Download WEATHER UNIT VOCABULARY

WEATHER UNIT
VOCABULARY
KEY TERMS TO KNOW
Today we will begin our new unit of study on
Weather. Please add the following words
and definitions to your science notes. We
will spend this first week introducing you to
important words that will help you be
successful in this unit. Please remember to
review your science notes daily so that you
are keeping up with the key concepts
covered in class. This unit will be until the
end of January so please keep your
notebooks organized and up-to-date.
Air pressure – the pressing
down of the air on the Earth’s
surface.
Anemometer – the
instrument that measures
wind speed.
Atmosphere – a blanket of air
surrounding the Earth.
Barometer – the instrument
that measures air pressure.
Beaufort Scale – a scale that
shows numbers for wind
speed.
Cirrus clouds – thin, feathery
high altitude clouds.
Climate – the average weather of
an area for many years.
Compass – this tool allows us
to determine which direction
the wind is coming from.
Cold front (weather) – occurs
when a cold air mass moves
into an area occupied by
warmer air.
Condensation –
The change of a gas to a liquid
when heat energy is lost.
A step in the water cycle.
Cumulus clouds – puffy, white
middle altitude clouds.
Evaporation –
The change of a liquid to a gas.
A step in the water cycle.
Fog – a cloud that forms close
to the ground when the
temperature of the air is colder
than the temperature of the
ground.
Forecast – is a scientifically
derived prediction of the
upcoming weather conditions
for a given area at a given
time.
Front – the place where two air
masses meet.
Jet stream – a narrow band of
high-speed winds found 7-9
miles above the Earth’s
surface. These winds
generally blow from west to
east at speeds over 200 miles
per hour.
Meteorologist – a scientist who
studies weather.
Precipitation –
Water that falls from clouds,
usually as rain or snow, and
returns to the Earth’s surface
from the atmosphere.
A step of the water cycle.
Rain – cloud droplets large
enough to fall to the Earth’s
surface.
Rain Gauge – is an instrument
used to collect rain so that
rainfall can be measured.
Relative humidity – the
comparison of water vapor
present in the air to the
amount of water vapor air can
hold.
Revolution (of the Earth) – the
movement of the Earth orbiting
the Sun that causes the
seasons to change.
Sleet – frozen raindrops.
Snow – white flakes of ice
formed by the freezing of
water vapor in clouds.
Solar energy – a form of
energy from the Sun.
Stratus clouds – flat layers of
low altitude clouds.
Vacuum – space that contains
no air, and therefore no air
pressure is known as this.
Warm front (weather) – occurs
when a warm air mass moves
into an area occupied by
colder air.
Water cycle – the process by
which water leaves a body of
water through evaporation,
condenses into clouds in the
atmosphere, falls back to the
Earth’s surface as precipitation
and returns to the ocean in rivers.
Weather – day to day changes
in temperature, air pressure,
humidity, precipitation, wind
speed, and wind direction.
Weather Station – is a place
where weather data is
recorded for display. We will
make one of these next week!

Wind –
Moving air over the Earth’s
surface caused by heating of
the air by solar energy.
The force of nature responsible
for bringing the weather.