Chapter 12+14 Flashcards
What are the air masses around Ireland?
- Polar air
- Continental air
- Tropical air
- Maritime air
What is polar air?
- Cool in summer
- cold in winter with heavy showers and strong winds
What is continental air like?
- warm and dry in summer
- very cold in winter, dry, sometimes with snow
What is tropical air like?
- warm to hot in summer -dry conditions
- gentle winds
- leads to build-up of heat and thunderstorms
What is maritime air like?
- warm in summer
- mild in winter, brings rain and drizzle
What is a depression?
A depression is an area of low pressure. The pressure at the centre is lower than at the edges and it usually brings changable weather.
What is a depression sometimes called?
A cyclone
What is a front?
The bondary where two air masses meet.
What is a cold front?
A cold front is where cold air is pushing into warm air. The warm air is lifted up by the heavier cold air.
What is a warm front?
A warm front is where warm air is pushing over cold air.
Where do the winds blow in a depression?
Inwards
What is an isobar?
A line joining places of equal atmospheric pressure.
What is an anticyclone?
An area of high pressure. The pressure in the centre is higher than away from the centre.
What is weather like in an anticyclone?
- becaue the higher pressure is in the centre of an anticyclone, the air is descending. As it descends it is warming up so it can absorb more moisture and there is a less chance of rain and clouds.
- in summer it is usually hot, sunny weather
- in winter, there are clear skies and night and frost
What direction do the winds blow in?
Clockwise and they are weak
What do close together isobars mean?
The wind is strong
What do spaced apart isobars mean?
There is little or no wind
What are air masses?
Air masses are large amounts of air with similar tempature, pressure and humidity.
What is the water cycle?
The process by which water moves between land, sea and the atmosphere. It cleans and renews the water.
What are the different stages of the water cycle?
- Evaporation: the heat or the sun changes the water into a water vapour and it rises.
- Condensation: as the water vapour rises it cools to form clouds (tiny droplets).
- Precipitation: wind blows the clouds over land, the clouds cool further and rain forms and falls.
- Run-off: some water forms rivers and flows back into the sea, some water soaks into the land and goes back into the sea.
What is precipitation?
Rain, snow or hail