PART 1
1. ozone – a molecule of oxygen with three oxygen atoms (O3)
2. troposphere– from Earth’s surface up to about 12km; temperature decreases as you go higher; layer where most weather events occur
3. stratosphere– about 12km to 50km above Earth’s surface; temperature increases as you go higher (due to ozone layer); ozone layer is found here
4. mesosphere– about 50km to 85km above Earth’s surface; temperature decreases as you go higher
5.thermosphere– about 85km to 100km above Earth’s surface; temperature increases as you go higher (due to solar radiation)
6. heat– thermal energy transferred from one object to another
7. temperature– measure of the average kinetic energy of individual atoms or molecules in a substance
8. greenhouse effect – heating of Earth’s surface & atmosphere from absorption of solar radiation mostly from water vapor and carbon dioxide (CO2)
9. albedo – amount of solar radiation reflected off of a surface
10. isotherm – a line connecting points of equal temperature
11.precipitation – any form of water that falls from a cloud
12. evaporation – the change of state from a liquid to a gas
13.condensation – the change of state from a gas to a liquid
14. latent heat– energy absorbed or released during a change in state
15. humidity – water vapor in the air
16. saturated – air that contains the maximum amount of water vapor that it can hold at any given temperature and pressure
17. relative humidity– ratio of the actual amount of water vapor in a parcel of air compared to the amount of water vapor it can actually hold
18. dew point– temperature to which air has to be cooled in order to reach saturation
19. orographic lifting– pushing up of air by elevated terrain (such as mountains)
20. front– the boundary between two adjoining air masses having contrasting characteristics
21.temperature inversion – a thin layer in the atmosphere where temperature increases instead of decreases with height
22. condensation nuclei – tiny bits of material (such as dust) that serve as surfaces on which water vapor condenses
23. Words from Unit 1: convection, conduction, radiation
PART 2
1. air pressure – the force exerted by the weight of a column of air above a given point
2. pressure gradient – amount of pressure change occurring over a given distance
3. Coriolis Effect– apparent deflective force of Earth’s rotation on all free-moving objects, including the atmosphere and oceans; to the right in the Northern Hemisphere
4. jet stream – fast (120-240 km/hr), high altitude winds
5. cyclones– low-pressure center characterized by a counterclockwise flow of air in the Northern Hemisphere
6. anticyclones– high-pressure center characterized by a clockwise flow of air in the Northern Hemisphere
7. trade winds – winds that blow almost constantly to the East; found between the Equator and 30o North and South
8. westerlies – winds that blow mostly from the West; found between 30o and 60o North and South
9. prevailing wind – a wind that consistently blows from one direction more than from another
10. monsoons – seasonal reversal of wind direction associated with large continents, especially Asia; winter = wind from land to sea,
summer = wind from sea to land
PART 3
1. air mass – a large body of air that is characterized by similar temperature and humidity at any given altitude
2. warm front – a front where a warm air mass overrides a retreating mass of cooler air
3. cold front – a front where a cold air mass pushes under a warmer air mass
4. stationary front – a front where neither air mass overtakes the other
5. occluded front – a front where a cold front overtakes a warm front
6. thunderstorm – a storm produced by a cumulonimbus cloud; always has thunder and lightening
7. tornado – small, very intense cyclonic storm with extremely high winds; usually form along cold fronts with severe thunderstorms
8. hurricane – a tropical cyclonic storm having winds greater than 119 km/hr; usually form over warm tropical waters in the mid to late summer in the Northern Hemisphere
9. storm surge– abnormal rise of the sea along a shore as a result of strong winds
10. global warming – an increase in the average temperatures of Earth and the atmosphere due in part to increased CO2 levels
11. weather– the state of the atmosphere at any given time and place
12. climate– observations of weather collected over many years that help describe a place or region