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science, geography,history > Geog~Ch.6 Atmospheric Conditions > Flashcards

Geog~Ch.6 Atmospheric Conditions Flashcards

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1
Q

What gases does the atmosphere consist of?

A

78% nitrogen
21% oxygen
0.9% argon
0.03% carbon dioxide

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2
Q

Function of the atmosphere?

A

Holds heat from the sun while also blocking the earth from much of the sun’s incoming ultraviolet radiation

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3
Q

What is the lowest layer if the atmosphere?

A

The troposphere

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4
Q

What happens at the troposphere?

A

Weather conditions change constantly within this layer

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5
Q

Insolation

A

Incoming Solar Radiation

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6
Q

Two factors that affects the amount of insolation absorbed by the earth’s surface are:

A
  1. Angle of the sun’s rays

2. The content of the atmosphere

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7
Q

3 factors influencing the angle at which sun rays strike the earth

A

1 the location

  1. Time of day
  2. Season
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8
Q

Why is the temperature at its highest at the equator?

A

Because the suns rays are most direct at the equator

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9
Q

What tropics do the sun move between?

A

Tropics of Cancer

Tropics of Capricorn

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10
Q

The content of the atmosphere is affected by ____ and ____

A
  1. Reflection
    • clouds and surface of the earth reflect energy back into space.
    • Albedo - light reflect heat, dark absorb heat
  2. Absorption
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11
Q

Two energy transfers are:

A

Global winds

Ocean currents

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12
Q

Wind is :

A

Air moving from a high pressure area to a low pressure area.

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13
Q

High pressure is the result of

A

Descending air i.e cold air falling due to heaviness

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14
Q

Low pressure is the result of

A

Rising air i.e warm air rises due to lightness

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15
Q

Warm winds blow from the ______.

A

Equator

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16
Q

Cool winds blow from the ______

A

High latitudes

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17
Q

Latitude ?

A

Gives the location of a place on earth north or south of the equator.its the angular distance from the equator

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18
Q

The global wind pattern is also known as :

A

The general circulation

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19
Q

Explain how the global winds system works:

A
  • Equator ➡️ warm air rises = zone of low pressure
  • 30’ north or south ➡️ the warm air cools= heavier= sinks = area of high pressure
  • some of this air blows back towards the equator (trade winds)
  • 60’ north and south ➡️ some warm air meets cold polar air = form polar fronts = low pressure
  • 90’ at the poles ➡️ cold air = zone of high pressure
  • process continues over and over creating convection currents that keeps the atmosphere in constant motion.
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20
Q

Name the 3 wind belts

A 
• Tropical Easterlies 
     0-30' trade winds
• Prevailing Westerlies 
     30-60' westerlies 
• Polar Easterlies 
     60-90' polar
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21
Q

What is the Coriolis effect?

A

when the global winds are deflected due to the earth’s rotation.

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22
Q

Zones that separate the 3 major wind belts

A
  • the doldrums (equator)
  • the horse latitudes ( still dry 30’)
  • the polar fronts (60’)
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23
Q

Factors influencing the ocean currents:

A
  • rotation of the earth
  • influence of the winds
  • difference in temperatures in oceans
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24
Q

Warm currents flow from :

A

From areas of low latitude to high

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25
Q

Cold currents flow from areas of

A

High to low latitude

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26
Q

Examples of warm currents:

A
  • the gulf stream

* North Atlantic drift

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27
Q

Examples of cold currents:

A
  • labrador current

* greenland current

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28
Q

Advantages of ocean currents:

A
  • ice free coasts
  • warmer winds
  • good fishing grounds
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29
Q

Disadvantages of the ocean currents:

A
  • creation of ice bergs
  • colder winds
  • hard sailing conditions
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30
Q

What is the atmosphere?

A

The atmosphere is a thin layer of gases surrounding the earth.(referred to as the air)

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31
Q

What is an air mass?

A

A large body of air with similar temperature,pressure and moisture levels throughout.

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32
Q

Maritime air is generally:

A

Moist and rain

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33
Q

Continental air is generally:

A

Dry

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34
Q

What is a front?

A

Boundaries between two air masses

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35
Q

List 4 air masses:

A
  • Maritime polar
  • Maritime tropical
  • continental polar
  • Continental tropical
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36
Q

Continental polar (cP)

A

North-east Europe
Dry cold
Frosty nights

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37
Q

Maritime polar (mP)

A

North Atlantic
Cold wet air
Showers

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38
Q

Continental tropical (cT)

A

Sahara desert

Dry sunny

39
Q

Maritime tropical (mT)

A

Azores
Thunderstorms in summer
Heavy rainfall in winter

40
Q

Arctic (A)

A

North pole

Cold

41
Q

Whats a cold front?

A

A cold front forms when a cold air mass moves into a warm air mass.

42
Q

Explain how a cold front works:

A

Cold air is heavy so it pushes underneath warm air = forces warm air up to cool and condense ➡️ clouds
The air behind is colder&drier than the air ahead of it

43
Q

Whats a warm front?

A

A warm front forms when a warm air mass moves into a cold air mass.

44
Q

Explain how a warm front works

A 
Warm air (less dense) slides over colder air. ➡️ rain
Air behind a warm front = warm moist = high pressure =clear sky
45
Q

High pressure systems are also called:

A

Anticyclones

46
Q

What causes an anticyclone?

A

High pressure is a result of cold air descending on the earth’s surface.

