Chapter 11-weather And Water Cycle Flashcards
Atmosphere
The blanket of air surrounding earth
Troposphere
The layer of air closest to the earth’s surface
Air pressure
The weight of the atmosphere pressing down on earth’s surface
Local winds
Movements of air that result from local changes in temperature
Prevailing winds
Global winds that blow constantly from the same direction
How many layers are in the atmosphere
5
What are the layers of the atmosphere?
Troposphere, stratosphere, ozone layer, mesosphere, thermosphere
What is the troposphere made of?
Gases of the atmosphere, water, dust, and other tiny particles
Where does most of the earth’s weather occur?
The troposphere
What layer contains the majority of ozone?
Stratosphere
What does ozone do
Block harmful UV rays from the sun
Are there clouds in the stratosphere?
No, clouds are rare because the air is too dry
Where is the greatest air pressure
The closest area to the earth - at sea level
What is the atmosphere made of?
Nitrogen - 78% Oxygen - 20% Argon - 1% Carbon Dioxide-1% Water vapor - 4%
How does the sun’s energy affect the early?
50% of energy absorbed by earth’s surface
5% reflected by earth’s surface
25% reflected by the clouds
20% reflected by the air
How is wind created?
Cool dense air sinks closest to the earth as warmer air rises. This move my of air masses creates wind
How do local winds arise?
Often occurs when there is a lake and the air is cooler over the water and moves toward the warmer land. At night time it reverses and air is cooler over land so the wind blows from land to water
What are prevailing winds?
Global winds all over the earth that always blow the same direction caused by uneven heating of large areas of the earth’s surface
What are the names of the prevailing winds
Polar easterlies
Northeastern trades
Prevailing westerlies
Southeastern trades
Water cycle
The process in which water continuously moves from the earth’s surface into the atmosphere
Evaporation
The process of a liquid changing into a gas
Condensation
The process of a gas changing into a liquid
Humidity
A measurement of the water vapor in the air
Precipitation
Water that falls from the air to earth
What are the steps of the water cycle
- Water vapor rises from the ocean
- Vapor mixes with dust particles in air
- Water vapor condenses into clouds
- Rain falls from clouds
- Water runs from the land into rivers that flow into the ocean
Stratus clouds
Low in atmosphere, flat, cover the sky can get moderate rainfall and snowfall
Cumulus clouds
Big puffy clouds usually indicate fair weather, but as it grows bigger rain can develop
Cirrus clouds
Form high in the atmosphere in very cold air, mostly made of ice crystals, wispy
Rain
Liquid water precipitation that falls from the sky
Snow
Water vapor turns into solid Ice crystals inside a cloud
Sleet
Forms when rain hits cool air and becomes partially frozen and partially liquid
Hail
Liquid rain falls from a cloud and completely freezes in cold air creating dense ice cubes.
Fog
Water vapor condenses near the ground forming a cloud at the ground level
What factors affect the water cycle
How close location is to equator How close place is to the earth's poles Shape of the land (mountains, valleys) Coastlines Temperatures Air pressure
Air mass
A large body of air that has the same temperature and humidity throughout
Front
The border where two air masses meet
Climate
The pattern of weather an area experiences over a long period of time
How do you measure weather
Hygrometer and barometer
Hygrometer
Measures humidity
Barometer
Measures air pressure
Anemometer
Measures wind speed
Wind sock
Measures wind direction
Wind. And
Measures wind direction
What type of clouds bring precipitation
Cumulus clouds bring rain
Stratus clouds bring moderate precipitation
What types of fronts are there?
Cold and warm
How does a cold front form
Cold air mass moves under a warm air mass. The warm air mass is less dense and it is pushed up. This forms cumulonimbus clouds producing heavy rain and thunderstorms
What kind of precipitation forms with cumulonimbus clouds
Thunderstorms and heavy rain
How does a warm front form?
Warm air mass moves over a cold air mass. The warm air slides over the cold air. And forms a stratus cloud that causes long lasting rain or snow.
What type of front creates cumulonimbus clouds
Cold front
What type of front creates stratus clouds
Warm front
What factors create weather in your town?
Local winds, temperature, time of day, season of the year
