| A | B |
|---|
| absorption | to take in |
| air pressure | the pressure resulting from the weight of the atmosphere |
| altitude | the vertical distance of an object above a given level |
| alto | prefix used with cloud names to indicate middle height |
| atmosphere | the whole mass of the gasses(air) that surround the Earth |
| barometric pressure | the pressure of the atmosphere usually expressed as the height of a column of mercury |
| carbon dioxide | a greenhouse gas (CO2) present in the atmosphere and formed during respiration, usually obtained from burning of fossil fuels |
| cirro | prefix used with cloud names to indicate very high clouds |
| cirrus | a thin, feathery white cloud usually of tiny ice crystals formed at altitudes of 6,000 to 12,000 meters |
| climate | the average weather conditions of a particular place or region over a period of years |
| clouds | accumulations of water droplets held in the air because they are too light to fall |
| cold front | an advancing edge of a cold air mass |
| conduction | a method of energy transfer caused by touching |
| convection | a method of energy transfer through fluids caused by uneven heating |
| cumulo | prefix used with cloud names to indicate tall fluffy clouds |
| cumulonimbus | a thunderstorm cloud; usually associated with cold fronts but can develop on hot afternoons |
| cumulus | a large cloud form having a flat base and rounded outlines often piled up like a mountain; fluffy |
| currents (ocean) | the movement of water from one place to another (usually caused by convection) |
| electromagnetic energy | a form of energy that can be reflected or emitted from objects through electrical or magnetic waves traveling through space. |
| energy budget | a statement or diagram explaining the all of the energy received and given off or used |
| energy transformation | the change from one form of energy to another |
| drought | a long period of dry weather |
| fronts | the boundary between two dissimilar air masses |
| greenhouse effect | the method by which the atmosphere traps the sun's radiation |
| heat energy | how active the atoms and molecules are |
| humidity | the amount of moisture in the air |
| hurricane | a cyclone formed in the tropics with winds of 117 kilometers per hour (74 mph) or greater usually accompanied by rain, thunder, and lightning |
| hydro | pertaining to water |
| hydrosphere | all the water of the Earth (usually referring to the oceans) |
| infrared radiation | invisible light with a long wavelength |
| mesosphere | a layer of the atmosphere extending from the top of the stratosphere to an altitude of about 90 kilometers |
| methane | one of the most potent greenhouse gasses in Earth's atmosphere (CH4) . |
| nimbo | prefix used with cloud names to indicate rain |
| nitrogen | a gas that makes up 78 percent of the atmosphere and is found in all living tissues |
| oxygen | a gas that makes up 21 percent of the atmosphere, is the most abundant element in the Earth's crust, and occurs in many compounds including water, carbon dioxide, and iron ore. |
| ozone | a form of oxygen that is a bluish irritating sharp-smelling gas containing three atoms per molecule |
| precipitation | water or the amount of water that falls to the earth as hail, mist, rain, sleet, or snow |
| radiation | energy being emitted in the form of waves or particles |
| reflection | to bounce back |
| solar energy | electromagnetic radiation from the sun |
| strato | prefix used with cloud names to indicate clouds that are flat or layered |
| stratosphere | an upper portion of the atmosphere more than 11 kilometers above the earth where temperature changes little and clouds rarely form |
| stratus | a wide flat cloud extending over a large area at an altitude of from 600 to 2100 meters |
| temperature | the degree of hotness or coldness of something (as air, water, or the body) as shown by a thermometer |
| thermosphere | the layer of the atmosphere which is first exposed to the Sun's radiation and so is first heated by the Sun. The air is so thin that a small increase in energy can cause a large increase in temperature. |
| thunderstorm | a small but powerful storm with strong winds, heavy rain, lightning and a chance of hail or tornadoes (cumulonimbus clouds) |
| tornadoes | a violent destructive whirling wind accompanied by a funnel-shaped cloud that moves in a narrow path over the land |
| troposphere | the portion of the atmosphere which extends from the earth's surface to about 11 to 16 kilometers and in which temperature generally decreases rapidly with altitude and clouds form |
| warm front | an advancing edge of a warm air mass |
| water vapor | water in a gaseous form especially when below boiling temperature and spread through the atmosphere. It is a greenhouse gas. |
| weather | the state of the atmosphere in regard to heat or cold, wetness or dryness, calm or storm, clearness or cloudiness |
| ultraviolet radiation | Invisible rays that are part of the energy that comes from the sun with wavelengths are just shorter than those of ordinary, visible violet light but longer than those of x-rays. Ultraviolet radiation can cause skin and eye damage. |
| visible radiation | wavelengths of light that human eyes can detect |
| wavelength | the distance from one wave crest to the next |
