Chapter 19 Flashcards
The scientific study of the atmosphere is known as
meteorology
Wind typically blows from areas of ______ to areas of ______
high pressure, low pressure
The paths winds follow between cyclones and anticyclones are due to:
the Coriolis effect
friction
the pressure gradient
The global winds that drive most weather in the United States are the
prevailing westerlies
Sea breezes are caused by
land absorbing the sun’s energy more rapidly then water does
water enters the atmosphere by
evaporation
sublimation
transpiration
What is the prefix used when naming mid-altitude cloud types?
alto-
Which type of cloud never produces rain
cirrus
Words associated with cirrus clouds are:
high altitude
mare’s tail
wispy
In what type of cloud does hail usually form?
cumulonimbus
Is dew a form of precipitation?
No
Natural, unpolluted rainwater is
acidic
Winds tend to curve over great distances because of the ___________
Coriolis effect
The air within a cyclonic system in the Northern Hemisphere moves in a _______________ direction
counterclockwise
The dew point is the temperature at which the relative humidity is equal to ___________
100%
Liquid water below the freezing point is called ________
supercooled water
The three basic shapes of clouds are flat layers or sheets called stratus, piles called _________ and wispy curls called ___________
cumulus, cirrus
Raindrops form as large cloud droplets begin to fall and collect other cloud droplets in a process known as _______
coalescence
The three types of solid precipitation are snow, ______ and ___________
sleet, hail
What do the two common reference points of the Fahrenheit and Celsius temperature scales relate to?
the upper measurement is the boiling point of water and the lower is the freezing point.
What effect does the wind speed have on a person’s perception of the temperature?
Wind of any speed will make the air feel cooler
What are clouds made of?
Clouds are made of water droplets or ice crystals that have coalesced or sublimated around a particle of dust or some other condensation/freezing nucleus.
measures in degrees C or F
thermometer
measures in mm water
rain gauge