ch 8 test Flashcards
(30 cards)
Atomsphere:
mixture of gases that surround a planet
hydrosphere:
the combined mass of water found all over the earth
what is the water cycle
the continous movement of water naturally between land, air, and sea
what are the 7 processes of the water cycle?
evaportion, transpiration, condenstion, precipation, sublimation, infiltration, runoff
What percent of earths water is freshwater?
2.5
why is most of earth’s fresh water not available for human use?
it’s in glaciers and ice caps
what happens when water cools into a liquid
condensation
transpiration
when water is released from the leaves of plants
sublimation
frozen water changes inti water vapor
what is it called when water seeps into the ground?
Infiltration
What is it called when water flows over Earths surface
runoff
what is wind?
moving air caused by differences in warm + cool air
What is weather
The atmospheric conditions, along with short-term conditions
What creates low air pressure
warm air rising
What creates High pressure
cool air sinks
air mass
a large body of air hovering over the lower atmosphere with specific characteristics
What determines the characteristics of an air mass?
the source region (the air mass takes the characteristics of the place it forms over)
What are earth’s major air masses
Maritime Tropical (mT), Maritime Polar (mP), Continental Tropical (cT), Continental Polar (cP), Maritime Equartorial (mE), Continental Arctic and Antarctic (cA, cAA)
what can cause rain, snow, cold days, and windy days
air masses clashing
characteristics of cold fronts
- faster than warm air masses
- denser than warm air masses
- creates heavy rain and violent thunderstorms
characteristics of stationary fronts
creates blankety clouds that bring steady rain and warmer temperatures
stationary front
a front that isn’t moving
makes clouds and light rain
warm, rainy and humid biome
rain forest
cold, dry, without much life, near the north pole
tundra
