The Atomsphere Flashcards
What is the atmosphere made up of?
Various gases, including nitrogen and oxygen
Name 4 reasons why the atmosphere is important.
- provides us with the air we breathe 2. absorbs heat from the sun by day 3. retains heat at night 4. protects us from harmful rays of sun
What is the bottom layer of the atmosphere called. b) name 2 facts about it
Troposphere b) it is 12cm thick and over 75% of earths gases are found here.
What is the atmosphere?
A blanket of air, which we call the atmosphere surrounds the earth.
Name the 2 types of Rays
Vertical and oblique
Give 3 points on vertical Rays
•at the equator • sun is high in sky • sun rays are shining on small area of land
Give 3 points on oblique Rays
• closer to North and south poles • sun is at lower angle • sun covers large area, less heat
Ireland in summer….
Longer days, warmer weather
Ireland in winter…..
Shorter days, colder weather
How are winds formed
• when the air is heated it expands and becomes lighter. It rises and creates an area of low atmospheric pressure (LP). • when air is cooled, it becomes heavier and descends. It creates an area of (HP). • air moves from high pressure areas to low pressure
Name 4 facts about wind. ( very important)
1) winds are named in the direction they blow in. 2) the wind that is most frequent in an area is called prevailing winds. 3) winds that blow from the equator towards the poles are warm winds. 4) winds that blow from the poles toward the equator are cold winds
What is the coriolis effect?
As the earth spins on its axes there’s a change in direction of winds.
Name where Ireland’s prevailing winds come from.
South easterly
What are doldrums
Areas close to the equator where the wind speeds are very low or they have died out entirely
What does the movement of ocean currents result from?
-Unequal heating of the oceans - the prevailing winds - rotation of the earth
Name the 3 types of currents
North Atlantic Drift Canaries Current Labrador Current
Describe one of the ocean currents.
North Atlantic Drift • warm current • flows from Gulf of Mexico to Western Europe Coasts • raises temperature of Ireland by 8oc, Ireland has milder climate and brings rainfall
What is an air mass
A body of air which have similar temperature, pressure and moisture
Name the 4 types of air masses and one fact on each,
- Maritime// brings rain because travels over sea 2. Condinental// are dry, travel over land 3. Polar// cold 4. Tropical // warm
What is a front
The boundary between 2 air masses
What front is this? Blue triangles are sign. Explain how it works.
Cold front •Cold air pushed in and replaces warm air. • warm forced to rise, it cools and condenses = heavy rainfall.
What type of front is this? Blue triangle Explain how it works.
Warm front • warm air approaches cold air. Cold air is too heavy so the warm air rises on top. • warm air cools and condenses = dark clouds and heavy rain.
What front is this? Explain what happens?
Occluded front
• when a cold front overtakes a warm air mass and pushes it upward leaving no warm air.c
Name 4 things on weather maps
Isobars, isotherms,isoheyts and isohels
Explain what an isobar is
Lines joking places of equal pressure. Drawn at intervals of 4 millibars. If drawn closely together= strong winds, if drawn father apart = light wind
What are isotherms ?
Lines jointing equal temperature
What are isohels
Lines jointing equal sunshine
What are isoheyts
Lines joining equal rainfall
Describe the weather associated with this picture. And name it.
Weather associated with depression are there is windy and unsettled weather. Cloudy conditions, lots of rain and in winter, snow.
Describe the weather associated with this picture. And name it.
In the summer there are few clouds, strong sunshine and light winds. In the winter there are cloudless skies, temperature deep, making the days cold. Fog and frost form at night.
Explain the water cycle
A// evaporation….. Energy from the sun changes water from a liquid to a fade. B// condensation……as water vapour rises it cools and condenses into tiny water droplets to form clouds. C// precipitation…..water falls from clouds and returns to land in form of rain, snow, sleet D// run off.. Water moves downhill, across land to return to the sea.
Name the 3 types of clouds. And 3 points on each
Cirrus… • wispy • high altitude • fair weather Cumulus…. • fluffy • medium altitude •. If dark, can bring rain Stratus • low altitude • thin layers (blocks out sky) • bring light rain
