meteorology - 9.1

Question 1

meteorology -

Answer 1

the study of physics, chemistry, and dynamics of atmospheric phenomena

Question 2

atmospheric phenomena –>

Answer 2

classified as types of meteors

Question 3

hydrometers -

Answer 3

clouds and precipitation

Question 4

lithometers -

Answer 4

smoke, haze dust, and other particles

Question 5

electrometers -

Answer 5

thunder and lighting

Question 6

weather -

Answer 6

short term variations in atmospheric phenomena that interacts and affects the environment and life on earth

Question 7

climate -

Answer 7

the long term average of variations in weather for a particular area

Question 8

the 2 factors that affect how the sun heats the earth –>

Answer 8

–> the earths axis is tilted at 23 degrees
–> the number of hours of daylight a place on earth receives differs throughout the year (due to the earths position around the sun)

Question 9

air mass -

Answer 9

a large volume of air that has the same characteristics such as humidity and temp

Question 10

source region -

Answer 10

the area over which the air mass forms

Question 11

the five types of air masses -

Answer 11

arctic, continental polar, continental, tropical, maritime-polar, maritime tropical

Question 12

coriolis effect -

Answer 12

causes fluids and objects moving in an apparent curved path due to the rotation of the earth (air masses move CLOCKWISE in the NORTH hemisphere and COUNTER CLOCKWISE in the SOUTH hemisphere)

Question 13

polar easterlies -

Answer 13

global wind systems that lie between latitudes 60N and 60S and the poles

Question 14

prevailing westerlies -

Answer 14

global wind systems that lie between latitudes 30N and 60S

Question 15

trade winds -

Answer 15

global wind systems that lie between latitudes 30N and 30S and the equator

Question 16

doldrums -

Answer 16

bands of clouds and thunderstorms are produced in low pressure areas near the equator

Question 17

jet stream -

Answer 17

strong, narrow, westerly wind bands that occur above large temp contrasts (speeds up to 400km)

Question 18

front -

Answer 18

a narrow region between 2 air masses of different densities

Question 19

cold front -

Answer 19

cold, dense, air displaces warm air (intense thunder and rain)

Question 20

warm front -

Answer 20

warm air displaces cold air (widespread and light precipitation)

Question 21

stationary front -

Answer 21

when 2 air masses meet and stalls (difference in temp/pressure, light winds/precipitation)

Question 22

occluded front -

Answer 22

occurs when a cold air mass forces a warm air mass upward (strong winds, heavy precipitation)

Question 23

thermometer -

Answer 23

an instrument that measures temp in degrees (F or C)

Question 24

barometer -

Answer 24

an instrument that measures air pressure

Question 25

anemometer -

Answer 25

an instrument that measures wind speed

Question 26

hygrometer -

Answer 26

an instrument that measures humidity

Question 27

automated surface observation system -

Answer 27

collects data 24 hours a day and provides essential weather data for aviation, weather forecasting and research

Question 28

radiosonde -

Answer 28

weather instrument whose sensors measure air pressure, humidity, temp, wind speed, and wind direction in the upper atmosphere

Question 29

weather radar -

Answer 29

(rader) - radio detection and rading –> radio waves are transmitted at the speed of light

Question 30

doppler effect -

Answer 30

change in wave frequency that occurs due to relative motion of the wave as it moves towards/away from an observer, (used to determine the speed precipitation moves towards/away from an observer, provides a good estimate of wind speed)

Question 31

infrared imagery -

Answer 31

uses infrared radiation to help make observations at night

Question 32

visible light imagery -

Answer 32

uses sensors that provide a measure of water vapor

Question 33

station model -

Answer 33

record of weather data for a specific place at a specific time, using meteorological symbols

Question 34

isopleth -

Answer 34

lines that connect points of equal or constant values

Question 35

isobar -

Answer 35

a line on a weather map connecting areas of equal pressure

Question 36

isotherm -

Answer 36

a line on a weather map connecting areas of equal temp

Question 37

digital forecasts -

Answer 37

weather forecasts that use numerical data to predict how atmospheric variable change over time (main method used)

Question 38

analog forecast -

Answer 38

weather forecast that compares current weather patterns to patterns that occurred in the past

Question 39

short term forecasts -

Answer 39

most accurate/detailed forecast, due to the constant changing weather systems

Question 40

long term forecasts -

Answer 40

less reliable forecast that is based on past conditions