Weather and Climate Terminology

Cause and Effect

• The relationship between an action and its consequence

• A method of scientific experimentation

• A type of natural phenomenon

• A way to measure time

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS2-4

NGSS.MS-LS4-4

NGSS.MS-PS3-5

Isolines

• Lines connecting points of equal value that help identify patterns and specific conditions in an area.

• Lines that connect different geographical locations on a map.

• Lines that represent temperature variations in a specific region.

• Lines that indicate the boundaries of different countries.

Air Mass

• A small pocket of air with varying temperature and humidity.

• A large body of air with generally uniform temperature and humidity.

• A weather phenomenon that occurs during thunderstorms.

• A type of cloud formation that indicates rain.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-5

Warm Front

• The boundary between a mass of warm air and a retreating mass of cold air.

• A region where cold air is replacing warm air.

• A type of front that brings heavy snowfall.

• A stationary boundary between two air masses.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-5

Water Vapor

• Water in its liquid state, found in rivers and lakes.

• Water in its solid state, found in icebergs.

• Water in its gaseous state, found in the atmosphere.

• Water in its plasma state, found in stars.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-5

NGSS.MS-PS1-4

Destructive

• Causing serious damage, like a strong storm or tornado.

• Having a positive effect on the environment.

• Promoting growth and development.

• Being harmless and benign.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-5

NGSS.MS-ESS3-2

Intense / Intensity

• The strength or power of weather, like the intensity of a hurricane.

• A measure of temperature in degrees.

• The speed of wind during a storm.

• The amount of rainfall in a given area.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-5

Dense/Density

• How tightly packed air or matter is. Dense air is heavier and sinks.

• How light air or matter is. Less dense air rises.

• The temperature of air or matter. Hot air is less dense.

• The volume of air or matter. More volume means more density.

Effective

• Successfully doing what is intended, like a weather forecast predicting rain.

• Having a strong impact or influence on something.

• Being able to perform a task with minimal effort.

• Achieving a result without any planning or strategy.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-5

NGSS.MS-ESS3-2

Pressure

• The weight of the atmosphere pushing down on each unit area of Earth’s surface.

• The force exerted by a fluid on an object submerged in it.

• The amount of force applied per unit area in a vacuum.

• The resistance of a material to deformation under stress.