The Restless Atmosphere - Weather Flashcards
Explain condensation
Water vapour rises and cools. It condenses to form clouds into water droplets
Explain precipitation
Water released from clouds and comes back to Earth in the form of rain/snow/sleet
Explain run off
Water moves downhill across land return to the sea
Explain underground water
Water seeps into ground and is stored in rocks and soil
Explain how clouds are made
Clouds are made when water vapour condenses into tiny droplets
Give characteristics of cirrus clouds
They occur at a high altitude
Made of ice crystals
Bring fair weather
Give characteristics of cumulus clouds
Fluffy
Occurs at medium altitude
Bring fair weather
Bring rain if dark in colour
Give characteristics of stratus clouds
Occur at low altitude
Form thin layers that can block out sky
At ground level they are fog
Bring continual light rain
Explain precipitation
Means hail, sleet, snow, rain.
Explain how rain occurs and name three types
Rain occurs when warm air is forced to rise and it cools while rising. Condensation occurs and clouds form and rain occurs.
- Relief rainfall
- Frontal (cyclonic) rainfall
- Conventional rainfall
Explain relief rainfall
Warm air moves in from the sea
Hits mountain range and is forced to rise
Cools as it rises
Condensation occurs, clouds form and it starts to rain
Explain frontal rainfall
Warm and cold air masses meet at a front
Warm air rises over cold air mass
Warm air cools and condenses
Stratus clouds form and rain occurs
Explain convectional rainfall
Sun heats up the air
Heated air rises quickly
It cools and condenses
Cumulus clouds form and heavy rain ensues.
Give the seven things we can measure about the weather
Temperature Precipitation Sunshine Wind speed Wind direction Atmospheric pressure Humidity
Give what temperature is:
Measured with
Measured in
And how it is shown on a weather map
Thermometer
Degrees Celsius
Isotherms
Give what precipitation is:
Measured with
Measured in
And how it is shown on a weather map
Rain gauge
Millimetres
Isohyets
Give what sunshine is:
Measured with
Measured in
And how it is shown on a weather map
Campbell stokes sunshine recorder
Hours per day
Isohels
Give what atmospheric pressure is:
Measured with
Measured in
And how it is shown on a weather map
Barometer
Millibars
Isobars
Give what humidity is:
Measured with
Measured in
Measured with a hygrometer (wet and dry bulb thermometer )
Expressed as a %
What can you measure about the wind and how
You can measure wind speed,direction and strength
Speed- measured with anemometer in kilometres per hour
Direction- measured with wind vane
Strength- measured in the Beaufort scale
Explain evaporation
Energy from the sun change water from liquid to gas ( water vapour) in the atmosphere
What is a Stevenson screen
White box that houses a maximum and minimum thermometer and a hygrometer to measure temperature and humidity
