Shay

• Conduction


  One particle gains energy, it passes it on to adjacent particles, causing them to vibrate more vigorously, thus increasing their temperature
• Convection

  Warmer and less dense fluids rise while cooler and denser fluids sink, creating a cycle of circulation
• Radiation

  Transfer of heat energy through electromagnetic waves, can occur even in a vacuum
• Solar Constant

  The average amount of solar radiation received per unit area at the top of Earth's atmosphere
• Specific Heat Capacity

  The amount of heat energy required to raise the temperature of a unit mass of a substance by one degree Celsius
• Heat of Vaporization

  The amount of heat energy required to convert a unit mass of a substance from a liquid to a gas phase at constant temperature and pressure
• Heat of Fusion

  The amount of heat energy required to change a unit mass of a substance from a solid to a liquid phase at its melting point, without a change in temperature
• Saturated

  When the air holds the maximum amount of water vapor it can at a given temperature and pressure
• Condensation Nuclei

  Tiny particles in the atmosphere around which water vapor can condense to form cloud droplets
• Humidity

  The measure of water vapor content in the air
• Absolute Humidity

  The mass of water vapor present in a unit volume of air, typically expressed in grams per cubic meter
• Relative Humidity

  The ratio of the actual amount of water vapor present in the air to the maximum amount it could hold at a given temperature, expressed as a percentage
• Water Cycle

  1. Evaporation

  2. Condensation

  3. Precipitation

  4. Runoff
• Troposphere

  • Lowest layer of the Earth's atmosphere, where weather phenomena occur, temperature generally decreases with altitude
• Stratosphere

  • Lies above the troposphere and contains the ozone layer, temperatures increase with altitude
• Mesosphere

  • Above the stratosphere, characterized by decreasing temperatures with increasing altitude, where most meteoroids burn up
• Thermosphere

  • Outermost layer of the Earth's atmosphere, has high temperatures due to the absorption of solar radiation
• Ionosphere

  • Region within the thermosphere where ions and free electrons are present due to solar and cosmic radiation, plays a crucial role in radio wave propagation
• Aurora

  A natural light display in the Earth's sky, primarily seen in high-latitude regions near the poles, caused by the interaction of solar wind particles with the Earth's magnetic field
• Atmospheric Pressure

  The force exerted per unit area by the weight of the atmosphere above a given point on Earth's surface
• Psychrometer

  An instrument used to measure the relative humidity of the air, consists of two thermometers—one with a dry bulb and the other with a wet bulb
• Hygrometer

  A broader term for any instrument used to measure humidity in the air, can include devices like psychrometers and electronic sensors
• Aneroid Barometer

  A device used to measure atmospheric pressure, uses a small, flexible metal box called an aneroid cell that expands or contracts with changes in atmospheric pressure
• Bar

  A unit of pressure equal to 100,000 pascals, often used as a measure of atmospheric pressure
• Beaufort Wind Scale

  A scale used to estimate wind speeds based on observed conditions at sea or on land, ranging from 0 (calm) to 12 (hurricane force)
• Anemometers

  Instruments used to measure wind speed and direction, commonly use cups mounted on a rotating shaft
• Wind Vanes

  Devices used to indicate the direction from which the wind is blowing, typically consist of a rotating arrow or cone mounted on a fixed axis
• Doppler Radar

  A type of radar that uses the Doppler effect to measure the velocity of objects in the atmosphere, can detect the speed and direction of winds, as well as identify severe weather phenomena
• Isotherms

  Lines on a map connecting points of equal temperature
• Isobars

  Lines on a weather map connecting points of equal atmospheric pressure
• Coordinated Universal Time (UTC)

  The primary time standard by which the world regulates clocks and time, based on atomic time and adjusted periodically to account for changes in the Earth's rotation
• Trends

  Patterns or tendencies observed in weather data over time, can include long-term trends like climate change or short-term patterns like seasonal variations
• Analog Method

  A technique used to forecast future weather conditions by comparing current weather patterns to historical patterns from the past
• Numerical Weather Prediction (NWP)

  A method of forecasting weather using mathematical models and computer simulations of the atmosphere, involving dividing the atmosphere into a grid and using equations to predict future conditions based on current data
• Temperature Inversion

  When the temperature of the air increases with altitude, instead of decreasing as it normally does, can lead to the trapping of pollutants near the Earth's surface and the formation of fog or low clouds
• Aerosol

  A suspension of fine solid particles or liquid droplets in the air, can be natural or human-made
• Cloud types

  • Cumulus
  • Stratus
  • Cirrus
• Deposition

  The process by which water vapor changes directly into ice without passing through the liquid phase
• Nimbus

  Clouds that produce precipitation
• Nimbostratus

  Thick, dark, low-level clouds that often cover the entire sky and produce continuous, steady precipitation