Brainscape's Knowledge GenomeTM

Browse over 1 million classes created by top students, professors, publishers, and experts.


See full index

Earth & Environmental Science > Test: Weather > Flashcards

Test: Weather Flashcards

You may prefer our related Brainscape-certified flashcards:
Biology 101 flashcards
0
Q

what two things classify an air mass?

A

temperature and amount of moisture

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
1
Q

define an air mass.

A

air mass- a large body of air with similar characteristics throughout.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

define front.

A

when two air masses meet & form a border

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

what is a cold front?

A

when a cold air mass meets a warm air mass

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

what type of weather do cold fronts bring?

A

rain develops and thunderstorms occur.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

what is a warm front?

A

when a warm air mass catches up to a cold air mass.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

what kind of weather do warm fronts bring?

A

clear skies

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

what is a stationary front?

A

a front that stops moving.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

what time of weather do stationary fronts bring?

A

causes constant snow or rainfall leading to several inches of snow or it could even cause a flood.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

what symbol is used for warm fronts?

A

red, semi circles

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

what symbol is used for cold fronts?

A

blue, triangles

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

what are the lines in a pressure diagram called?

A

isobars

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

winds always blow from ________.

A

high pressure to low pressure

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

what is the instrument that measures air pressure?

A

barometer

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

how does a barometer work?

A

when the mercury is high, there is high pressure. when the mercury is low, there is low pressure

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

what direction do polar easteries blow?

A

east to west

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

what direction do the westerlies blow?

A

west to east

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
17
Q

what zone is windless?

A

the doldrums

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
18
Q

polar easterlies have the strongest winds because of the __________

A

Coriolis effect

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
19
Q

relative humidity is relative to ____________.

A

what’s happening in the atmosphere

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
20
Q

which is more active? relative humidity or dew point?

A

dew point

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
21
Q

what is water that evaporates from the leaves on trees?

A

transpiration

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
22
Q

what is condensation?

A

water droplets forming together

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
23
Q

what is evaporation?

A

water turning into a gas and rising into the atmosphere

24
Q

how does a front create pressure?

A

they bring clouds and precipitation that affect the pressure.

25
Q

what is the coriolis effect?

A

the apparent deflection of objects moving in a straight path relative to the earth’s surface

26
Q

how does the Coriolis effect create wind?

A

the spinning of the earth in relation to the gas molecules creates wind

27
Q

describe the trade winds

A

air movement towards the equators, caused from cold air sinking and warm air rising, Coriolis effect makes the trade winds appear to be curving to the rest

28
Q

describe the prevailing westerlies

A

winds are named from the direction in which they originate, between 30-60 degrees latitude

29
Q

what are isobars?

A

lines that show pressure.

30
Q

how do you know if the winds will be fast or slow?

A

the closer together the lines are, the faster the winds are. the farther they apart, the slower the winds are.

31
Q

what is the difference between relative and absolute humidity?

A

relative humidity is the percent of water in the air compared t how much it can hold, and absolute humidity is the exact physical amount of water in the air.

32
Q

what is dew point?

A

the temperature at which air can longer “hold” all of the water vapor and it condenses to liquid form

33
Q

when will dew point be higher?

A

when there is more water in the air

34
Q

what type of weather is expected in a low pressure system?

A

bad weather- precipitations, produces clouds, tropical storms and hurricanes

35
Q

what type of weather is expected in a high pressure system?

A

clear skies and calm weather

36
Q

what is a tornado?

A

a violent windstorm that takes the shape of a column of air during a severe thunderstorm

37
Q

when are tornadoes most common?

A

spring; May is the most common month

38
Q

why are tornadoes most common in the United States?

A

because of our unique geography (humid, hot air rising north that collides with cold, dry air moving south)

39
Q

what scale is used to measure tornadoes?

A

the Fujita intensity scale

40
Q

what could happen if someone experiences an F-1 tornado?

A

chimneys could be damaged, tree branches would break, and shallow-rooted trees would topple.

41
Q

what could happen if someone experiences an F-5 tornado?

A

houses can be lifted from foundation, trees are completely debarked, automobile-sized debris becomes airborne

42
Q

how fast does wind have to be blowing to be considered a hurricane?

A

at least 74 mph

43
Q

where do hurricanes form?

A

over very warm ocean water

44
Q

when are hurricanes most common?

A

in September because ocean waters are warmest

45
Q

what is the calmest part of a hurricane called?

A

the eye

46
Q

where is the heaviest wind and rain in a hurricane?

A

the eye wall

47
Q

what scale is used to classify a hurricane?

A

the saffir-simpson scale

48
Q

compare a category 1 hurricane to a category 5 hurricane.

A
  • category one: coastal flooding, damages unanchored mobile homes
  • category five: complete building failures, all trees blown down
49
Q

what is the difference between a cyclone and an anticyclone??

A

an anticyclone is a high pressure system and a cyclone is a low pressure system.

50
Q

what is an occluded front?

A

a boundary between cool, cold and warm air masses.

51
Q

When it is hot enough, most water molecules will be in ______ form in the atmosphere.

A

Gas

52
Q

How much of the sun’s energy warms the land and oceans?

A

Four tenths

53
Q

What is the main cause of the coriolis effect?

A

Earth’s rotation; counter clockwise on its axis

54
Q

What is pressure in the atmosphere measured in?

A

Millibars (mb)

55
Q

What is pressure?

A

Force per unit of area exerted on the Earth’s surface by the weight of the air above the surface

56
Q

What two things are pressure associated with?

A

Weather patterns and wind

57
Q

Air masses form over _____ and dry air masses form over _____.

A

Water, land

Earth & Environmental Science (9 decks)

Brainscape helps you reach your goals faster, through stronger study habits.
© 2024 Bold Learning Solutions. Terms and Conditions