earth science weather test Flashcards

1
Q

What is the definition of weather:

A

The state of the atmosphere at a particular place and time.

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2
Q

Where does weather take place?

A

Weather takes place in the Troposhpere

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3
Q

The weather changes due to heating of the atmosphere by the sun and what does this cause?

A

It causes heat in the atmosphere to transfer through convection currents

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4
Q

What is needed for weather to occur?

A

Water

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5
Q

What are the steps of the water cycle in order?

A
  1. Evaporation= liquid to gas
    (Transpiration is evaporation from trees, plants, grass, etc…)
  2. Condensation= gas to liquid
  3. Precipitation= rain, snow, sleet, hail
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6
Q

When is evaporation the fastest?

A

when it is hot dry or windy

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7
Q

What happens when air rises in the atmosphere and descends in the atmosphere?

A

When air rises in the atmosphere it expands and cools, but when it descends in the atmosphere it compreses and heats

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8
Q

RECC-

A

Rises
Expands
Cools
Condenses

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9
Q

What is the cause of air pressure?

A

air weighing and pushing down on an area.

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10
Q

What is the relationship between air pressure and density?

A

Air pressure is directly related to the density of the air, its a direct relation ship, as pressure increases so does density

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11
Q

What is a barometer?

A

An instrument used to measure air pressure

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12
Q

What is a barometric trend?

A

notifies of the change in air pressure over the past 3 hours

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13
Q

Rising =
falling =
steady =

A

What does each mean in a barometric trend?

Rising = Higher Pressure (Clear/Cold)
falling = Lower Pressure (Cloudy/Warm)
steady = No change in pressure or weather

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14
Q

Isobars:

A

Lines of equal air pressure drawn on a weather map.

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15
Q

What is the relationship between temperature and air pressure

A

As temperature increases, air expands and its density and pressure decrease.

As temperature decreases, air contracts and its density and pressure increases.

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16
Q

What is the relationship between air pressure + density and water vapor

A

Increasing water vapor in the air decreases the air density and pressure.

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17
Q

why does increasing water vapor decreases density and pressure?

A

because water vapor weighs less than the oxygen and nitrogen molecules

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18
Q

What is the relationship between altitude and air pressure + density ?

A

As altitude or elevation increases, air density and pressure decreases.

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19
Q

What is wind?

A

Horizontal movement of air parallel to Earth’s surface.

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20
Q

What is an Anemometer?

A

Instrument used to measure wind speed. Measured in mph or kts

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21
Q

What is a wind vane?

A

Instrument used to measure wind direction.

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22
Q

How do winds form?

A

Winds form from pressure differences in the atmosphere

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23
Q

Where does air (wind) usually move to and from?

A

wind usually moves from high pressure to low pressure

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24
Q

What happens at night and in the day at tropical locations?

A

During the daytime sea breezes form and at night land breezes form.

25
Q

why do sea breezes happen?

A

due to the ocean having a much higher specific heat then the land it usually takes longer for it to heat up which means over the water there is colder air and at the land there is warmer air. The warmer less dense air rises up and moves toward the water then cooling down and moving back towards the land creating the sea breeze.

26
Q

Why do land breezes happen?

A

During night, there are no sun rays hitting the earth surface which means that both the land and the ocean start to cool down. However, due to the ocean having a much higher specific heat than the land the ocean cool down much much slower. this means at night there would be cold air above the land and warm air above the ocean. This causes the reverse of a sea breeze convection current making a land breeze.

27
Q

What is an air pressure gradient?

A

The difference in air pressure over a distance.

28
Q

What does close isobars mean?

A

A steeper air pressure gradient and higher wind speed.

29
Q

What is the Coriolis effect?

A

Deflection of objects in the atmosphere as a result of Earth’s rotation

30
Q

What does the coriolis effect cause?

A

Causes winds in Northern Hemisphere to curve to the right.
Causes winds in the Southern Hemisphere to curve to the left.

31
Q

what are winds named after?

A

Wind is named for the direction from which it comes.

32
Q

What is the definition of circulation?

A

(Air movement due to pressure and temperature differences)

33
Q

What causes circulation?

A

The earth recieving unequal amounts of insolation

34
Q

What causes planetary wind and pressure belts?

A

Winds blowing from High to Low pressure and are deflected by the Coriolis Effect.

35
Q

Seasonal Shift of the Wind and Pressure Belts cause what?

A

Cause extreme weather changes known as monsoons.

36
Q

Where do monsoons usually occur?

A

in india

37
Q

Monsoons def

A

Shifting low pressure belts cause winds to bring heavy rain in the summer and dry air in the winter.

38
Q

What is a jet stream?

A

A band of fast moving air from west to east at the top of the troposphere.

39
Q

What is the wind speeds oof jet streams?

A

winds speeds of 200 mph or more

40
Q

What do jet stream do?

A

Steers High and Low pressure systems.

41
Q

The U.S is affected by what wind?

A

Prevailing Southwesterly Wind

42
Q

Where does most weather move in the U.S

A

Most weather moves from the Southwest to the Northeast.

43
Q
A
44
Q

What is the main source of water vapor in the atmosphere?

A

The oceans are the main source of water vapor in the atmosphere.

45
Q

How does water vapor enter the atmosphere?

A

through evapotranspiration

46
Q

What is one thing that makes water evaporate faster?

A

energy

47
Q

When water is spread across a greater surface area how does it affect evaporation speed.

A

its makes evaperation quicker

48
Q

What is the degree of saturation and what is it’s effect on evaporation?

A

The degree os saturation is how dry the air is and the more dry it is the greater the ability of the water to evaporate

49
Q

How does wind speed have an effect on evaporation?

A

Wind speed greatens the evaporation rate

50
Q

What is humidity?

A
  • The amount of water vapor in the atmosphere.
51
Q

what is absolute humidity?

A

the total moisture of the air.

52
Q

What is the relationship between absolute humidity and air temperature?

A

as absolute humidity increases air temperature increases

53
Q

What is relative humidity?

A

The amount of water vapor in the air compared to the amount of water vapor the air can hold at a specific temperature.

54
Q

What happens If the air temperature increases but the water vapor in the air remains the same.

A

the relative humidity will decrease

55
Q

what happens if the air temperature remains constant but water vapor content increases

A

the relative humidity will increase

56
Q

What is the dew point?

A
  • The temperature at which air can no longer hold water. The Relative Humidity would be = 100%.
57
Q

What happens when the air temperature is equal to the Dew Point

A

Temperature water vapor condenses forming clouds.

58
Q

What is a slong physchrometer and what does it do?

A

utilizes two thermometers, a Dry Bulb and a Wet Bulb.
to measure relative humidity and dew point