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Earth Science > Final Exam > Flashcards

Final Exam Flashcards

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1
Q

Name the layers of the atmosphere in order.

A

troposphere, stratosphere, mesosphere, thermosphere, exosphere

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2
Q

High pressure systems bring ____________________________________weather.

A

HAPPY! (H is for Happy) Sunny, blue skies, cooler temperatures.

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3
Q

Low pressure systems bring _________________________________weather.

A

LOUSY! (L is for Lousy) Cloudy, rainy/snowy, warmer temperatures.

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4
Q

What is the ozone layer and why is it important?

A

The ozone layer is composed of ozone (O3) molecules that absorb harmful ultraviolet light. Helps regulate temperature.

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5
Q

Name the gases present in the atmosphere.

A

Nitrogen 78%, Oxygen 21%, Argon and Carbon Dioxide 1%

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6
Q

When humidity increases, air pressure decreases. True or False

A

True

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7
Q

What is dew point?

A

The temperature at which condensation forms from saturated air.

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8
Q

What 3 things are needed to form a cloud?

A

1) moisture/water vapor 2) temperature change / decreases 3) condensation nuclei (surface)

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9
Q

Why does it rain?

A

Water droplets in clouds get too heavy to stay suspended in the cloud and they fall to Earth as rain.

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10
Q

What is humidity?

A

The amount of water vapor in the air.

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11
Q

What is relative humidity?

A

A measure of how much water vapor is in the air compared to how much it can actually hold. Expressed as a percentage.

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12
Q

What is land breeze?

A

Winds that blow from the land to the sea during the night.

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13
Q

What is sea breeze?

A

Winds that blow from the sea to the land during the day.

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14
Q

What is the coldest layer of the atmosphere?

A

Mesosphere

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15
Q

Name the layer of the atmosphere where weather occurs.

A

Troposphere

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16
Q

What layer is the ozone layer in?

A

Stratosphere

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17
Q

warm temperatures = low pressure (true or false)

A

true

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18
Q

cold temperatures = high pressure (true or false)

A

true

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19
Q

How is wind formed?

A

Due to changes in pressure in relation to the land and sea breeze which are caused by differential heating.

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20
Q

Why is (good) ozone important?

A

The ozone layer is composed of ozone (O3) molecules that absorb harmful ultraviolet light and it helps regulate temperature.

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21
Q

What are the processes that cause changes to states of matter?

A

condensation, evaporation, melting, freezing, deposition

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22
Q

Particles of matter either absorb or lose energy when matter changes from one state to another. (true or false

A

true

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23
Q

What is evaporation? (name the phase change)

A

liquid to gas

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24
Q

What is condensation? (name the phase change)

A

gas to liquid

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25
Q

What is freezing? (name the phase change)

A

liquid to solid

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26
Q

What is melting?

A

solid to liquid

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27
Q

What is deposition?

A

gas to solid

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28
Q

high humidity = high temperatures = high pressure (true or false)

A

false; high humidity, low temperature, low air pressure

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29
Q

Water molecules (H2O) weigh less than Nitrogen? (true or false)

A

true

30
Q

Water heats up faster than land. (true or false)

A

false

31
Q

What is albedo?

A

The reflectivity of a surface.

32
Q

Why does it take a long time for water to heat up/cool down?

A

high thermal heat capacity

33
Q

dark surfaces –> low albedo –> absorbs sun/heat (true or false)

A

true

34
Q

Glaciers have a high albedo. (true or false)

A

true

35
Q

What is climate?

A

The weather conditions prevailing in an area in general or over a long period.

36
Q

What is weather?

A

The state of the atmosphere at a given time and place.

37
Q

What are 2 characteristics associated with climate?

A

temperature and precipitation

38
Q

What is a warm front and its features?

A

A front that occurs when a warm air mass pushes into a cooler air mass. Warm fronts often bring light precipitation as the warm air mass at the surface rises above the cool air mass, making clouds. They are on the side of the line where the front is moving.

39
Q

What is a cold front and it’s features?

A

A front that occurs when a cold air mass moves in and replaces a warm air mass. As a cold front moves into an area, the heavier (more dense) cool air pushes under the lighter (less dense) warm air, causing it to rise up into the troposphere. Lifted warm air ahead of the front produces cumulus or cumulonimbus clouds and thunderstorms (severe weather).

40
Q

What is a tornado?

A

A rapidly rotating column of air stretching from the clouds to the ground.

41
Q

Where is tornado alley?

