Unit 5 Vocab Flashcards
(27 cards)
air mass
a large area of air that has uniform temp, humidity and pressure
air pressure
the force that a column of air applies on the air or a surface below it
albedo
the measure of the sun’s reflectivity on earth’s diff. surfaces
atmosphere
the layers of gases surrounding the earth
climate
average weather conditions in a specific region over a long period of time
coriolis effect
the movement of wind or currents in a curved path due to earth’s rotation
eddy
smaller, temporary, loops of swirling water that can travel long distances before dispesing
front
a boundary between two air masses
greenhouse gas
a gas in the atmoshphere that absorbs earth’s outgoing IR
gyre
a large circular system of ocean currents
humidity
the amount of water vapor in the air
hydrosphere
system containing all the solid and liquid water on earth
jet stream
narrow bands of high speed wind high in the troposphere that move from w to e
land breeze
winds that blow during the night from the land towards sea. this is bc land has a lower specific heat capacity than water, and cools faster than water, creating hp over the land at night, causing wind bc it moves from hp to lp
local winds
winds that blow over short distances
polar eaterlies
cold winds that blow from the e to w near Np and Sp
prevailing wind
distinct wind patterns caused by diff. in pressure and coriolis effect
sea breeze
winds that blow during the day from the sea toward land due to water having a high specific heat capacity and it does not heat or cool quickly. high pressure then forms over the water during the day and blows toward the land
specific heat capacity
the amount of heat that must be added to a substance to increase the temp by 1 degree
storm surge
water that has blown outward from the center of a tropical cyclone or hurricane and creates an abnormal rise in ocean water on the coast
surface current
currents near the surface of the ocean; driven by wind, the coriolis effect and continental deflection
trade winds
steady winds that flow from e to w between 30 degrees north and south along the equator
tropical cyclone
a rotating and organized system of clouds and thunderstorms that originates over tropical or subtropical waters
typhoon
a tropical cyclone occurring in the pacific
