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Earth Science > Meteorology > Flashcards

Meteorology Flashcards

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1
Q

what is Meteorology?

A

the study of Earth’s heat balance

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2
Q

what are the 4 factors that affect weather/climate?

A

temperature (most important)
moisture
air pressure
wind

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3
Q

what causes temperature?

A

the amount of solar radiation

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4
Q

what are the 2 factors that affect the amount of solar radiation?

A

Intensity: angle of rays strike surface
Duration: length of daylight

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5
Q

what is albedo?

A

the radiation that is reflected by a surface

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6
Q

how much of the Earth is albedo?

A

30%

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7
Q

what is air pressure?

A

force air exerts on everything it touches

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8
Q

what are the 3 things that air pressure depend on?

A

number of air molecules
amount of space
how fast molecules move

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9
Q

what is an air mass?

A

large body of air that takes on the characteristics of the area over which it forms

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10
Q

what are the 2 characteristics of an air mass?

A

average temperature

average humidity

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11
Q

the ability of air to ___ ____means that the air mass is stable

A

resist rising

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12
Q

the rate that the air mass expands and cools depends on what 3 factors?

A

temp of surface below the air
temp of surrounding air
temp of air mass itself

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13
Q

cool land, warm air is an example of a(n) ____ air mass

A

stable

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14
Q

continental air masses (c) are…

A

dry

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15
Q

maritime (bodies of water)(m) air masses are…

A

humid

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16
Q

polar (P) air masses are…

A

cold

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17
Q

what is an mP air mass?

A

humid + cold

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18
Q

what is an mT air mass?

A

humid + tropical

19
Q

what is a cP air mass?

A

dry + cold (continental polar)

20
Q

what does a barometer measure?

A

the weight of the air

21
Q

millibars are…

A

measure of actual force of the air

22
Q

what happens is a low pressure system?

A

air rises
must be replaced from outside so air flows in toward center
counterclockwise flow (think removing a screw)

23
Q

what happens in high pressure systems?

A

air sinks
spreads away from center when reaches Earth’s surface
deflect to right in northern hemisphere due to Coriolis
think screwing a screw in

24
Q

what would you expect the air pressure to do is there is a storm approaching?

A

rapidly falling air pressure

25
Q

what would you expect the air pressure to do in fair weather?

A

rapidly rising air pressure

26
Q

what are winds?

A

horizontal movement of air

flows from high to low pressure

27
Q

what do global wind systems do?

A

they move air masses to balance out uneven heating of Earth

28
Q

there are 3 distinct zones in each hemisphere. what are they? what are they acted upon by?

A

trade winds
prevailing westerlies
polar easterlies
-they are acted upon by the Coriolis effect

29
Q

what happens with the air during trade winds

A

the air sinks, moves toward equator

at equator, warms, rises, then moves to 30 degrees

30
Q

what happens at an inter-tropical convergence zone?

A

2 air masses meet and then get forced up then it rains

creates rain forests

31
Q

what are jet streams?

A

narrow bands of westerly winds, fast, high altitude,

caused by large temperature and pressure gradients

32
Q

what act as railroad tracks for large scale weather systems?

A

jet streams

33
Q

what is a front?

A

narrow region separating 2 air masses of different densities

34
Q

in a front, what are the density differences caused by?

A

temperature
pressure
humidity

35
Q

what shows a cold front on a weather map? warm front?

A 
cold= solid blue line with triangles pointing IN direction of motion 
warm= solid red line with semi-circles pointing IN direction of motion
36
Q

what happens when a cold front and warm air mass meet?

A

cold air displaces warm air
warm air rises quickly (steep front)
cools
condenses

37
Q

when a cold front and warm air mass meet, what does it cause?

A

clouds, thunderstorms, showers

38
Q

what shows a stationary front on a weather map?

A

triangles and semi circles on opposite sides of line

39
Q

what happens in a stationary front?

A

the 2 air masses meet and stall
masses are modified enough to be very similar to each other
temp and pressure gradients= very small

40
Q

in a stationary front, the weather ends up being similar to a ______ front

A

warm

41
Q

what represents an occluded front on weather map?

A

alternating purple triangles and semi-circles pointing in direction of motion

42
Q

what happens in an occluded front

A

warm air squeezed between 2 cold fronts

precipitation on both sides

43
Q

mid latitude cyclones are types of ___ pressure systems

A

low

44
Q

where do mid latitude cyclones form?

A

along stationary fronts

Earth Science (23 decks)

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