Unit 4 Vocabulary

The border between an advancing cold air mass and a retreating warm air mass

• warm front

• cold front

• atmosphere

• weather

The force exerted by the atmosphere on the Earth’s surface by the weight of the air above the surface

• cold front

• weather

• weather map

• air pressure

The layer of gas surrounding a planet that is held in place by gravity

• atmosphere

• atmospheric pressure

• humidity

• wind

The transfer of energy by the movement of electromagnetic waves or subatomic particles

• wind

• convection

• radiation

• cold front

Heat transfer caused by the rising of hotter, less dense fluids and the falling of cooler, denser fluids

• convection

• radiation

• humidity

• thermal energy

The day-to-day state of the atmosphere

• Coriolis effect

• air pressure

• atmosphere

• weather

A natural movement of air, sometimes with considerable force, from an area of high density and pressure to an area of low density and pressure

• anemometer

• wind

• barometer

• air pressure

A scientific tool used to measure wind speed

• anemometer

• wind

• atmosphere

• Coriolis effect

The apparent deflection of moving air, as seen by an observer on Earth, as a result of Earth’s rotation

• weather map

• Coriolis effect

• radiation

• convection

The boundary between an advancing warm air mass and a receding cooler air mass

• cold front

• anemometer

• wind

• warm front