| A | B |
|---|
| water cycle | The movement of water between the atmosphere and earths surface |
| mist | water that is less than .05 |
| humidity | The amount of water vapor in the air |
| relative humidity | The % of water vapor in the air compared to how much it can hold |
| rain gauge | measures the amount of rainfall |
| condensation | When water vapor becomes liquid water |
| dew point | The temperature where condensation begins |
| precipitation | Any form of water falling from a cloud that reaches the earth |
| drought | A long period of low precipitation |
| psychrometer | Measures humidity |
| pollutants | harful materials in the air, water or soil |
| acid rain | rain that contains more acid than normal |
| electromagnetic waves | a form of energy that can move through the vacuum of space |
| radiation | the direct tranfer of energy by electromagnetic waves |
| infrared radiation | longer wave length than red light |
| ultraviolet radiation | shorter wave lengths than visible light |
| scattering | Why the sky looks blue |
| green house effect | the process by which gas holds heat in the atmosphere |
| temperature | the AVERAGE amount of energy in each particle of a substance |
| thermal energy | the TOTAL amount of energy in the particles in a substance |
| conduction | the direct transfer of heat from one substance to another |
| convection | the tranfer of heat by movement in a liquid. |
| convection currents | the upward movement of warm air and the downward movement of cool air |
| wind | the horizontal movement of air from high pressure and low pressure |
| anemometer | measures wind speed |
| wind chill factor | the increased cooling wind can cause |
| local winds | blow over short distances |
| sea breeze | blows towards land |
| land breeze | blows towards body of water |
| global winds | blow over large distances |
| global convection currents | caused by differences in temperature between the equator and the poles |
| coriolis effect | causes wind to bend to the right in the north and bend to the left in the south |
| doldrums | little to no wind near the equator |
| horse latitudes | located 30 north and south of the equator where winds die down. |
| trade winds | winds created by a difference in pressure between the horse latitudes and the equator |
| prevailing westerlies | between 30 and 60 degrees north and south of the equator. play an important role in U.S. weather |
| stratus clouds | are flat gray clouds that produce rain. |
| cumulonimbus | are thunder boomers! |
| cumulus | are puffy like cotton. |
| cirrus | are light and feathery and usually mean good weather. |
| fog | a form of stratus clouds that are near the ground |
| rain | water that is .5 mm or larger |
| drizzle | water that is .05-.5 in size |
| evaporation | liquid water turning into water vapor |