47
Q

High pressure: air moves from an area of _____ pressure to an area of ____ pressure.

A

High ↪️ low (causes winds)

48
Q

Characteristics of a high pressure system

A
  • clockwise winds
  • no fronts
  • warm air descends
  • slow
  • isobars are well spaces = calm winds
  • forms over land
49
Q

Weather with high pressure system

A
  • clear cloudless sky
  • calm dry
  • summer hot
  • winter cold nights due to clear skies
50
Q

Lows pressure systems are also called:

A

Cyclones

51
Q

What causes a low pressure system ?

A

Lows develop as a result of warm air rising

52
Q

In a low pressure system air moves from an area of ___ pressure to an area of ___ pressure

A

High ↪️ iow (as winds blow into a low,air descends up = clouds & precipitation

53
Q

Characteristics of a low pressure system

A
  • anticlockwise
  • air rises temperature falls
  • isobars close together = strong wind
  • cloud
  • cyclonic rainfall
  • warm tropical air meets polar air over the Atlantic
54
Q

Weather with low pressure

A
  • cloudy skies
  • windy wet
  • unpredictable
55
Q

What is a depression?

A

A depression is an area of low pressure

That develops when a warm front meets a faster moving cold front.

56
Q

Explain how a depression works:

A

Warm air=area of low pressure
Cold air swirls in an anticlockwise direction = warm air surrounded by colder air
= 2 fronts develop, warm front in front of cold
Faster colder air catches up with the colder air ahead= warm sector pushed up ➡️ occlusion

57
Q

What’s weather?

A

Weather is the day to day state of the atmosphere over any place on the earth’s surface

58
Q

What is a weather forecast?

A

Global patterns of weather

59
Q

Name the 7 different elements of weather

A
  • temperature
  • humidity
  • atmospheric pressure
  • precipitation
  • wind speed and direction
  • sunshine
  • cloud amounts
60
Q

Whats a meteorologist

A

A person who studies and forecasts (predicts) weather

61
Q

Whats meteorology?

A

The study of weather

62
Q

Isobars?

A

Lines on a weather map which connect places of equal atmospheric pressure.

63
Q

Isotherms?

A

Lines on a weather map which connect places of equal temperature

64
Q

Isohyets?

A

Lines on a weather map which join places with equal rainfall

65
Q

Isohels?

A

Lines on a weather map showing equal sunshine

66
Q

Whats temperature?

A

Measures how hot or cold the air is

67
Q

What is a thermometer?

A

Used to measure temperature
•mercury or alcohol
• +temperature ➡️ liquid rises up
• -temperature ➡️ liquid falls

68
Q

What measures the highest temperature for the day?

A 
Maximum thermometer (mercury) 
The index stays at the highest point it reached a day
69
Q

What measures the lowest temperature for the day?

A 
Minimum thermometer (alcohol) 
Index stays at lowest point
70
Q

Mean temperature?

A

Average

Day = maximum+minimum➗2

71
Q

Temperature range?

A

Highest - lowest = range

72
Q

What is humidity?

A

The amount of water vapour and moisture in air.

73
Q

When air has absorbed as much moisture as it can , its ______

A

Saturated

74
Q

Relative humidity?

A

Amount of water vapour in air compared to the amount it would contain if saturated. (Hygrometer)

75
Q

Hygrometer:

A

Mix of wet and dry thermometers

76
Q

What instrument is used to measure humidity

A

Hygrometer

77
Q

What instrument is used to measure wind force (speed)

A

Anemometer

78
Q

Instrument for measuring sunshine?

A

Campbell stokes meter

79
Q

Instrument for atmospheric pressure?

A

Barometer

80
Q

Instrument for speed direction?

A

Wind vane

81
Q

Instrument for precipitation?

A

Rain gauge

82
Q

Unit of measurements for atmospheric pressure

A

Millibars

83
Q

3 types of barometers?

A

Mercury
Aneroid
Barograph

84
Q

Explain how one type of barometer works

A

Barograph: connects a barometer to an inked pen resting on a drum which rotates

85
Q

Explain a wind vane

A

Has a horizontal arm with arrow at 1 end and a bigger tail on other.
Wind blows tail around arrow points at de direction the winds cominh

86
Q

Explain how a campbell stokes sunshine recorder works

A

Made up o a solid glass sphere that focuses the suns rays onto a sensitive strip of paper slotted into the semi circular frame behind the ball.
Suns rays ♨️ the paper and as the sun moves during the day, the scorch marks moves along too

87
Q

What is a stevenson screen?

A

Its a meteorological screen that shields and stores weather instruments.

88
Q

Describe how a stevenson screen looks

A

White (reflects sunlight) Louvered (slanted) panels ➡️ keep out the direct rays of sun and rain but allows air to circulate freely into the box ➡️ box raised on stilts 1.4m off ground ( no effect from the ground temperature

89
Q

Use of weather in everyday life

A 
Fishing
Airplanes
Sports
Tourists
Farmers
90
Q

Name 3 main types of clouds

A
  • stratus
  • cumulus
  • cirrus
91
Q

Stratus clouds:

A

Like a blanket ↔️ stretches out across sky & blocks sun

Overcast day or steady rain

92
Q

Cumulus clouds:

A

Like puff of cotton

Heavy showers

93
Q

Cirrus clouds :

A

Wispy & high up & scattered

Fair weather

94
Q

List 3 rainfall types

A

Convectional rainfall
Cyclonic / frontal rainfall
Relief rainfall

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