Chapter 8 Vocab Flashcards

Front 1

Water Cycle

Back 1

The continuous movement of water between the atmosphere and Earth's surface is called the water cycle.

Front 2

Evaporation

Back 2

Evaporation is the process by which water molecules in liquid water absorb energy and escape into the air as water vapor.

Front 3

Humidity

Back 3

Humidity is a measure of the amount of water in the air.

Front 4

Relative Humidity

Back 4

Relative humidity is the percentage of water vapor that is actually in the air compared to the maximum amount of water vapor the air can hold at a particular temperature.

Front 5

Psychrometer

Back 5

A psychrometer had two thermometers, a wet-bulb thermometer and a dry bulb thermometer.

Front 6

Condensation

Back 6

Molecules of water vapor in the air become liquid water in the process of condensation.

Front 7

Dew Point

Back 7

The temperature at which condensation begins is called the dew point.

Front 8

Cirrus

Back 8

Wispy, feathery clouds are known as cirrus.

Front 9

Cumulus

Back 9

Clouds that look like fluffy, rounded piles of cotton are called cumulus.

Front 10

Stratus

Back 10

Clouds that form in flat layers are called stratus.

Front 11

Precipitation

Back 11

Precipitation is any form of water that falls from the clouds and reached Earth's surface.

Front 12

Air mass

Back 12

A huge body of air that has similar temperature, humidity, and air pressure at any given height is called an air mass.

Front 13

Tropical

Back 13

Tropical, or warm, air masses from in the tropics and have low air pressure.

Front 14

Polar

Back 14

Polar, or cold, air masses form North of 50˚ North latitude and south of 50˚ south latitude.

Front 15

Maritime

Back 15

Maritime air masses form over oceans.

Front 16

Continental

Back 16

Continental air masses form over land.

Front 17

Front

Back 17

The boundary where the air masses meet becomes a front.

Front 18

Occluded

Back 18

The warm air mass is cur off, or occluded, from the ground.

Front 19

Cyclone

Back 19

A swirling center of low air pressure is called a cyclone.

Front 20

Anticyclone

Back 20

Anticyclones are high-pressure centers of dry air.

Front 21

Storm

Back 21

A storm is a violent disturbance in the atmosphere.

Front 22

Thunderstorm

Back 22

A thunderstorm is a small storm often accompanied by heavy precipitation and frequent thunder and lighting.

Front 23

Lightning

Back 23

Lightening is a sudden spark, or electric discharge, as these charges jump between parts of a cloud, between nearby clouds, or between a clouds and the ground.

Front 24

Tornado

Back 24

A tornado is a rapidly whirling, funnel-shaped cloud that reaches down from a storm cloud to touch Earth's surface.

Front 25

Hurricane

Back 25

A hurricane is a tropical cyclone that has winds of 119 kilometers per hour or higher.

Front 26

Storm Surge

Back 26

A dome of water that sweeps across the coast where the hurricane lands.

Front 27

Meteorologist

Back 27

Meteorologist are scientist who study the causes of weather and try to predict it.

Front 28

Isobar

Back 28

Isobars are line joining places on the map that have the same air pressure.

Front 29

Isotherm

Back 29

Isotherms are line joining places that have the same temperature.