Chapter 6 Study Guide Flashcards
(22 cards)
weather
the condition of the atmosphere as it is affected by temperature
air mass
a large body of air with consistent temperature and moisture content throughout
wind
the horizontal movement of air that occurs as a result of pressure differences between two air masses
thermals
a small, upward flow of warm air
coriolis effect
the bending of currents of air or water due to Earth’s rotation; northern hemisphere wind turns right, southern hemisphere wind turns left
jsyk - pressure
low pressure areas cause rising warm air that typically causes rainy or snowy weather
high pressure areas are caused by sinking cold air, high pressure usually causes clear weather
relative humidity
a measure of how much water vapor an air mass can hold
jsyk - evaperation
increasing air temperature increases evaperation
cumulus clouds
clouds that are tall and puffy and form when the air over land is heated, below 2,000 meters
cirrus clouds
thin lines of ice above 6,000 meters in the sky
stratus clouds
looks like fog that didn’t reach the ground, below 2,000 meters
cumulonimbus clouds
dark and stormy cumulus cloud, between 2,000 and 15,000 meters high
tornado
a system of rotating wind around a low pressure center; faster and smaller than a hurricane
hurricane
a tropical cyclone with wind speeds of at least 74 mph
jsyk - hurricanes and tornados
hurricanes and tornados have low pressure centers
isobars
a line on a weather map that connects places that have the same atmospheric pressure
climate
the general weather over a long period
cold front
when a cold air mass moves in and replaces the front
warm front
when a warm air mass moves and replaces a cold air mass
dew point
the temperature at which more water condenses than evaporates in an air mass
biomes
a major climate region with particular plans and animals; 6 major biomes: deserts, grasslands, temperate deciduous forests, rain forests, taigas, and tundras
a temperate deciduous forest has what?
four distinct seasons
