Science Study Guide Flashcards
How does El Niño occur, what does it impact? And how often does it come?
Every 3 to 7 years El Nino occurs when warm water builds up along the equator. El Nino is usually hot and dry. El Nino impacts ocean temperatures, the speed and strength of ocean currents, and local weather. El Nino also causes droughts and excess rain fall in different parts of the world like California (but raises Californias temperatures).
How does La Nina occur? And how often?
Every 3 to 7 years La Nina happens because of a build up of colder than normal waters in the tropical pacific. La Nina is known to be cold and wet but drier for California. La Nina causes Southeast Asia to rain, Australia to get huge floods, and Africa and Brazil to be rainier than usual. La Nina affects California by causing the jet stream to move northward and to weaken over the eastern Pacific.
What is the Coriolis effect?
Because the Earth rotates on its axis, circulating air is deflected toward the right in the Northern Hemisphere and toward the left in the southern hemisphere.
Explain why weather/temperature gets colder with altitude?
Weather/temperature gets colder with altitude due to low air pressure.
What is the difference between each type of precipitation?
The main difference is the temperature variations between the cloud base and ground.
What are the 5 different types of precipitation?
Rain, hail, freezing rain, snow, and sleet.
How are hurricanes formed?
Hurricanes form when warm moist air over water begins to rise. The rising air is replaced by cooler air. This process continues to grow large clouds and thunder storms.
How does density change temperature?
When density increases, the temperature decreases and vise versa.
What is transpiration?
Transpiration is when water from the ground gets taken up through a plants roots, stem, and eventually into its leaves.
What is sublimation?
When a solid changes state to gas, without becoming a liquid in between.
What is evaporation?
The process by which a liquid turns into a gas.
What is a cold front?
A cold front is when the cold air mass takes over the warm air mass, causing it to move above the cold air.
What is a warm front?
A warm front forms when a warm air mass stretches over a cooler air mass.
What is the difference between weather and climate?
Weather is what condition of the atmosphere are over a short period of time, and climate is how the atmosphere “behaves” over long periods of time.
What is a convection current?
A process that involves the movement of energy from one place to another. Hot air moves up and cold air moves down.
