Solar Energy
The main source of energy that drives Earth’s weather.
The Sun
The condition of the atmosphere at a specific time and place.
Weather
The process where water turns into vapor due to heat.
Evaporation
The warmest season of the year.
Summer
The movement of Earth spinning on its axis every 24 hours.
24 Hours
The term for energy Earth receives from the Sun.
Solar Radiation=Solar Rays
Long-term patterns of weather over many years.
Climate
What forms when water vapor cools and condenses.
Clouds
In winter, the Sun’s path across the sky is this compared to summer.
Shorter
The movement of Earth around the Sun.
Revolution
About what percentage of solar radiation is reflected back into space?
About 29%
Climate is measured over this length of time.
Decades (long periods of time)
Air moves from areas of high pressure to this.
Low pressure
The angle of sunlight in winter causes energy to be more spread out, making temperatures this.
Cooler/Colder
Why different constellations are seen in different seasons.
Earth’s position in its orbit changes
The type of energy Earth emits back into the atmosphere after absorbing sunlight.
Infrared Radiation
A desert being hot and dry is an example of this.
Climate
When air warms, it becomes less dense and does this.
Rises
The two main factors that cause seasons.
Earth’s tilt and revolution around the Sun
The day with the most daylight in the Northern Hemisphere.
June Solstice
The process where greenhouse gases absorb and re-emit heat, warming Earth.
The Greenhouse Effect
A sudden dust storm in a desert is an example of this.
Weather
The continuous movement of water through evaporation, condensation, and precipitation.
The water cycle
The exact tilt of Earth’s axis.
23.5 degrees
The event when day and night are equal in length everywhere on Earth.
Equinox