Chapter 16- Weather Factors Flashcards
Radiation is the direct transfer of
Electromagnetic waves
Energy from the sun
Radiation
Scattering
When dust particles in the air reflect light in all directions
Visible light
Light that you register as colors
Non visible light
Light you cannot see
Infrared radiation
Not visible, felt as heat, long wavelengths
Ultraviolet radiation
Not visible, felt as sunburns, short wavelengths
Greenhouse effect
When gases and clouds trap heat in the air
Thermal energy
The total amount of motion of the particles in a substance
Temperature
The average amount of movement of particles in a substance, measured by thermometer, read in degrees
Heat
The transfer of thermal energy from a hot object to a cool one
Conduction
Transfer of heat through solids touching
Convention
The transfer of heat through liquids and gases
Troposphere is heated mostly by
Convection currents
Wind
Horizontal movement of air from high to low pressure
Anemometer
Measures wind
Local winds
Winds that blow over short distances
Land breeze
At night, when the land is colder than the sea, air will move to the sea because of the high pressure in the land and the low pressure at the sea
Sea breeze
During the day, when the sea is colder than the land, air will move to the land because of the high pressure in the sea and the low pressure at the land
Global winds
Wind that blow over long distances
The Coriolis effect
Because earth rotates west to east, winds coming from the poles will always be shifting left
Doldrums
Regions near equator where warm air rises and there is no wind
Horse latitudes
Calm areas at thirty degrees north and south where there is no wind so ships long ago traveled really slow and as a result had to throw their horses overboard
Trade winds
Easterly winds that blew from the horse latitudes to the equator
Prevailing westerlies
Wind that blow towards the poles, away from the horse latitudes going east even though the Coriolis effect would make it go west
Polar easterlies
Blow cold air away from the poles in convection currents
Jet streams
High speed winds that blow from west to east
