Climate/Weather Vocab Flashcards
(24 cards)
What is weather?
the state of the atmosphere at a place and time as regards heat, dryness, sunshine, wind, rain, etc. (short term conditions)
What is climate?
the weather conditions prevailing in an area in general or over time (long term averages)
What is heat?
the transfer of kinetic energy from one medium or object to another, or from an energy source to a medium or object. Such energy transfer can occur in three ways: radiation, conduction, and convection.
What is temperature?
a measure of how hot or cold something is
What is radiant energy?
energy that is transmitted in the form of electromagnetic radiation
What is an air mass?
a huge body of air that has similar temperature, humidity, and air pressure at any given height
What is a front?
(meteorology) the atmospheric phenomenon created at the boundary (dividing line) between two different air masses
What is a jetstream?
narrow belt of strong winds that blows near the top of the troposphere
What is an Anemometer?
a gauge for recording the speed and direction of wind
What is a Hygrometer?
measures relative humidity
What is a Barometer?
An instrument used to measure changes in air pressure
What is humidity?
the amount of water vapor in the air
What is relative humidity?
the percentage of water vapor in the air compared to the maximum amount the air could hold
What is a dew point?
the temperature at which condensation begins
What is a heat index?
a number that reflects a combination of high temperatures and high humidity
What is wind chill?
A measure of cooling combining temperature and wind speed
What is the ozone layer?
a form of oxygen that has three oxygen atoms in each molecule instead of two; protects us from dangerous ultraviolet radiation from the sun
What is the weather system?
the movement of warm and cold air across the globe
What is the Low-pressure weather system?
usually brings warm and stormy weather
What is the High-pressure weather system?
usually brings dry and clear weather.
What is the Low-pressure direction?
low-pressure systems result in rainy weather and spin counterclockwise in direction
What is the High-pressure direction?
high pressure systems result in fair weather and spin clockwise in direction
What is the Isotherm?
line on a map connecting points equal temperature values
What is the isobar?
a line on a weather map that joins places that have the same air pressure
