8th Grade Science Test 8 Flashcards
considered a high-level cloud
cirrostratus
considered a mid-level cloud
nimbostratus
cooling air becomes saturated at a temperature called
dew point
type of drought that occurs when precipitation cannot supply enough moisture to the ground to support an area’s crops
agricultural drought
type of drought based on a water shortage’s effect on people
socioeconomic drought
type of cloud that forms a flat, gray layer of heavy clouds not far above the ground
stratus
type of front formed when a warm air mass moves into a region occupied by a cold air mass
warm front
type of front forms a Y shape
occluded front
precipitation made of ice crystals that fall to the ground
snow
which type of air mass brings cool, wet weather
maritime polar
type of air mass brings warm, moist weather
maritime tropical
the process of a liquid becoming a gas
evaporation
when the temperature of air rises, relative humidity will
decrease
the year-round atmospheric conditions typical of a certain place
climate
the movement of water from the earth’s surface, into the air, and back to the surface
water cycle
an almond-shaped cloud
lenticular cloud
the air mass that brings very cold and dry weather
Arctic air mass
a low that forms along a front
frontal cyclone
which type of front forms when two air masses push against each other but neither advances?
stationary front
a mixture of smoke and fog
smog
the amount of water vapor in the air
humidity
phenomenon that occurs when an area receives an abnormally low amount of precipitation over a long period
drought
rain that freezes before it hits the ground
sleet
the study of weather and of the atmospheric conditions that produce weather
meteorology
the phenomenon that occurs when an air mass remains stationary one a region for a long time
air-mass weather
list the three factors that affect the density of an air mass
temperature
humidity
pressure
a substance going from a solid to a liquid
melting
water vapor in the air that touches the ground and turns to ice
frost
water vapor in the air that touches the cooler ground and turns to a liquid
dew
ice crystals in clouds that grow large enough to fall to the ground
snowflakes
layered balls of ice
hailstones
white, billowy clouds that resemble piles of cotton puffs
cumulus
type of fog found along the slopes of mountains
upslope fog
drops of liquid water that have a diameter of 0.5 millimeter or greater and fall from the clouds to Earth
rain
snowflakes with white, feather benches forming a leaf- or star-shaped pattern
dendrites
air that is completely full of water vapor and can hold no more is considered
saturated
the most frequent type of cloud
stratocumulus
forms when a body of rising air reaches the dew point
cloud
clouds consist of tiny ice crystals or droplets of
liquid water
most clouds result from adiabatic ___ of moist air
cooling
the ratio comparing the actual humidity tot he humidity of saturated air under the same conditions is
relative humidity
a large body of air with relatively uniform properties
air mass
airborne water vapor cannot turn into liquid without a small particle called
condensation nucleus
the three major factors that determine the earth’s weather
heat energy
uneven distribution of heat energy
water vapor
a thick, brownish haze that results from complex molecules released into the air by vehicles and some factories and plants
photochemical smog
List and explain two processes that form rain.
Bergeron process (cold-cloud process) - water vapor in portions of a cloud below freezing crystallizes around freezing nuclei. The ice crystals absorb water vapor from the cloud and stick to each other, growing large enough to be snowflakes. The snowflakes fall through the cloud, melting in warmer air near the round to form rain.
collision-coalescence process - larger-than-normal condensation nuclei in regions of the cloud above freezing cause the formation of “giant” cloud droplets, which grow larger by colliding with smaller droplets. When they become too big to remain suspended in the air, the droplets fall to the earth as rain.
