 | Term | Definition |
| |
air |
a mixture of gases with a tiny amount of solids, such as dust particles, and liquids like water, in its makeup. |
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atmosphere |
the layer of air that surrounds earth like a blanket, is made up of a mixture of gases plus small amounts of tiny solids and liquids, and keeps temperatures on earth just right to support life. |
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nitrogen |
the most common gas in earths atmosphere and makes up about 78% of the air we breathe. |
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oxygen |
makes up about 21% of the air we breathe. |
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water vapor |
in the air, changes from place to place and from time to time. Can be as low as nearly zero to as high as four percent. |
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pollutants |
materials that harm living things by interfering with life processes. some are released by natural events. |
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troposphere |
the lowest layer of earths atmosphere, which contains about 75% of the air we breathe and also is where weather, clouds, and air pollution are found. |
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stratosphere |
the layer of earths atmosphere located above the troposphere; contains the ozone layer, which protects life on earth from the sun's harmful ultraviolet rays |
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weather |
what is happening in the atmosphere right now |
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wind |
the movement of air from warm, high-pressure areas into cooler, low-pressure areas due to differences in pressure. |
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air mass |
a large body of air with the same properties as the area of earths surface over which it develops and moves. |
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front |
place where air masses come together. |
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warm front |
less dense warm air slides over departing cold air. high feathery clouds often form |
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cold front |
cold air pushes up warm air, causing a narrow band of violet storms. |
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occluded front |
two cool air masses meet and force warmer air between them to be pushed up. often this causes strong winds and heavy precipitation. |
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stationary front |
a warm air mass or a cold air mass stops moving because of pressure differences. the weather might be rainy and slightly windy for several days. |
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thunderstorms |
most common type of severe weather. |
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tornadoes |
violent, whirling winds that move in a narrow path over land. |
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hurricanes |
large, swirling, low-pressure systems that form over tropical oceans. |
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meteoroligist |
a scientist who studies weather patterns to predict daily weather. |
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climate |
the pattern of weather that occurs in a particular area over many years. |
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global warming |
an increase in temperatures all over the world. |
