Chapter 8 Flashcards

0
Q

Scientists who study the weather

A

Meteorologists

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1
Q

This is the basic cause of all weather

A

The sun

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2
Q

The imaginary line running through the earth from North Pole to South Pole

A

The axis

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3
Q

The air we live in receives most of its warmth from this

A

The ground radiating heat back up

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4
Q

Different seasons are caused by this

A

The tilt of the earth’s axis

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5
Q

Winds are produced by this

A

Temperature differences

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6
Q

What is lighter than cool air

A

Warm air

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7
Q

The Earth’s surface spins this fast

A

1,000 miles per hour

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8
Q

The areas that have the most changeable weather are areas with these kinds of winds

A

Prevailing westerlies

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9
Q

List the wind systems of the earth

A

Polar easterlies
Prevailing westerlies
Trade winds (northeast and southeast)

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10
Q

The amount of water vapor that the air can hold at a given temperature

A

Relative humidity

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11
Q

The lowest possible temperature at which air is able to hold all of its water vapor

A

Dew point

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12
Q

The process in which water vapor leaves the air and changes into a liquid water

A

Condensation

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13
Q

Air is saturated when the humidity of the air is what percent?

A

100%

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14
Q

Water vapor that condenses to form liquid water on the ground

A

Dew

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15
Q

Water vapor that condenses and forms frozen water on the ground

A

Frost

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16
Q

An ice crystal in a cloud becomes too heavy, falls, melts, and lands on the earth as liquid water

A

Rain

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17
Q

Falling ice crystals melt slightly, stick, and freeze together into snowflakes

A

Wet snow

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18
Q

Falling ice crystals melt into raindrops, then refreeze and land on earth as tiny pieces of ice

A

Sleet

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19
Q

Falling ice crystals melt, hit the earth as liquid rain, but refreeze as soon as they land

A

Freezing rain

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20
Q

A small piece of ice is tossed up and down inside a cloud, forming several layers of ice, until it is too heavy and falls to earth

A

Hail

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21
Q

Puffy, bulgy clouds belong to this family

A

Cumulus

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22
Q

Layers of flat clouds belong to this family

A

Stratus

23
Q

Wispy, curly clouds very high in the atmosphere belong to this family

A

Cirrus

24
Q

Sheets of clouds that often produce rain

A

Stratus

25
Q

A “thunderhead” is another name for this kind of cloud

A

Cumulonimbus

26
Q

This term means “clouds that produce rain”

A

Nimbus

27
Q

The broad, flat top of a cumulonimbus cloud

A

Anvil top

28
Q

This is produced when opposite electrical charges build up in very tall clouds

A

Lightning

29
Q

Thunder is caused by this

A

The rapid expansion of superheated air causing shockwaves

30
Q

This type of storm packs the most destructive power into the smallest space

A

Tornado

31
Q

The calm region of very low air pressure in the center of a tornado

A

The eye of the storm

32
Q

If a tornado has been spotted meteorologists issue this

A

A tornado warning

33
Q

If conditions are right for a tornado to form, this is issued

A

Tornado watch

34
Q

Lightning that does not come in contact with the ground but remains within the cloud is known as this

A

Sheet lightning

35
Q

This is a row of thunderheads that builds up in front of advancing cold air

A

A squall line

36
Q

The boundary between two air masses

A

A front

37
Q

These are precautions to take during a thunderstorm

A

1Stay indoors
2Stay inside a car if you are out
3Avoid being the tallest object or standing next to tall objects if you are outside
4 stay away from high ground or open flat areas
5 avoid being in or near water, including the shower
6 do not use the telephone or electrical appliances
7Unplug electrical appliances

38
Q

What makes humidity higher in some places rather than others

A

Warmer air holds more water vapor than cold air.

39
Q

In order for condensation to take place wired molecules must have this

A

A solid surface to gather on

40
Q

Most water vapor remains here

A

In the bottom of the troposphere near the Earth’s surface

41
Q

These are the three ingredients in the cloud recipe

A

Water, rising air, dust

42
Q

Three things that can cause air to rise are….

A

Solar heating, mountains, fronts

43
Q

Describe what an air mass is

A

Is single large unit of air with uniform temperature and humidity characteristics

44
Q

The temperature at which cooling air becomes saturated and begins to release some of its water vapor through condensation

A

Dew point

45
Q

The process by which cooling water leaves the air and changes into tiny droplets of liquid water

A

Condensation

46
Q

Droplets of water that form on cool surfaces when water vapor from the air condenses

A

Dew

47
Q

Tiny crystals of ice formed when water vapor freezes onto a cold object

A

Frost

48
Q

Air flows in this pattern

A

From high-pressure areas to low-pressure areas

49
Q

Name four types of clouds

A

Heap cloud, layer cloud, wisp cloud, combination cloud

50
Q

Name the layer clouds

A

Stratus, nimbostratus, altostratus

51
Q

Name the heap clouds

A

Cumulus, cumulonimbus, altocumulus

52
Q

Name the wisp cloud

A

Cirrus

53
Q

Name the combination clouds

A

Cirrostratus, stratocumulus, cirrocumulus

54
Q

Hailstones form in clouds with strong what?

A

Updrafts

55
Q

This at the top of the tropopause stops clouds from growing upward any farther

A

The temperature inversion