| A | B |
|---|
| weather | the condition of the bottom layer of the earth's atmosphere in one place over a short period of time. |
| atmosphere | a multilayered band of gases, water vapor, and dust above the earth. |
| climate | the term for the weather patterns that an area typically experiences over a long period of time. |
| greenhouse effect | when a small amount of earth's radiation reaches the earth's atmosphere and then the radiation is reflected back into space by the atmosphere and by earth's surface, but enough remains to warm the earth's land and water. |
| rotatation | when the earth spins on it's axis one time |
| axis | an invisible line through the center of the earth from pole to pole. |
| revolution | one complete orbit of the earth around the sun. |
| length of a year | the earth completes one revolution every 365 1/4 days. |
| leap year-date | February 29th (the last day in feb.) |
| Tropic of Cancer | during june 21, when the sun appears at that direct spot. |
| Tropic of Capricorn | during dec. 21, when the sun appears at that direct sport. |
| summer/winter solstice | when the sun appears directly overhead at noon to observers at the Tropics of Cancer and Capricorn. |
| spring/fall equinoxes | when day and night are of nearly equal length nearly everywhere on earth. |
| climate zones: tropical, temperate, and polar (latitudes) | these identify the types of climate zones. |
| precipitation | all forms of water that fall from the atmosphere onto the earth's surface. |
| water cycle | evaporation from water on the earth goes up into the air and the clouds give out rain, snow, sleet, and hail to make it go back. and the cycle continues. |
| convectional precipitation | when hot, humid air rises from the earth's surface and cools therby losing its ability to hold much water. |
| orographical precipitation | when warm, moist air is forced upward when passing over high landforms (common on sea coasts). |
| frontal precipitation | occurs when two fronts of different temperatures meet. |
| fronts | air masses. |
| evaporation | to pass off in vapor or in invisible minute particles |
| 3 influences on climate | temperature, precipitation, and atmosphere. |
