Water and Atmosphere

Ocean

Largest type of water body composed of saltwater and divided into Pacific, Indian, Atlantic, Southern, and Arctic oceans

Sea

Typically coastal branch of ocean sometimes landlocked and composed of saltwater

Bay

Inlet of ocean partially surrounded by land in which the mouth opens to the ocean

Strait

Narrow stretch of water btwn 2 landmasses that connects 2 larger bodies of water

Gulf

Inlet of sea/ocean bordered on several sides by land

Canal

Man-made waterway made to allow boats to pass through or transport water for irrigation purposes

Lake

Landlocked basin typically filled w/ freshwater that can be used for recreation, fishing, hydroelectric power, water source

Reservoir

Large body of still surface water similar to lake used for recreation, water supply, hydroelectric power

River

Large stream that flows over land usually carrying large amount of freshwater

Stream

Natural flowing waterway smaller than a river and composed of freshwater

Pond

Small body of still surface water

Geyser

Hot spring of water that intermittently jets water and steam into air caused by magma heating groundwater

Glacier

Large mass of ice that flows at very slow rate and can carve valleys

Lagoon

Small protected body of water separated from ocean by thin stretch of land

Abyssal Plain

Plain on ocean floor

Alluvial Fan

Fan-shaped deposit of sediments at mouth of canyon/river

Atoll

Ring-shaped island/coral reef atop submarine volcanoes

Bank (Ocean)

Area of higher elevation compared to seafloor around it (ex. submarine hill)

Continental Shelf

Gently sloping part of continent under ocean’s surface

Continental Slope

Sloped region that connects continental shelf to continental rise

Continental Rise

Region where continental slope meets abyssal plain

Tablemount/Guyot

Underwater mountain w/ flat top

Ocean Basin

Depressions on earth’s surface due to sinking of oceanic crust forming oceans

Ocean Ridge

Feature of increased elevation formed at divergent plate boundary

Ocean Trench

Long crevasse in ocean floor formed in subduction zone at convergent plate boundary

Reef

Submarine ridge composed of coral/rocks

Seamount

Underwater mountain

Shoal

Sandbar or submarine ridge

Sound

Large inlet of ocean

Estuary

Region where river meets ocean composed of brackish water

Deltas

Depositions of sediments at mouth of river due to slowing of flow of water carrying sediments

Cliffs

Sharp drop offs from coast/rocks into sea below

Barrier Islands

Islands of deposited sand and sediments which run parallel to coastline

Channel

Waterway btwn 2 landforms

Salinity

Amount of salts dissolved in water

Islands

Small land masses not connected to any continent and surrounded on all sides by water

Island Chain/Archipelago

Group of islands near each other formed by volcanic activity

Atmosphere

Gases surrounding surface of earth

Thermosphere

Very thin layer of atmosphere which has high temps and contains ionosphere and exosphere

Mesosphere

Coldest layer in atmosphere that protects earth from meteoroids

Meteoroids

Small bodies of debris from space which move into earth’s atmosphere and can then turn into meteors

Stratosphere

Layer above troposphere that contains jet streams and ozone layer

Jet Streams

Strong eastward winds in stratosphere which blow horizontally around earth

Ozone Layer

Layer of ozone in stratosphere that blocks harmful UV radiation from reaching earth’s surface

Ultraviolet Radiation

Radiant energy which can heat up planet and damage cells of living organisms

Troposphere

Layer of gases closest to earth where weather occurs

Ionosphere

Layer of ions and free electrons in atmosphere that can reflect and direct radio waves

Exosphere

Layer in atmosphere which provides boundary btwn thermosphere and outer space

Air Pressure/Atmospheric Pressure

Force exerted on an area due to weight of air in atmosphere above

Clouds

Water vapor in atmosphere condenses into liquid or ice crystals

High Clouds

Clouds at 16500-45000 ft altitude above earth’s surface including cirrus, cirrostratus, cirrocumulus

Mid-Level Clouds

Clouds at 6500-23000 ft altitude above earth’s surface including altocumulus, altostratus, nimbostratus

