Test 5 Flashcards
Name 3 gasses in the atmosphere
Nitrogen,oxygen and treces gasses.
Name the lowest layer of the universe and how far does it go up
Troposphere and it goes up to 17km
Name the second lowest layer of the universe and how high does it go up
Stratosphere and it goes up to 50km
Why does the equator get more heat
The suns rays have a shorter distance to travel to the equator so the heat is more intense at higher latitudes. The sun’s rays shine directly onto the equator and so are concentrated on a smaller area. The rays at higher latitude are shorter and cover a larger area which is less intense.
What happens during summer
During our summer the Northern Hemisphere is tilted towards the sun. Days are longer and we get more solar radiation.
What happens during winter
During our winter the northern hemisphere is tilted away from the sun. Days are short and the temperature is low due to little solar radiation
Define the term prevailing winds
Between 30° and 60° latitude, the winds that move towards the poles appear to curve to the east. Because winds are named after the direction from which they come, these winds are called westerlies. Prevailing westerlies in the northern hemisphere are responsible for many of the weather movements across Europe, and especially in Ireland.
Name 3 other types of wind
Doldrums, horse latitude and polar estuaries
Define the term ocean currents
Ocean waters are always moving. The movement of water is referred toas a current. A current is like a river flowing throughout the ocean
What are air masses
Air masses are large moving pockets of air that are distinct from the surrounding atmosphere. Warm air masses carry more moisture or water vapour than cold air masses
Define the term isobars
Isobars are lines on a weather map which join together places of equal atmospheric pressure
How is atmospheric pressure measured
It is measured in millibars
When to fronts happen
They occur where two different air masses meet
What do warm fronts bring
They bring gentle rain and the warm air rises over the cold air
What to cold fronts bring
Heavy rain, cold air replaces warm air, cold air follows warm air underneath it and pushes it out
What do occluded fronts bring
Changeable weather,cold front replaces warm front or the other way around
What is an anti cyclone
The highest number is the middle circle over Ireland indicating dry sunny weather
What do a depressions
The lowest number is the middle circle over Ireland. Lots of precipitation and strong winds
Define to term cloud
A cloud is a large collection of very tiny drop of water or ice crystals held in the atmosphere. The droplets are so small and they can float in the air
Define the term stratus cloud
It is around 2,000m. Flat sheets of cloud indicate a rainy day. They are usually grey and cover most of the sky
Define the term cumulus cloud
It’s 5,000m and looks like a big ball of wool. Gives nice weather and sometimes heavy rain
Define the term cirrus cloud
Form above 8,000m. Wispy clouds, very little water vapour,thin can hold ice crystals
What is precipitation
Precipitation is any form of water, liquid or solid, that falls from the sky. It includes rain, sleet ,slaw, hail and drizzle
What is atmospheric pressure and how is it measured
Atmospheric pressure is the weight of the atmosphere as it presses down on earth. It is measured with a barometer, a chart to record the atmospheric pressure
How do we measure wind speed and direction
The speed of the wind is measured with an anemonter. The unit of measurement is either miles or kilometres per hour. Wind strength is judged by the damage that it causes. This is known as the Beaufort scale. The direction of the wind is indicated by a weather vein. Wind direction is directed by the direction from which the wind is blowing.
Define the term humidity
Humidity refers to the amount of water vapour in the air compared to the amount it would contained if it was saturated. It is measured with a hygrometer. The most common hygrometer uses a wet and dry bulb thermometer. The measurement is expressed as percentage. Saturated air has a humidity of 100%.
What is precipitation and how do you measure it
Precipitation occurs in various forms, including rain, hail, sleet, and snow. It oscillates measured with a rain gauge. It should be located in any open space, away from buildings and trees. The unit of measurement is millimetres.
How do you measure sunshine
Sunshine is measured using a compbell-strokes sunshine recorder, the unit of measurement is hours per day. The lines on a weather map showing are equal sunshine are called isohels
Where does wind blow
It moves from areas of high pressure to areas of low pressure
Name the lines and weather map to join places are equal precipitation
Isohyet
Define the term warm fronts
Warm fronts are formed when warm air rises over a mass of cold air. As the warm air lifts into areas of lower pressure, it expands, cools and condenses the water vapour as wide, flat sheets of cloud. These clouds bring gentle rain.
Define the term cold front
cold front occurs where a cold air mass replaces a warmer air mass.
The cold air follows the warm air and gradually moves underneath it, pushing the warmer air upwards. When the warm air is pushed upwards, it will rain heavily. This is because as it rises quickly, moisture in the air condenses, forming rain clouds. As the cold front passes, the clouds roll by and the air temperature is cooler.
Define the term occluded front
Occluded fronts occur at the point where a cold front takes over a warm front or the other way around. Occluded tronts bring changeable weather conditions.
