Test 8 Flashcards
The basic cause of all weather
the sun
scientists who study the weather
meteorologists
the imaginary line running through the earth from North Pole to South Pole
axis
the air that we live in receives most of its warmth from
the ground
different seasons are caused by the ___ of the earth’s axis
tilt
winds are produced by ____ differences on the earth.
temperature
warm air is ___ than cool air
lighter
the earth’s surface spins at over ___ miles per hour
1,000
Be able to label these wind systems on the diagram of the earth. Mark with a star the two areas of the earth that have the most changeable weather
polar easterlies prevailing westerlies* (northeast) trade winds (southeast) trade winds prevailing westerlies* polar easterlies
The amount of water vapor that the air can hold at a given temperature is the ___ ____ of the air
relative humidity
the lowest possible temperature at which air is able to hold all of its water vapor
dew point
the process in which water vapor leaves the air and changes into liquid water is called
condensation
Air is saturated when the humidity of the air is ___ percent
100
water vapor that condenses to form liquid water on the ground is called ___
dew
water vapor that condenses and forms frozen water on the ground is called ___
frost
an ice crystal in a cloud becomes too heavy, falls, melts, and lands on the earth as liquid water
rain
falling ice crystals melt slightly, stick, and freeze together into snowflakes
wet snow
falling ice crystals melt into raindrops, then refreeze and land on earth as tiny pieces of ice
sleet
falling ice crystals melt, hit the earth as liquid rain, but refreeze as soon as they land
freezing rain
a small piece of ice is tossed up and down inside a cloud, forming several layers of ice, until it is too heavy and falls to earth
hail
puffy, bulgy clouds belong to the ___ family
cumulus
layers of flat clouds belong to the ___ family
stratus
wispy, curly clouds very high in the atmosphere belong to the ___ family
cirrus
sheets of clouds that often produce rain are ___ clouds
stratus
clouds made of very small ice crystals are ___ clouds
cirrus
“thunderhead” is another name for a ___ cloud
cumulonimbus
a term used to describe a cloud from which rain is falling is ___
nimbus
the broad, flat top of a cumulonimbus cloud is called an
anvil top
when opposite electrical charges build up in very tall clouds, ___ is produced
hail
the rapid expansion of superheated air causes shock waves that we hear as ___
thunder
the type of storm that packs the most destructive power into the smallest space
tornado
the calm region of very low air pressure in the center of a tornado
the eye
if a tornado has been spotted, meteorologists issue a tornado ___
warning
the thin channel of charged air through which a lightning bolt can travel
step leader
lightning bolts that do not come in contact with the ground but remain within the cloud
sheet lightning
the row of thunderheads that builds up in the front of advancing cold air
squall line
the boundary between two air masses
front
Write a paragraph describing five precautions you should take during a thunderstorm.
blah, blah, blah You need to figure this out.
