Science Final - Weather and Atmosphere Flashcards
What is the atmosphere?
the envelope of gases that surround the earth
what are the two most abundant gases in the atmosphere?
nitrogen and oxygen
why is the earths atmosphere important to all living things on earth?
it provides the gases that all living organisms need to survive
what happens to air pressure as you go up in the atmosphere?
it decreases
layers of the atmosphere are classified according to changes in what?
temperature
list the layers in order form earth to space
troposphere, stratosphere, mesosphere, thermosphere, exosphere,
what is the lowest and shallowest layer of the atmosphere?
troposphere
in which layer does our weather occur?
troposphere
in which layer is the ozone layer found?
stratosphere
the ozone protects all living things on earth from what?
the suns ultraviolet rays
what is the layer between the stratosphere and the thermosphere?
mesosphere
which layer protects earth from being hit by meteoroids?
mesosphere
what is the first layer of the atmosphere that an astronaut travels through during reentry from space?
exosphere
winds are caused by differences in what?
air pressure
what large clouds often produce thunderstorms?
cumulonimbus
what are very high, feathery clouds called?
cirrus
layered clouds that often cover much of the sky and are a dull gray color are called what?
stratus
what is precipitation?
any form of water that falls to the earth from clouds
cold, dry air that effects the northern United States in winter often come for what type of air masses?
continental polar
when a rapidly moving cold air mass overtakes a warm air mass what kind of front occurs?
cold front
when a warm air mass and a cold air mass meet and either can move, the result is what kind of front?
stationery front
a funnel shaped cloud that touches earth surface is called what?
tornado
what are isobars and what do they correct?
lines on a weather map that connect areas of equal pressure
on a weather map what do lines with half circles indicate?
warm front
what kind of weather would a continental tropical air mass that formed over northern mexico bring to to the southwestern US?
Hot and Dry
when a warm air mass overtakes a cold air mass, it forms what kind of front?
warm front
thunderstorms form within what types of clouds?
cumulonimbus
places shown on a weather map that have the same temperature are connected by what?
isotherm lines
what is humidity?
a measure of humidity in the air
what are sky conditions? how are they measured?
the state of the sky, in other words sky conditions describe the amount of cloud cover, the luminosity of the sun, and the visibility or clearness of the atmosphere. we use terms like clouds, partly cloudy, clear, and foggy to describe sky conditions
what is weather?
the condition of earths atmosphere at a specific time and place
what is climate?
the pattern of temperature and precipitation of an area over a long period of time
what is barometric pressure?
the weight of the atmosphere over the earth
how does the sun cause precipitation
it causes evaporation of the water on earths surface which enters the water cycle eventually returns to earth as precipitation
how does the sun cause temperature
the suns rays heat earths surface
how does the sun cause wind
the uneven heating of earths surface causes differences in pressure which lead to wind
what is a high pressure system
a high pressure system is associated with cool and dry air, fair weather, sunny skies and light winds
what is a low pressure system
a low pressure system is associated with warm and humid air, cloudy skies and strong winds
what is the symbol for high pressure system?
Blue “H”
what is the symbol for low pressure system?
Red “L”
what type of weather is along cold front?
cool weather with rain/snow and the possibility of storm
what type of weather is along a warm front?
warm, cloudy weather maybe a few light showers
describe cirrus clouds and the type of weather they bring
thin, wispy clouds that form in front of a warm front and predict a change in weather
describe stratus clouds and the type of weather they bring
uniform, grayish clouds, cover the entire sky, can release light mist/drizzle
describe nimbostratus clouds and the type of weather they bring
dark gray clouds associated with continuous falling rain or snow
describe cumulus clouds and the type of weather they bring
fluffy white clouds associated with fair weather
describe cumulonimbus clouds and the type of weather they bring
thunderstorm clouds, associated with rain, snow, lightning and tornadoes
what is an isotherm map?
a map of lines that connect areas of equal temperature
