study Flashcards
What causes water to evaporate?
Energy from the sun.
How do convection currents affect water vapor?
They carry water vapor away from the ground.
What forms clouds in the atmosphere?
Water vapor condenses onto particles in the air.
Over what type of land do thunderstorms form?
Heated land.
Where do hurricanes typically form?
Tropical Warm Waters.
What are cirrus clouds composed of?
Ice crystals.
What do stratus clouds look like?
They form a low-altitude blanket covering the sky.
How would you describe cumulus clouds?
Low to middle altitude, look like piles of cotton balls.
What type of weather follows a cold front?
Thunderstorms followed by cooler air temperatures.
Which clouds are associated with thunderstorms?
Cumulonimbus.
What type of clouds are rain clouds?
Nimbostratus.
What type of weather is associated with a warm front?
Longer periods of rain or snow and warmer air temperatures.
What type of air mass forms over a cold ocean?
Cool and moist.
What type of air mass forms over warm land?
Warm and dry.
How do air masses get their characteristics?
From where they form (e.g., land or ocean, warm or cold).
What does a change in barometric pressure indicate?
A change in weather.
Why are hurricanes dependent on warm tropical water?
Warm water provides the energy needed to fuel the storm.
What happens when water vapor condenses?
It releases heat and forms clouds.
Which type of cloud is most likely to produce lightning?
Cumulonimbus.
Why do thunderstorms often form over heated land?
Heated land causes warm air to rise rapidly, leading to condensation and storm formation.
