science 6/17 vocab

Precipitation

any liquid or solid forms of water that fall to the ground from above includes: hail, rain, sleet, snow

Humidity

a measurement of water vapor in the air

Atmosphere

the layer of air and gases that surrounds the Earth

Vary

To change or to be different

Short-term variability

Change from year to year

Long-term Trends

The trend in average data over a long period of time

Climate

The typical conditions of the atmosphere in a place over longer periods of time.

Weather

The day-to-day changes in what it is like outside (in a short period of time)

PDSI (Palmer Drought Severity Index)

A value that is calculated using temperature and precipitation data to show the relative level of moisture in an area

Global Warming

the overall increase in Earth's average temperature

Climate Change

A change in the average conditions (such as temperature and precipitation) in a place over a long period of time

Per-Capita Consumption

The amount of stuff person uses each year

Evaporation

process in which individual water molecules on the surface of a liquid gain enough motion energy (kinetic energy) to leave the liquid and become a gas