Unit 4 Vocabulary

a body of air that has about the same temperature and humidity throughout

• air mass

• air pressure

• anemometer

• atmospher

a measure of the weight of the atmosphere on a given area of the surface of the Earth; barometric pressure

• air mass

• air pressure

• anemometer

• atmospher

an instrument used to measure wind speed

• air mass

• air pressure

• anemometer

• atmospher

an envelope of mixed gases are held to the Earth by gravity; the most dense gases are near the surface of the Earth

• air mass

• air pressure

• anemometer

• atmosphere

when temperature differences cause liquids and gases (fluids) to expand and move; the less dense areas continually rise, and the more dense areas continually sink creating a cyclical current

• Convection current

• Coriolis effect

• Humidity

• Jet stream

the effect of the Earth’s rotation on the path of air and water; causes the path to curve

• Convection current

• Coriolis effect

• Humidity

• Jet stream

amount of water vapor present in the air; relative humidity

• Convection current

• Coriolis effect

• Humidity

• Jet stream

narrow band of high speed wind high in the atmosphere; moves west to east in the Northern Hemisphere

• Convection current

• Coriolis effect

• Humidity

• Jet stream

global wind located at mid-latitude; mostly blows in one direction

• Jet Stream

• Prevailing winds

• Psychrometers

• Weather front

instrument used to measure humidity (moisture) in the air

• Jet Stream

• Prevailing winds

• Psychrometers

• Weather front