Low Clouds

Clouds at altitude below 6500 ft including cumulus, stratus, cumulonimbus, stratocumulus

Cirrus Clouds

High feathery clouds made mostly of ice crystals that indicate change in weather

Cirrostratus Clouds

High veil-like thin clouds that cover whole sky seen in winter causing halo effect around the sun and indicated incoming rain/snow

Cirrocumulus Clouds

High thin patchy grainy clouds that indicate fair weather

Altocumulus Clouds

Mid-level layered patchy clouds that indicate fair weather

Altostratus Clouds

Mid-level gray clouds that cover whole sky and indicate rain/snow

Nimbostratus Clouds

Low-level to midlevel dark misty clouds that cover whole sky and indicate rain/snow

Cumulus Clouds

Low fluffy cotton-like clouds that indicate fair weather

Stratus Clouds

Low misty foggy clouds that indicate fair but gloomy weather

Stratocumulus Clouds

Low patchy, gray/white clouds that indicate incoming storm

Cumulonimbus Clouds

Multi-level impressive towering clouds that indicate thunderstorms and severe weather

Contrails

Clouds formed from condensed water vapor from exhaust of jet planes

Mammatus Clouds

Pouch-like shape hanging from bottom due to movement of cold air

Orographic Clouds

Clouds formed from mountains, hills, or sea breezes moving air

Lenticular Clouds

Lens-shaped clouds usually formed over peaks of hills/mountains

Water/Hydrologic Cycle

Process by which water circulates btwn earth and atmosphere

Water Vapor

Water in gas phase

Evaporation

Phase change from liquid state to gas state

Transpiration

Water exits as vapor from surface of plant leaves

Condensation

Phase change from gas state to liquid state

Precipitation

Water which falls to earth due to gravity

Surface Runoff

Water which flows over surface of earth to body of water

Percolate

Travel from surface to groundwater through spaces btwn soil and rock particles

Rain

Liquid water that falls to earth in drops larger than .5 mm in diameter

Drizzle

Liquid water that falls to earth in drops smaller than .5 mm in diameter

Sleet

Partially solid water that falls to earth as water and ice pellets

Snow

Solid water crystals that fall to earth as snowflakes

Hail

Large chunks of ice that fall to earth during severe weather

Freezing Rain

Liquid water that falls to earth when temp is below freezing resulting in layer of ice on ground and other surfaces

Weather

Area’s short-term atmospheric conditions

Humidity

Measure of amount of water vapor in air

Climate

Area’s long-term weather patterns

Latitude

Horizontal lines that measure distance above and below Equator

Tropics

Region btwn Tropic of Cancer (23.5 d N) and Tropic of Capricorn (23.5 d S) that contain warm temps and high rainfall

Temperate Zones

Areas btwn tropics (23.5 d) and arctic and antarctic circles (66.5 d)

Polar

Region btwn 66.5 d and poles that has cool summers, extremely cold winters, low rainfall

Equator

Center line of latitude around middle of earth that divides globe into northern and southern hemisphere

Coriolis Effect

Curving of flow of wind/water caused by earth’s rotation clockwise in northern hemisphere and counterclockwise in southern hemisphere

Northern Hemisphere

Half of earth north of equator

Southern Hemisphere

Half of earth south of equator

Surface Current

River-like flow of water of diff temp within earth’s oceans

Air Masses

Regions of warm or cold, wet or dry air that tend to move as a unit across earth’s surface carrying their temp and humidity compositions w/ them

Continental Arctic Air Mass (cA)

Frigid dry air mass formed over arctic landmasses

Maritime Polar Air Mass (mP)

Cold moist air mass formed over polar oceans

Continental Polar Air Mass (cP)

Cold dry air mass formed over polar landmasses

Maritime Tropical Air Mass (mT)

Warm moist air mass formed over tropical oceans

Continental Tropical (cT)

Warm dry air mass formed over tropical landmasses

Artificial Satellites

Devices in Earth’s orbit which collect weather data and allow scientists to quickly monitor atmospheric conditions