Weather And Climate Unit

Front 1

group of chemical compounds used in refriderators, aerosol sprays, and foam packaging that destroy ozone molecules

Back 1

chlorofluorocarbon

Front 2

transfer of thermal energy from particle to particle through a material when there is a temperature difference; transfer of energy that occurs when molecules bump into each other

Back 2

conduction

Front 3

transfer of thermal energy that happens when particles move from one place to another where there is temperature difference, occurs in gases and liquids

Back 3

convection

Front 4

changes the direction of all free-moving objects to the right north of the equator and to the left to the south of the equator; creates wind patterns across the world and results from the rotation of Earth.

Back 4

Coriolis effect

Front 5

all the water that is found at Earth's surface, of which 97 percent is salt water and only three percent is fresh water.

Back 5

hydrosphere

Front 6

layer of electrically charged particles in the thermosphere.

Back 6

ionosphere

Front 7

narrow belt of strong winds that blows near the top of the troposphere.

Back 7

jet stream

Front 8

nightly movements of air created when cold air over the land forces up the warmer air above the sea.

Back 8

land breezes

Front 9

stratospheric layer with a high concentration of ozone; protects Earth by absorbing harmful ultraviolet radiation.

Back 9

ozone layer

Front 10

energy that travels by waves in all directions from its source (ch. 5, p. 129); transfer of energy by electromagnetic waves.

Back 10

radiation

Front 11

daily movements of air created when cooler, denser air moving inland from the ocean forces warm air over the land to rise.

Back 11

sea breezes

Front 12

layer of the atmosphere closest to the ground; contains 75 percent of the atmospheric gases, dust, ice, and liquid water and is where weather, smog, and clouds occur

Back 12

troposphere

Front 13

type of energy that comes to Earth from the sun and is mostly absorbed by the ozone layer; can cause cancer and other health problems in many types of plants and animals.

Back 13

ultraviolet radiation

Front 14

the continuous movement of water between Earth's surface and the atmosphere through evaporation, condensation, and percipitation.

Back 14

water cycle

Front 15

large body of air that has the same properties as the Earth's surface over which it formed.

Back 15

air mass

Front 16

temperature at which air is saturated and condensation forms; changes with the amount of moisture in the air.

Back 16

dew point

Front 17

specialized radar system that sends out repeated radio waves, monitors the reflected waves from distant storms, and can tell the direction a storm is moving.

Back 17

Doppler radar

Front 18

stratus cloud that forms when air is cooled to its dew point and condenses near the ground.

Back 18

fog

Front 19

boundary between warm and cold air masses

Back 19

front

Front 20

amount of water vapor held in the air.

Back 20

humidity

Front 21

large, swirling, low-pressure system that forms over tropical oceans and has winds of at least 120 km per hour.

Back 21

hurricane

Front 22

line drawn on a weather map that connects points of equal atmospheric pressure

Back 22

isobar

Front 23

line drawn on a weather map that connects points of equal temperature.

Back 23

isotherm

Front 24

person who studies weather, takes measurements of temperature, air pressure, winds, humidity, and precipitation, and uses information provided by weather instruments to make weather maps and forecasts.

Back 24

meteorologist

Front 25

water falling from clouds, including rain, snow, sleet, and hail

Back 25

precipitation

Front 26

measure of the amount of water vapor that the air is holding compared to the amount it can hold at a specific temperature.

Back 26

relative humidity

Front 27

shows the weather conditions at one specific location, using symbols on a map.

Back 27

station model

Front 28

violent, whirling wind that moves in a narrow path over land, forms a funnel, and can reach up to 500 km per hour and be highly destructive.

Back 28

tornado

Front 29

present state of the atmosphere, including air pressure, wind, temperature, and the amount of moisture in the air.

Back 29

weather

Front 30

any structure or behavior that helps an organism survive in its environment; develops in a population over a long period of time.

Back 30

adaptation

Front 31

pattern of weather that occurs in a particular area over many years.

Back 31

climate

Front 32

destruction or cutting down of trees.

Back 32

deforestation

Front 33

a climatic event that starts in the tropical Pacific Ocean and sets off changes in the atmosphere.

Back 33

El Niño

Front 34

rise in global temperatures because of the increase of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.

Back 34

global warming

Front 35

natural heating process caused when gases in the atmosphere trap heat; prevents Earth from being too cold to support life.

Back 35

greenhouse effect

Front 36

behavioral adaptation for survival during cold, winter months, where an animal becomes inactive and its metabolic needs are lowered; in amphibians, involves burying themselves in mud or leaves until temperatures become warmer.

Back 36

hibernation

Front 37

regions extending from 66.5° north and south latitudes to the poles that receive solar energy at a low angle or not at all and may be covered with ice year-round.

Back 37

polar zones

Front 38

short-term period of climate change caused by regular differences in temperature, daylight, and weather patterns that are due to Earth's tilt on its axis as it revolves around the sun.

Back 38

season

Front 39

regions with moderate temperatures located between the tropics and the polar zones.

Back 39

temperate zones

Front 40

region between latitudes 23.5° north and 23.5° south that receives the most solar radiation and is always hot, except at high elevations.

Back 40

tropics