Module #7 Flashcards
Coriolis effect
The way in which the rotation of the earth Bends the path of Winds, sea currents, and objects that fly through different latitudes
What are the three main factors that affect the earth’s weather?
Thermal energy, uneven distribution of thermal energy, and water vapor in the atmosphere
It’s stratus clouds are darker, what are they called?
Nimbostratus
What is the difference between weather and climate?
The weather changes from day to day, while the climate does not
Air mass
A large body of air with relatively uniform pressure, temperature, and humidity
If you find lenticular clouds higher than normal, what are they called?
Altolenticular clouds
What does “insulation” stand for?
Incoming solar radiation
In the northern hemisphere, is the link of the days greater or less than 12 hours between June 21 and September 22? Are the daily increasing or decreasing during that time?
The days are greater than 12 hours long but are decreasing in length.
In the southern hemisphere, between what days are the days less than 12 hours but increasing?
From June 21 to September 22
Is the northern hemisphere’s summer during aphelion or perihelion?
Aphelion
What causes the wind?
Temperature differences cause winds.
Why isn’t there a constant stream of wind blowing from the poles to the equator?
The temperature of the air changes as it changes latitude
What causes the wind patterns to bend in different regions of the globe?
The Coriolis effect bins the wind patterns
Weather front
A boundary between two air masses
Suppose you are in a Alaska and would like to fire a missile to hit a target at the equator, due South of your location. Ignoring the effects of wind and air resistance, in which direction should you aim the missile?
South east
At night time, high elevations usually cool faster than a low elevations. Thus, at night, the land on a mountain is usually cooler than the land in the valley next to the mountain. Will the local wind produced by this effect blow from the mountain into the valley or from the valley up to the mountain?
The wind will blow from the mountain to the valley.
Is the humidity high or low in a continental polar air mass? Is the air mass warm or cold?
The humidity is low, the air mass is cold
Is the humidity high or low in a maritime tropical air mass? Is this air mass warm or cold?
The humidity is high, the air mass is warm
Aphelion
The point at which the earth is farthest from the sun
Over a period of a couple of days, the clouds slowly build and then a gentle, long rain ensues that lasts about 20 hours. What kind of front causes this weather?
Warm front
Over a period of a few days, you notice cirrus clouds forming, followed by stratus and nimbostratus clouds. In just a few hours, however, dark cumulonimbus clouds form, heralding a thunderstorm. What kind of front caused this?
Occluded front
In less than a day, dark cumulonimbus clouds form and unleash a thunderstorm that lasts only a few hours. After the thunderstorm is over and the sky clears, do you expect cooler warmer temperatures as compared to the temperature before the clouds began forming?
You should expect cooler temperatures
