weather vocab Flashcards
(32 cards)
What is radiation?
The transfer of heat energy through space by electromagnetic radiation.
Air does not play a role in this transfer.
What is conduction?
The transfer of heat energy from one substance to another or within a substance.
What is convection?
The transfer of heat energy in a fluid, where air in the atmosphere acts as a fluid.
What is evaporation?
The change of state in a substance from a liquid to a gas.
What is transpiration?
The loss of water by plants.
What is condensation?
The process whereby water vapor in the atmosphere is changed into a liquid state.
What is precipitation?
The result when condensation particles grow too large and fall to the earth, can be in the form of:
* Rain
* Hail
* Freezing rain
* Snow
* Sleet
What is a cloud?
A visible aggregate of minute particles of water and/or ice which forms when water vapor condenses.
What are cloud condensation nuclei?
Minute solid and liquid particles that water vapor condenses upon, examples include:
* Smoke particles from fires or volcanoes
* Ocean spray
* Tiny specks of wind blown soil
What is dew point?
The temperature at which air needs to be cooled to reach 100 percent relative humidity.
What is relative humidity?
The ratio of the amount of water in the air compared to the maximum amount of water air can hold.
Name the three types of clouds.
- Cirrus
- Cumulus
- Stratus
- Nimbus
What characterizes Cirrus clouds?
Composed of ice crystals, whitish and hairlike.
What characterizes Cumulus clouds?
Generally detached clouds that look like white fluffy cotton balls.
What characterizes Stratus clouds?
Usually broad and fairly widespread, appearing like a blanket.
What are Nimbus clouds?
A special rainy cloud category that combines the three forms.
What defines a thunderstorm?
A storm with thunder and lightning, typically heavy rain and hail.
What conditions are needed for thunderstorms to form?
- Moisture (source: oceans)
- Instability (unstable air mass)
- Uplift (caused by differential heating, fronts, terrain)
What is the life cycle of a thunderstorm?
- Towering cumulus cloud
- Mature cumulus stage
- Dissipating stage
What is an ordinary cell (pulse thunderstorm)?
Consists of a one-time updraft and one-time downdraft.
What are multi-cell clusters?
Thunderstorms that form in clusters with numerous cells in various stages of development.
What is a supercell?
A single cell thunderstorm that can persist for many hours, responsible for significant tornadoes and large hail.
What is hail?
Precipitation formed when updrafts in thunderstorms carry raindrops upward into extremely cold areas of the atmosphere.
What are straight line winds?
A small scale column of air that rapidly sinks toward the ground in a thunderstorm.
