Weather Flashcards
atmoshperic circulation is caused by:
uneven heating
Basic elements of weather
-atmoshpere
-air masses
-temperature (warm or cold)
-pressure
-wind (a vector with speed and direction)
-moisture (or humidity)
-clouds
-precipitation
Three Cell Theory
-uneven heating from the sun
-tilt of the earth
-coriolis force
lifting air
low pressure
sinking air
high pressure
turns non-steerable objects to the right in the northern hemisphere
Coriolis effect
Natural air = ________+__________+_________
dry air
condensation nuclei
water vapor
Atmoshpere is made up of ___% oxygen
20.95%
Atmosphere is made of ___% nitrogen
78.08%
Atmosphere is made of ___% Trace Gases
.04
Atmosphere is composed of ___% argon
.93%
5 air masses affecting United States the most
-Siberian High
-North American High
-Icelandic High
-Pineapple Express
-Bermuda High
standard temperature lapse rate
2 degrees
OLR
observed lapse rate
stable atmosphere
an atmosphere that is changing less than 1.5 degrees per 1000 ft
unstable atmosphere
3 degrees or greater OLR
four methods of heat transfer
-radiation
-conduction
-convection
-advection
insolation
comes from the sun to the earth
types of temperature inversions
-radiation (or nocturnal)
-frontal
which fronts have a temperature inversion
all of them
all fronts are _____ pressures
low
the rate at which air will accelerate depends on rate at which pressure changes with distance
Pressure gradient force
causes the wind to blow
pressure gradient force
the closer the isobars are spaced, the _____ the wind
faster
we call closely spaced isobars:
strong or steep pressure gradient
We call widely spaced isobars:
weak or flat pressure gradient
above 2000 feet, the wind tends to ________
parallels the isobars
high to low _________
lookout below
Low to high _____
nothing but sky
three states of moisture: visible and invisible
-gas/vapor (invisible)
-liquid (visible)
-solid (visible)
most common way clouds are formed
adiabatic process
when the temperature of a gas is changed without the addition or deletion of heat energy
adiabatic process
an altitude to which the air must be lifted for condensation to take place. Clouds will form at this altitude. Temperature and dew point are the same.
level of condensation or lifted condensation level