Chapter 20

Question 1

The heat energy that is absorbed or released by a substance during a phase change

Answer 1

Latent heat

Question 2

The process by which energy is released to the surrounding air and the molecules move closer together

Answer 2

Condensation

Question 3

The process by which a solid changes directly into a gas

Answer 3

Sublimation

Question 4

Water vapor in the atmosphere

Answer 4

Humidity

Question 5

The part of the total atmospheric pressure that is caused by water vapor

Answer 5

Vapor pressure

Question 6

The temperature at which the condensation rate equals the evaporation rate

Answer 6

Dew point

Question 7

The mass of water vapor contained in a given volume of air

Answer 7

Absolute humidity

Question 8

A ratio of the actual water vapor content of the air to the amount of water vapor needed to reach saturation

Answer 8

Relative humidity

Question 9

An instrument that is used to measure relative humidity.

Answer 9

Psychometer

Question 10

Another instrument that is used to measure relative humidity

Answer 10

Dew cell

Question 11

Determines relative humidity based on the principle that hair becomes longer as relative humidity increases.

Answer 11

Hair hygrometer

Question 12

A collection of small water droplets or ice crystals in the air

Answer 12

Cloud

Question 13

The suspended particles that provide the surfaces necessary for water vapor to condense

Answer 13

Condensation nuclei

Question 14

The process by which the temperature of a mass of air decreases as the air rises and expands

Answer 14

Adiabatic cooling

Question 15

The altitude at which bet condensation begins

Answer 15

Condensation level

Question 16

The process by which the temperature of an air mass decreases as the air moves over a cold surface, such as a cold ocean or land surface

Answer 16

Adjective cooling

Question 17

Clouds that have a flat, uniform base and that begin to form at very low altitudes.

Answer 17

Stratus clouds

Question 18

Low-altitude, billowy clouds that commonly have a top that resembles a cotton ball and a dark bottom

Answer 18

Cumulus clouds

Question 19

Feathery clouds that are composed of ice crystals and that have the highest altitude of any cloud in the sky

Answer 19

Cirrus clouds

Question 20

The result of the condensation of water vapor in the air.

Answer 20

Fog

Question 21

A type of fog that results from the loss of heat by radiation

Answer 21

Radiation fog

Question 22

Another type of fog that forms when warm, moist air moves across a cold surface.

Answer 22

Advection fog

Question 23

A type of fog that forms by the lifting and cooling of air as the air rises along land slopes.

Answer 23

Upslope fog

Question 24

A shallow layer of fog that forms when cool air moves over an inland warm body of water, such as a river.

Answer 24

Steam fog.

Question 25

The process in which molecules collide and cause the fastest moving molecules to escape from the liquid to form visible water vapor.

Answer 25

Evaporation