A

Central U.S. (Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Nebraska, South Dakota, Indiana, Missouri, Iowa, Illinois, and Ohio)

42
Q

Hurricanes form over water and land. (true or false)

A

false; Hurricanes originally form over water only but can move towards or on land.

43
Q

What is a hurricane?

A

A type of storm called a tropical cyclone, which forms over tropical or subtropical waters with rotating winds of 74 mph or above.

44
Q

How do tornadoes form?

A

Tornadoes form when warm, humid air collides with cold, dry air. The denser cold air is pushed over the warm air, usually producing thunderstorms. The warm air rises through the colder air, causing an updraft. The updraft will begin to rotate if winds vary sharply in speed or direction.

45
Q

What does the Saffir-Simpson scale measure?

A

hurricanes

46
Q

What does the Fujita scale measure?

A

tornadoes

47
Q

List the 3 formation processes of a hurricane.

A

1)Formative-warm, less dense air rises from a low pressure center2)Mature-rotation begins and wind speeds increase3)Dissipation-dies, generally over land

48
Q

List the 3 formation processes of a thunderstorm.

A

1)Towering Cumulus Stage-updraft, condensation, large cloud formation2)Mature Stage-downdraft, intense wind, hail formation, violent stage3)Dissipating Stage-storm weakens, precipitation tapers off

49
Q

When do tornadoes most likely to form?

A

March-July

50
Q

How does elevation influence temperature?

A

Temperatures decrease with elevation.

51
Q

How does latitude affect temperature?

A

As latitude increases, temperature decreases

52
Q

How do bodies of water affect local climate?

A

Moderate climate because of water’s high thermal heat capacity. (It takes a long time to warm up and a long time to cool down.)

53
Q

How do ocean currents affect climate?

A

Ocean currents act as conveyor belts of warm and cold water, sending heat toward the polar regions and helping tropical areas cool off, thus influencing both weather and climate.

54
Q

What are the 3 types of energy transfer?

A

convection, conduction, radiation

55
Q

What is convection?

A

Heat transfer in a fluid in which hot fluid rises and cold fluid sinks, setting up a cycle (heating through flow).

56
Q

What is conduction?

A

The transfer of heat through direct contact (heating through touch).

57
Q

What is radiation?

A

The transfer of energy by electromagnetic waves (from the sun).

58
Q

Name the 3 factors that affect climate precipitation?

A

prevailing winds, mountain ranges, bodies of water

59
Q

What is the greenhouse effect?

A

A process that occurs when gases in Earth’s atmosphere trap the Sun’s heat. This process makes Earth much warmer than it would be without an atmosphere. The greenhouse effect is one of the things that makes Earth a comfortable place to live.

60
Q

What is global warming?

A

A gradual increase in the overall temperature of the earth’s atmosphere generally attributed to the greenhouse effect caused by increased levels of carbon dioxide, chlorofluorocarbons, and other pollutants.

61
Q

Which holds heat longer, land or water?

A

water

62
Q

What type of weather is associated with a cold front?

A

The cold front brings cooler temperatures and a narrow band of precipitation that follows along the leading edge of the cold front. These bands of precipitation can be very strong and can bring severe thunderstorms, hailstorms, snow squalls, and/or tornadoes.

63
Q

What type of weather is associated with a warm front?

A

Warm fronts are boundaries of slow-moving air masses that replace masses of colder air ahead of them and often cause light precipitation

64
Q

How is Carbon Dioxide added to the atmosphere?

A

Carbon Dioxide is added to the atmosphere through natural and unnatural sources. These include volcanoes, decomposition, deforestation, burning of fossil fuels.

65
Q

What is the carbon cycle?

A

The carbon cycle is nature’s way of reusing carbon atoms, which travel from the atmosphere into organisms in the Earth and then back into the atmosphere over and over again.

66
Q

Why is carbon important?

A

Carbon is important for all the known living systems, and life could not exist without it.

67
Q

What are fossil fuels?

A

Fossil fuels are made from decomposing plants and animals. These fuels are found in the Earth’s crust and contain carbon and hydrogen, which can be burned for energy. Coal , oil , and natural gas are examples of fossil fuels.

68
Q

What is the impact on the environment when fossil fuels are burned?

A

It causes carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere to rise.

69
Q

It causes carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere to rise.

A

Coal, natural gas, oil, nuclear

70
Q

Name a renewable resource.

A

solar, wind, biomass, hydroelectric, geothermal

Earth Science (8 decks)

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