Brainscape's Knowledge GenomeTM

Browse over 1 million classes created by top students, professors, publishers, and experts.


See full index

Earth Science > Earth Science B Quiz 4/27 > Flashcards

Earth Science B Quiz 4/27 Flashcards

You may prefer our related Brainscape-certified flashcards:
Biology 101 flashcards
1
Q

What is weather?

A

Weather is the day-to-day shifts in atmospheric conditions.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

What is climate?

A

long-term (~30 years) prevailing weather and temperature patterns.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

What is an air mass?

A

A large volume of air reflects the terrain that it is moving over.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

What is an air mass described in terms of?

A

Humidity content and temperature.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

What are weather fronts?

A

The boundary between two air masses.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

What does the density of the air determine?

A

Interactions.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

What will less dense air do with cold air?

A

Lift over cold air.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

What will more dense air do with warm air?

A

Bulldoze under it.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

What is a warm front?

A

Warmer air meeting colder air.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

What does a warm front form?

A

Stratus clouds that cover large areas of the sky.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

What is a cold front?

A

Colder air meeting warmer air.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

What does a cold front form?

A

Towering cumulonimbus clouds.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

What can cumulonimbus clouds form?

A

Heavy rain and violent storms.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

When does an occluded front occur?

A

Occurs when a colder air mass completely bulldozes the warm air mass out of the way.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

What does an occluded front act like?

A

A cold front.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

What happens at an occluded front?

A

Warmer air ends up over the colder air (more dense).

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
17
Q

Where do frontal thunderstorms develop?

A

Along strong cold fronts.

18
Q

What do frontal thunderstorms form?

A

Towering cumulonimbus clouds.

19
Q

What do frontal thunderstorms lead to?

A

Golf ball size hail, severe thunder and lightning, and even tornadoes.

20
Q

What are the three stages of frontal thunderstorms?

A

Cumulus, Mature, Dissipating.

21
Q

What are frontal thunderstorm ingredients?

A

Massive amounts of moisture in the air (high humidity), Large temperature difference between the colder and warmer air mass, and an updraft.

22
Q

What is an updraft?

A

Air being forced up to higher altitudes.

23
Q

What happens in the mature stage?

A

A fully developed cumulonimbus cloud has formed.

24
Q

How do strong downdrafts form?

A

Precipitation (rain/hail) and dense, sinking air.

25
Q

What is a tornado?

A

A mobile, destructive vortex of violently rotating winds having the appearance of a funnel-shaped cloud and advancing beneath a large storm system.

26
Q

How many tornados happen in the U.S. Per year?

A

Over 1200.

27
Q

Where do tornadoes generally track?

A

Generally track SW>NE.

28
Q

When do tornadoes normally occur?

A

Most occur between April and June, between 4-9 pm.

29
Q

What are tornado requirements?

A

Earth’s rotation (Coriolis effect), Strong cold fronts, wind shear, and updraft.

30
Q

What is wind shear?

A

When cold, dense air bulldozes warm, humid air violently over top of itself.

31
Q

What does wind shear cause?

A

The air to start rotating.

32
Q

What are the 4 steps to tornado formation?

A
  1. Wind Shear
  2. Updraft
  3. Storm
  4. Supercell
33
Q

What are tornadoes measured in?

A

The enhanced Fujita scale.

34
Q

What is a hurricane?

A

An intense, low-pressure system having minimal sustained winds of 74mph. Rotate counterclockwise in the Northern Hemisphere.

35
Q

Where are hurricanes the strongest?

A

On the outside edge?

36
Q

What are the requirements of a hurricane?

A

Warm water, rotating earth, LAtitudes of 5-20 degrees North or South.

37
Q

What does high pressure during a hurricane mean?

A

Sinking air moves away and rotates clockwise.

38
Q

What does low pressure during a hurricane mean?

A

Rising air and moving towards it and it is rotating counter clockwise.

39
Q

Why don’t hurricanes form during the hottest month?

A

Water has a high specific heat capacity, meaning it takes the whole summer for the water to heat up.

40
Q

How are hurricanes categorized?

A

They are categorized on the safir-Simpson scale and by wind.

Earth Science (6 decks)

Brainscape helps you reach your goals faster, through stronger study habits.
© 2024 Bold Learning Solutions. Terms and Conditions