Chapter 18: The Atmosphere Flashcards
The atmosphere and space are really one medium best described by the term
Aerospace
Temperature is a measure of
Heat
An instrument used to measure the amount of heat or the lack of it
Thermometer
If visible water FALLS, it is _____; if it does not, it is _____
Precipitation; condensation
Particulate matter can be in the form if dust, dirt, smoke, exhaust fumes, or even salt particles. If the temp is right, these particles can serve as _____ for _____
Condensation nuclei, water vapor
The following terms are part of the _____ cycle
Dew point temperature, solar radiation, sublimation, saturate
Evaporation
The difference between the actual and the dew point temperature is called the
Spread
The rate at which the Earth’s surface is heated by solar radiation is called
Insulation
The radiation processes that tend to maintain the earth’s ____ ____ are also chiefly responsible for worldwide weather
Heat balance
Wind is generally referred to as
A lateral movement of air
The rotation of the earth affecting anything moving over its surface
Coriolis effect
Heating by direct contact
Conduction
Process of lateral heat transfer
Advection
Heat transfers by vertical motion
Convection
Heat energy of the sun reaching earth
Radiation
Centrifugal effect acts on air moving in a curved path and decreased its speed within a low-pressure are and
increases it within a high-pressure area
Friction tends to ___ air movement.
Slow
Where does gravity tend to pull air downward with the greatest air density?
Near the earth’s surface
Unequal heating by the sun’s rays of land and water areas causes
The land and sea-breeze phenomena
Different types of earth’s surfaces vary in the rate at which they ____ the sun’s heat and ____ the sun’s heat to the atmosphere
Absorb, transfer
Jet streams shift positions frequently and
a. Have some effect on the formation of cold and warm air masses
b. Can be compared to a river of air
c. Actually migrate with the seasons
d. All of the above
d. All of the above
The comparison of how heavy something is to the space it fills
Density
Liquid water will evaporate only if there is space in the air for the water vapor molecules to occupy.
TRUE
A high is a center of high pressure surrounded by higher pressure.
FALSE
An elongated area of high pressure is called a ridge.
TRUE
A low is a center of low pressure surrounded by even lower pressure.
FALSE
An elongated area of lower pressure is called a trough
TRUE
Highs, lows, cols, troughs, and ridges
The five different types of pressure patterns in the atmosphere
A center of high pressure surrounded by lower pressure
A high
A center of low pressure surrounded by higher pressure
A low
A saddleback area between two highs and two lows
A col
An elongated area of lower pressure
A trough
An elongated area of high pressure
A ridge
