Winds and Water in the Atmosphere Flashcards

1
Q

What are winds caused by?

A

Winds are caused by differences in air pressure.

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2
Q

Wind

A

the horizontal movement of air from an area of high pressure to an area of lower pressure

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3
Q

What is wind direction determined with?

A

Wind direction is determined with a wind vane.

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4
Q

Anemometer

A

a instrument that measures wind speed

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5
Q

What does the wind do when it blows over your skin?

A

It removes some of your body heat.

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6
Q

Wind-Chill Factor

A

the increased cooling a wind can cause

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7
Q

Local Winds

A

winds that blow over short distances

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8
Q

What are local winds caused by?

A

Local winds are caused by the unequal heating of Earth’s surface within a small area.

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9
Q

What takes more energy to heat up: a body of water, or an equal area of land?

A

It takes more energy to heat up a body of water than it does to warm up and equal area of land.

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10
Q

Sea Breeze

A

a local wind that blows from an ocean or lake, towards land

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11
Q

At night, which cools quicker: a body of water or land?

A

At night, land cools more quickly than water, so the air over the land becomes cooler than the air over the water.

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12
Q

Land Breeze

A

a local wind that blows from land, towards a body of water

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13
Q

Global Winds

A

winds that blow steadily from specific directions over long distances

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14
Q

What are global winds created by?

A

Global winds are created by the unequal heating of Earth’s surface and differences in temperature

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15
Q

Coriolis Effect

A

the way Earth’s rotation makes winds curve

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16
Q

Which was do global winds turn towards in the Northern Hemisphere?

A

Global winds turn towards the right in the Northern Hemisphere.

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17
Q

Which was do global winds turn towards in the Southern Hemisphere?

A

Global winds turn towards the left in the Southern Hemisphere.

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18
Q

What are the major global wind belts?

A

The major global wind belts are the trade winds, the polar easterlies, and the prevailing westerlies.

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19
Q

Doldrums

A

regions near the equator with little to no winds, where warm air rises

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20
Q

Horse Latitudes

A

between the equator or 30° north or south latitude, calm areas of falling air

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21
Q

Trade Winds

A

between the equator or 30° north or south latitude, blow from the horse latitudes towards the equator

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22
Q

Prevailing Westerlies

A

between 30° north and 60° north latitudes or 30° south and 60° south latitudes, blow away from the horse latitudes towards the equator

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23
Q

Polar Easterlies

A

blow cold air away from the north and south poles

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24
Q

Jet Streams

A

bands of high speed winds about 10 kilometers above Earth’s surface

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25
Q

Water Cycle

A

the movement of water between the atmosphere and Earth’s surface

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26
Q

Evaporation

A

the process by which water molecules from liquid water escape into the air as water vapor

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27
Q

Transpiration

A

the process by which plants release water vapor into the atmosphere through their leaves

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28
Q

Condensation

A

the process when water vapor molecules in the air become liquid water

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29
Q

Precipitation

A

water that returns to Earth as rain, snow, sleet, or hail

30
Q

Humidity

A

a measure of the amount of water vapor in the air

31
Q

Relative Humidity

A

the percentage of water vapor that is actually in the air compared to the maximum amount of water vapor the air can hold at a particular temperature

32
Q

Psychrometer

A

an instrument with one wet and one dry bulb thermometer that measures relative humidity

33
Q

How do clouds form?

A

Clouds form when water vapor in the air condenses to form liquid water or ice crystals.

34
Q

What conditions are required for condensation?

A

The conditions required for condensation are the cooling of air and the presence of particles in the air.

35
Q

Dew Point

A

the temperature at which condensation begins

36
Q

In cloud formation, what types of particles can water vapor condense on?

A

Water vapor can condense on salt crystals, dust from soil, and smoke.

37
Q

Dew

A

liquid water that condenses from the air onto a cooler surface

38
Q

Frost

A

ice that has been deposited on a surface below freezing

39
Q

Sublimation

A

the process by which water vapor changes directly into a solid, or a solid changes directly into water vapor

40
Q

What are the main types of clouds?

A

The main types of clouds are cirrus, cumulus, and stratus.

41
Q

Cirrus Clouds

A

WISPY, FEATHERY CLOUDS.

The highest clouds. Made of ice crystals because they are so high in the sky.

42
Q

Cirrocumulus Clouds

A

Puffy clouds that look like cotton balls and are made of ice crystals. Often indicate a storm on its way. The clouds look like scales on a fish.

43
Q

Cumulus Clouds

A

FLUFFY, HAPPY LOOKING, ROUNDED CLOUDS.

Kinda low and close to the ground, but can extend greatly upward. Clouds that are not very tall indicate good weather.

44
Q

Cumulonimbus Clouds

A

Towering clouds with flat tops. Produce thunderstorms. Called anvil heads.

45
Q

Stratus Clouds

A

FLAT CLOUDS THAT ARE LIKE LAYERS.

Appear as a general overcast over the sky because they are so spread out.

46
Q

Nimbostratus Clouds

A

Clouds that produce drizzle, rain, or snow.

47
Q

Altostratus Clouds

A

Wispy clouds at middle elevations

48
Q

Altocumulus Clouds

A

Thick, puffy clouds at middle elevations

49
Q

Fog

A

Clouds that form near the ground

50
Q

Stratocumulus Clouds

A

Layered, puffy clouds found at low elevations

51
Q

Cirrostratus Clouds

A

Wispy, thin sheets of clouds at high elevations

52
Q

Is the water cycle balanced?

A

Yes the water cycle is a balanced cycle. The amount of water that leaves the air equals the amount of water that enters it.

53
Q

Celsius to Fahrenheit conversion

A

C x 9 … Divide by 5 … Add 32

54
Q

Fahrenheit to Celsius conversion

A

F - 32 … Multiply by 5 … Divide by 9

55
Q

Freezing Points for Fahrenheit and Celsius

A

32°F and 0°C

56
Q

Boiling Points for Fahrenheit and Celsius

A

212°F and 100°C

57
Q

Size of cloud droplet

A

0.02 mm

58
Q

Size of mist droplet

A

0.005 - 0.05 mm

59
Q

Size of drizzle droplet

A

0.05 - 0.5 mm

60
Q

Size of rain droplet

A

0.5 - 5 mm

61
Q

What has to happen for precipitation to occur?

A

For precipitation to occur, cloud droplets or ice crystals must grow heavy enough to fall through the air

62
Q

Do all clouds produce precipitation?

A

No, all clouds do not produce precipitation.

63
Q

Rain

A

the most common kind of precipitation, water droplets at least 0.5 mm in size

64
Q

SLeet

A

raindrops that freeze in the air, smaller than 5 mm in size

65
Q

Freezing Rain

A

raindrops that freeze when they touch a cold surface, very dangerous, can break tree branches

66
Q

SNow

A

water vapor in a cloud directly converted to ice crystals

67
Q

Hail

A

an ice pellet that are larger than 5 mm in diameter, only forms inside cumulonimbus clouds, form in a curved up and down motion that allows them to grow larger

68
Q

What types of clouds do drizzle and mist fall out of?

A

Drizzle and mist fall out of stratus clouds.

69
Q

Droughts

A

long periods of unusually low precipitation

70
Q

Cloud Seeding

A

spraying tiny ice crystals of silver iodine an dry ice so water vapor can condense on the crystals and produce rain

71
Q

About 10 centimeters of snow contains the same amount of water as how many centimeters of rain?

A

About 10 centimeters of snow contains the same amount of water as 1 centimeter of rain.

72
Q

Rain Gauge

A

an open-ended can or tube that collects rainfall