| A | B |
|---|
| air pressure | weight of air pushing down on an area; less as go up |
| barometer | instrument to measure air pressure |
| main gases atmospere | nitrogen & oxygen |
| 4 layers atmosphere | troposphere, stratosphere, mesosphere, thermosphere |
| layer weather occurs | troposphere |
| importance of atmosphere | oxygen, keep Earth warm, meteoroids burn up, block UV rays |
| radiation | energy transfer through space (Sun's rays) |
| conduction | energy transfer through touching (air touches warm land/water) |
| convection | energy transfer in fluid (liquid, gas) - currents; cool/dense sink & warm/less dense rise |
| most heating of troposphere | convection |
| Coriolis Effect | winds curve around Earth because of the Earth's rotation |
| Water Cycle | the movement of water between the atmosphere & surface (evaporation, condensation, precipitation, run off) |
| evaporation | liquid to gas |
| condensation & clouds | gas to liquid; how clouds form-water vapor condenses to liquid water or ice crystals |
| precipitation | any form of water that falls from clouds to Earth |
| humidity | measure of the amount of water vapor in the air |
| dew point | temperature at which condensation begins |
| 3 cloud types | cirrus-high & wispy; cumulus - puffy; stratus - flat |
| hurricanes - where form | over warm tropical ocean water |
| weather vs. climate | weather - daily conditions; climate - year after year averages |
| cause of seasons | Earth's tilted axis as it revolves around the sun |
| clues to ancient climates | fossil tree rings, fossil trees, ancient plant pollen |
| El Nino - what, where, when | currents in warm tropical Pacific change; about every 2-7 years |
| Global warming | gradual increase in the temperature of the Earth's atmosphere |
| greenhouse effect - what, gases | hypothesis that added gases (CO2) to our atmosphere is warming Earth's atmosphere |
| ozone layer | protects Earth from harmful UV rays |
| cold front - what & symbol | cold air mass overtakes a warm air mass; line w/blue triangles |
| warm front - what & symbol | warm air mass overtakes a cold air mass; line w/red half circles |
| stationary front - what & symbol | warm & cold air masses meet & don't move |
| High/Low Pressure - type weather | High - sunny/dry; Low - cloudy/rainy |
| meteorologist | person who analyze weather data & make forecasts |
| US prevailing wind | westerlies (from west to east); move air masses |
| jet stream | high-altitude, high-speed winds that move air masses |
| wind direction around High/Low Pressure | High Pressure - clockwise; Low Pressure - counter clockwise |
