; spins clockwise
atmosphere- mixture of gases that surrounds
the Earth
barometer- instrument used to measure air
pressure
cirrus- high, thin, white cloud made up of ice crystals
climate- general conditions of temperature and
precipitation for an area over a long period of time
CO2- carbon dioxide
cold front- front caused by a cold air mass
going under a warm air mass
conduction- direct transfer of heat energy
from one substance to another
convection- transfer of heat energy in a fluid
(gas or liquid)
Coriolis Effect- shift in wind direction
caused by the rotation of the Earth on its axis
cumulonimbus- anvil shaped cloud that often
brings thunderstorms
cumulus- puffy cloud that usually brings fair
weather
cyclone- air pressure that contains rising
warm air and spins counterclockwise
doldrums- belt of air at the equator which
remain calm
evaporation- process by which radiant energy
from the sun turns water (liquid) into water vapor (gas)
front- boundry that forms when two air masses
with different properties meet
greenhouse effect- process in which carbon
dioxide and other gases in the atmosphere absorb
infared radiation from the sun, forming a "heat
blanket around the earth
hurricane- powerful cyclone that forms over
tropical oceans
humidity- water vapor or moisture in the
air
isobar- line on a weather map that connects
locations with the same air pressure
isotherm- line on a weather map that connects
locations with the same temperature
jet streams- global wind discovered in the
1940s, narrow belt of strong, high speed, high pressure
air
land breeze- flow of air from the land to the
sea
lightning- sudden discharge, or spark, of
electricity between two clouds or clouds and the ground
precipitation- water the falls from the
atmosphere to the Earth as rain, sleet, snow, or
hail
prevailing wind- wind that blows more often from one
direction than from any other direction
psychrometer- instrument used to measure
relative humidity
radiant energy- energy from the sun
radiation- transfer of heat energy
through empty space
rain gauge- instrument used to measure
rainfall
relative humidity- percentage of moisture the
air holds relative to the amount it could hold at a
particular temperature.
sea breeze- flow of air from the sea to the
land
thermometer- instrument used to measure
temperature
thunder- huge push of sound waves caused by
the heat generated by lightning
thunderstorms- heavy rainstorms which also
have thunder and lightning
tornado- spinning funnel shaped cloud
warm front- front where warm air overrides and
replaces cold air
wind vane- measures the direction the wind is
blowing
wind- movement of air from an area of high pressure
to an area of low pressure
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