| GLOSSARY |
Our comprehensive earth science glossary is available to assist in your understanding of the MY NASA DATA microsets, lesson plans and computer tools. Please select the first letter of the word you wish to check for a definition and further information. |
| F |
| Fahrenheit: |
| A scale for the measurement of temperature named after Gabriel Daniel Fahrenheit, a German physicist who invented the mercury thermometer and this scale. Water freezes at 32 degrees F and boils at 212 degrees F.
Temperature conversion tool
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Image courtesy NASAexplores |
| F |
| Ferrel Cell: |
| a major Earth atmospheric circulation pattern that consists of sinking air near 30 degrees N or S and rising air near 60 degrees N or S. This circulation pattern is directly connected to the Hadley cell.
More information about atmospheric circulation
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Image courtesy Wikipedia |
| F |
| flux: |
| the rate of transfer of a fluid, particles or energy across a unit area. In the atmosphere, this can be air, a particular pollutant or aerosol, or light or heat energy (which has units of Watts per square meter).
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| F |
| force: |
| The perceived push or pull experienced by a mass being accelerated. Newton's Second Law of Motion defined as F=ma.
Newton's Laws of Motion
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| F |
| fossil fuel: |
| any fuel that is created from decomposed carbon-based plant and animal organisms. Examples of fossil fuels: oil, coal, natural gas.
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| F |
| front: |
| the boundary between two distinct air masses which differ in temperature and humidity. There are different types of fronts such as cold front, warm front, stationary front and occluded front.
UIUC tutorial on fronts
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Image courtesy University of Illinois WW2010 Project |
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