| A | B |
|---|
| electromagnetic waves | a form of energy that can travel through space |
| radiation | the direct transfer of energy by electromagnetic waves |
| scattering | reflection of light in all directions |
| greenhouse effect | the holding of heat close to the Earth, cause by gases in the air (like carbon dioxide) |
| thermal energy | the total energy of motion in the molecules of a substance |
| temperature | the average amount of energy of motion in the molecules of a substance |
| thermometer | a thin glass tube with a bulb on one end that contains a liquid, usually mercury or colored alcohol |
| heat | the energy transferred from a hotter object to a cooler one |
| conduction | the direct transfer of heat from one substance to another that it is touching |
| convection | the transfer of heat by the movement of a fluid |
| wind | a horizontal movement of air from an area of high pressure to an area of low pressure |
| anemometer | instrument that measures wind speed |
| wind-chill factor | the increased cooling that a wind can cause |
| local winds | winds that blow over short distances |
| sea breeze | the flow of air from an ocean or lake to the land |
| monsoons | sea & land breezes over a large region that change direction with the seasons |
| global winds | winds that blow steadily from specific directions over long distances |
| Coriolis effect | the way Earth's rotation makes winds curve |
| jet steams | bands of high-speed winds 10 kilometers above Earth's surface |
| evaporation | the process by which molecules in liquid water escape into the air as water vapor |
| humidity | a measure of the amount of water vapor in the air |
| relative humidity | the percentage of water vapor in the air compared to the maximum amount the air could hold |
| psychrometer | an instrument that can measure relative humidity |
| condensation | the process by which molecules of water vapor in the air become liquid water |
| dew point | the temperature at which condensation begins |
| cumulus clouds | clouds that look like fluffy, rounded piles of cotton that are usually a sign of fair weather |
| cirrus clouds | wispy, feathery clouds high in the sky that are made of small ice crystals |
| stratus clouds | clouds that form in flat layers |
| nimbostratus clouds | layered clouds that cover much of the sky and bring rain or snow |
| cumulonimbus clouds | large clouds that often produce thunderstorm (sometimes these clouds are called "Thunderheads") |
