Chapter 2Chapter 2Weather PatternsWeather Patterns

Vocabulary ReviewVocabulary Review

the condition of Earth’s atmosphere the condition of Earth’s atmosphere at a particular time and placeat a particular time and place

weatherweather

the force of air molecules pushing the force of air molecules pushing on an areaon an area

air pressureair pressure

a wind that flows in the upper a wind that flows in the upper troposphere from west to east over troposphere from west to east over

vast distances at great speedsvast distances at great speeds

jet streamjet stream

any type of liquid or solid water that any type of liquid or solid water that falls to Earth’s surface, such as falls to Earth’s surface, such as

rain, snow, sleet, or hailrain, snow, sleet, or hail

precipitationprecipitation

the temperature at which air with a the temperature at which air with a given amount of water vapor will given amount of water vapor will

reach saturationreach saturation

dew pointdew point

the process by which liquid the process by which liquid changes to gaschanges to gas

evaporationevaporation

a wind that changes direction with a wind that changes direction with the seasonsthe seasons

monsoonmonsoon

the influence of Earth’s rotation on the influence of Earth’s rotation on things that move over Earththings that move over Earth

Coriolis effectCoriolis effect

the horizontal movement of air the horizontal movement of air caused by differences in air caused by differences in air

pressurepressure

windwind

a condition of the atmosphere in a condition of the atmosphere in which the rates of evaporation and which the rates of evaporation and

condensation are the samecondensation are the same

saturationsaturation

rain that freezes when it hits the rain that freezes when it hits the ground or other surface and coats ground or other surface and coats

the surface with icethe surface with ice

freezing rainfreezing rain

the comparison of the amount of the comparison of the amount of water vapor in the air with the water vapor in the air with the

maximum amount of water vapor maximum amount of water vapor that could be present in air at that that could be present in air at that

temperaturetemperature

relative humidityrelative humidity

winds that travel over long winds that travel over long distances in steady patterns over distances in steady patterns over

several weeksseveral weeks

global windsglobal winds

layered lumps or balls of ice that layered lumps or balls of ice that fall from cumulonimbus cloudsfall from cumulonimbus clouds

hailhail

the amount of water vapor in the airthe amount of water vapor in the air

humidityhumidity

the process by which a gas the process by which a gas changes to a liquidchanges to a liquid

condensationcondensation

small pellets of ice that form when small pellets of ice that form when rain passes through a layer of cold rain passes through a layer of cold air and freezes before hitting the air and freezes before hitting the

groundground

sleetsleet

an instrument that measures air an instrument that measures air pressure in the atmospherepressure in the atmosphere

barometerbarometer

rain that has become more acidic rain that has become more acidic than normal due to pollutionthan normal due to pollution

acid rainacid rain