Chapter 9 Flashcards
Coriolis
Due to the increased velocity at the equator compared to that of the poles objects moving between the poles and equator are deflected.
•deflection is dependent upon hemisphere and point of origin
Wavelength
Combined distance of crest and trough
Aerosols
Solids and liquids stuck in the atmosphere
ex: dust, smog, haze, pollen, ash, soil
•help to form clouds
•reflect and absorb sunlight
Humidity
Amount of water in air compared to max amount of water air at that temperature could hold
Adiabatic Cooling
Hot air rises. As the air rises it expands and the water molecules condense
Adiabatic Heating
Cool air sinks. As it sinks it compresses and heats
Orographic Effect
Mountains force wind up, decreasing pressure creating clouds
•other side of mountain is turned into a desert by the sinking hot air that lacks water
Albedo
The fraction of incoming solar energy that is reflected by the earths surface.
•albedo effected by ice and angle at which sunlight is received
Frontal Wedging
Cold air mass forces approaching warm air to rise
Converging Winds
Winds collide causing both to rise
Convective Lifting
Hot air rises is less dense so it rises
Heat index
How hot air feels, includes humidity and evaporative cooling
Latent Heat
Energy released or absorbed in water when it changes its physical state
Latent Heat of Vaporization
Energy stored in water vapor released upon condensation to liquid water
Latent heat of condensation
H
Latent Heat of Fusion
Energy released was water freezes to ice
Short Wavelength
The sun
Long Wavelength
The earth
Greenhouse Effect
Excess heat is radiated upward from earths surface and it absorbed by gases in the atmosphere
Hydrologic Cylce
The water cycle
Specific heat
Amount of heat requires to raise the temperature of a substance
Convection
Transmission of heat in flowing water, air, or deforming rock
Conduction
Transmission of heat without rock or metal moving
Saturation Humidity
Max amount of water vapor that can exist in an air mass which increases with temperature
How Coriolis Effect aids hurricane formation?
Converging winds in mid latitudes are subjected to Coriolis which spin the air
Tropical Disturbance
Cluster of thunderstorms at sea
Tropical depression
Poorly organized in cyclonic structure
Tropical storms
Wind speeds between 39mph and 74mph
Tropical Hurricane
Well organized and above 74mph
What scale is used to measure severity of a hurricane?
Saffir-Simpson Scale
Dry Adiabatic lapse rate
D
Moist Adiabatic lapses rate
D
Sensible heat
Commonly refers to conduction and convection
Insolation
Amount of measurement for reviewed solar radiation
Troposphere
Lowest layer of atmosphere
•where most moisture and weather occurs
Tropopause
Heat rising from surface, air temp decreases with altitude
•reversal
Stratosphere
Above troposphere acts as a barrier to weather
Strato
He
Mesosphere
Above stratosphere decreased temperature throughout atmospheric levels
Pressure Gradient Force
Attempts to equalize air pressure differences. Causes high pressure to push air toward low pressure
Isobars
Map lines that that define high and low pressure air cells
Anticyclones
High pressure air zones enclosed by roughly circular isobars
Hadley Cells
Huge air current powered by intense sunlight in the equator
Fronts
Boundaries between air masses
Jet streams
High energy elongated flows commonly in earths atmospheres and oceans
Thermos line flow
Feel ocean waters flows in an overturning circulation
Hurricanes Typhoons Severe Tropical Storm Severe Cyclonic Storm Tropical Cyclone
Hurricanes: northern Atlantic, northeast pacific, south pacific
Typhoons: northwest pacific hits Asia
Severe Tropical Storm:southwest pacific
Severe Cyclonic Storm: northern Indian Ocean
Tropical Cyclone; southern Indian Ocean
