Earth and Space science - Weather unit vocab pt.1 & pt.2

Weather

The condition of Earth's atmosphere at a particular time and place.

Climate

Overall weather in an area over a long period of time

Water Cycle

The continuous process by which water moves from Earth's surface to the atmosphere and back

Evaporation

The change of a substance from a liquid to a gas

Condensation

The change of state from a gas to a liquid

Precipitation

Any form of water that falls from clouds and reaches Earth's surface.

Transpiration

Evaporation of water from the leaves of a plant

Infiltration

the process by which water on the ground surface enters the soil

Runoff

water that flows over the ground surface rather than soaking into the ground

Groundwater

water that fills the cracks and spaces in underground soil and rock layers

Water Vapor

water in the form of a gas

Absorption

The process by which nutrient molecules pass through the wall of the digestive system into the blood

Reflection

The process by which light or heat bounces off a surface without being absorbed, such as sunlight reflecting off ice or clouds.

greenhouse effect

warming that results when solar radiation is trapped by the atmosphere

altitude

Elevation above sea level

parcel of air

A small, distinct volume of air that moves as a unit through the atmosphere, often used in meteorology to analyze temperature, pressure, and humidity changes.

Elevation

height above sea level

sea level

The average level of the ocean's surface at any given time

pressure

Force per unit area.

Latent heat

the energy absorbed or released during a change in state

Sublimation

solid to gas

Deposition

The process in which water vapor changes directly into a solid

Dew Point Temperature

the temperature to which air has to be cooled in order to reach saturation

relative humidity

The amount of water vapor in the air at any given time is usually less than that required to saturate the air. Expressed as a percentage.

Leeward

The side of a mountain range that faces away from the oncoming wind.

Windward

The side of a mountain range that faces the oncoming wind.

Orographic lift

As wind encounters a mountain, it is forced upward to travel over the top of the mountain and then down the other side.

ascend

to move upward, to rise from a lower station

What drives the water cycle

the sun