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32 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
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water cycle |
The continual movement of water among Earth's atmosphere, oceans, and land surface through evaporation, condensation, and precipitation. |
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evaporation |
The process by which molecules at the surface of a liquid absorb energy to change a gas. |
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condensation |
The change in state from a gas to a liquid. |
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humidity |
The amount of water vapor in a given volume of air. |
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relative humidity |
The percentage of water vapor in the air compared to the maximum amount of water vapor that air can contain at a particular temperature. |
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psychrometer |
an instrument used to measure relative humidity. |
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dew point |
The temperature at which condensation begins. |
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cirrus |
Wispy, feathery clouds made of ice crystals that form at high levels. |
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cumulus |
Fluffy, white clouds, usually with flat bottoms, that look like rounded piles of cotton. |
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stratus |
Clouds that form in flat layers and often cover much of the sky. |
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precipitation |
Any form of water that falls from clouds and reaches Earth's surface as rain, snow, sleet, or hail. |
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rain guage |
An instrument used to measure precipitation. |
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flood |
An overflowing of water in a normally dry area. |
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drought |
a long period of scarce rainfall of rainfall or dry weather |
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air mass |
A huge body of air that has similar temperature, humidity, and air pressure at any given height. |
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tropical |
A warm air mass that forms in the tropics and has low air pressure |
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continental |
A dry air mass that forms over land. |
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jet stream |
Bands of high-speed winds about 10 kilometers above Earth's surface. |
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cyclone |
A swirling center of low air pressure. |
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anticyclone |
A high-pressure center of dry air. |
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storm |
A violent disturbance in the atmosphere. |
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blizzard |
A snowstorm with prolonged winds of 56 kilometers per hour or greater and blowing snow that reduces visibility. |
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thunderstorm |
A small storm often accompained by heavy precipitation and frequent thunder and lightning. |
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lightning |
A sudden spark, or energy discharge, caused when electrical charges jump between parts of cloud, between nearby clouds, or between a cloud and the ground. |
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hurricane |
A tropical storm that has winds of about 119 kilometers per hour or higher. |
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storm surge |
A "dome" of water that sweeps across the coast where a hurricane lands. |
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tornado |
A rapidly whirling, funnel-shaped cloud that reaxhes down to touch Earth's surface. |
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evacuate |
Moving away temporarily from an area about to be affected by servere weather. |
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meterologist |
Scientist who study the causes of weather and try to predict it. |
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isobar |
A line on a weather map that joins places that have the same air pressure. |
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isotherm |
A line on a weather map that joins places that have the same element. |
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front |
The boundary where unlike air masses meet but do not mix. |
