GEO_Vocab_GP4_Atmosphere Flashcards
cumulus clouds
big, white, puffy cloudswith flat bottoms. When they get saturated they get dark and can produce thunderstorms (cumulonimbus clounds)
alto
prefix for clouds that form at middle altitudes
A circular movement of air caused by the continual process of rising and falling air.
Convection current
differences in air pressure; the greater the air pressure difference the stronger the wind.
wind created by
occurs when cold and warm air meet and stay fairly still. Weather can be similar to that of a warm front
stationary front
Ozone layer
This absorbs UV light and protects the Earth. Part of the stratosphere.
hail
lumps of ice which form in layers high up in the air; the ice will fall towards the ground until an updraft brings it higher where it will freeze, then fall again and repeat the process many times
thin feathery clouds made of ice that form at high altitudes.
cirrus clouds
warm front
occurs when warm air mass slowly moves ofer and replaces cold air creating drizzly precipitation and warm weathe rafter it has passed
Convection
Transfer of thermal energy by the circulation of a fluid (air or liquid)
fossil fuels
petroleum, coal, natural gas
global warming
throughout history humans have burned fossil fuels (petroleum, coal, natural gas) which release carbon dioxide into the air. This increase in greeenhouse gases has caused the Earth’s climate to warm at a rate faster than ever before. This warming of the earth is called _____ _____.
The layer that is 16-50 km in altitude and is very thin except for the upper portion which contains a large amount of ozone.
Stratosphere
Transfer of energy from one thing to another by direct contact.
Conduction
a stratus cloud that is formed when water vapor condenses near the ground
fog
weather
the condition of the atmosphere at a particular time and place. Formed and defined by many different characteristics such as temperature, hunidity, precipitation and air pressure.
fog
a stratus cloud that is formed when water vapor condenses near the ground
the condition of the atmosphere at a particular time and place. Formed and defined by many different characteristics such as temperature, hunidity, precipitation and air pressure.
weather
freezing rain; the liquid water droplets freeze as they fall to Earth
sleet
strato
prefix for clouds that form at low altitudes
big, white, puffy cloudswith flat bottoms. When they get saturated they get dark and can produce thunderstorms (cumulonimbus clounds)
cumulus clouds
Greenhouse Effect
This occurs when the gases in the Earth’s atmosphere trap thermal energy and keep the planet warm.
The layer closest to the earth’s surface from 0-16km in altitude. It contains about 90% of the atmosphere’s air. CO2, water vapor, clouds, air pollution and weather all reside in this layer.
Troposphere
This absorbs UV light and protects the Earth. Part of the stratosphere.
Ozone layer
Conduction
Transfer of energy from one thing to another by direct contact.
snow
the most common form of solid precipitation; it is made up of ice crystals when water freezes very quickly.
The layer from 50-80km and is a cold, thin layer with heavy winds.
Mesosphere
throughout history humans have burned fossil fuels (petroleum, coal, natural gas) which release carbon dioxide into the air. This increase in greeenhouse gases has caused the Earth’s climate to warm at a rate faster than ever before. This warming of the earth is called _____ _____.
global warming
thunderstorms
cumulonimbus clouds
The height of an object above the Earth’s surface
Altitude