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Geography > Theme 2 - 2.4 - Weather > Flashcards

Theme 2 - 2.4 - Weather Flashcards

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1
Q

What are the design features of a Stevenson Screen and what are the reasons for this?

A
  • Above ground level -> Doesn’t receive heat form the ground
  • White -> Reflects solar radiation
  • Away from buildings -> Avoids heat or shadows
  • Slats -> Allows air to circulate
  • On grass -> Grass doesn’t reflect the sun’s heat much
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2
Q

What is a Stevenson Screen?

A

A wooden box standing on four legs in which instruments are kept for weather measurements.

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3
Q

Define weather.

A

The short-term changes and state of the atmosphere in regards to temperature, cloud cover, wind speed, precipitation, humidity, etc.

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4
Q

Define climate.

A

The average weather conditions that a region or country experiences over a number of years.

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5
Q

What instruments are found inside and outside a Stevenson Screen?

A 
INSIDE
• Thermometer
• Hygrometer
• Barometer
OUTSIDE
• Rain gauge
• Anemometer
• Wind vane
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6
Q

What is a barometer?

A
  • Measures air pressure
  • Kept inside Stevenson Screen
  • Has adjustable pointer to note the previous day’s pressure
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7
Q

What is air pressure measured in?

A

Millibars

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8
Q

What is a max./min. thermometer?

A
  • Records the maximum and minimum temperature of a day
  • Contains Mercury and alcohol
  • One side of the U-bend shows the max temperature, while the other shows the min temperature.
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9
Q

How does the maximum side of a max-min thermometer work?

A
  • When temperature rises, the mercury expands, pushing the metal index up the scale
  • When the temperature cools, the mercury contracts, but the index remains
  • The bottom of the metal index can be used to check the maximum temperature for that day
  • Magnet is used to reset pin
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10
Q

How does the minimum side of a max-min thermometer work?

A
  • When temperature cools, the alcohol contracts and its meniscus pulls the index up the tube
  • When the temperature rises, the alcohol expands, but leaves the metal index behind
  • The bottom of the index can be used to check the minimum temperature for that day
  • Magnet is used to reset pin
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11
Q

Check that you know how to read a max-min thermometer.

A

Online

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12
Q

What is a max-min thermometer used to calculate?

A

Calculating:
• Mean daily temperature
• Temperature range for the day

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13
Q

Which side of the pins is used when taking readings from a max-min thermometer?

A

Bottom

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14
Q

What is a wet/dry bulb thermometer (hygrometer)?

A
  • Measure air humidity
  • Has a wet and dry thermometer
  • Air humidity is calculated by looking at the difference between the two
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15
Q

What is the difference between a wet-bulb and a dry-bulb thermometer?

A
  • Dry-bulb -> Glass thermometer which measures the actual temperature
  • Wet-bulb -> Similar thermometer, but with the bulb enclosed in a muslin bag which dips into a bottle of water

The wet-bulb generally gives a lower reading, unless the humidity is near to 100%.

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16
Q

What is a rain gauge?

A
  • Measures rainfall
  • Consists of a cylindrical container, in which there is a collecting can containing a glass or plastic jar and a funnel which fits onto the top of the container
  • Placed on grass, so water doesn’t splash in
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17
Q

What is rainfall measured in?

A

mm

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18
Q

What is a wind vane?

A
  • Shows wind direction
  • Consists of a horizontal rotating arm pivoted on a vertical shaft
  • Compass points are used to show direction
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19
Q

In which direction is wind measured?

A

The direction the wind is coming from.

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20
Q

What is an anemometer?

A
  • Measures wind speed
  • Consists of three or four metal arms that rotate freely on a vertical shaft -> The faster the rotation, the faster the wind
  • Normally placed on top of buildings
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21
Q

Which way does a wind vane point?

A

The direction the wind is coming FROM.

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22
Q

What is a sunshine recorder?

A
  • Measures minutes of sunshine during the day
  • Can’t be in shade
  • Sun’s rays pass through a glass sphere, burning a path on a piece of paper. This shows when the Sun was in a specific place.
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23
Q

Define diurnal.

A

Daily

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24
Q

How does a barometer work?

A
  • Tube of mercury that is open is placed into a dish of mercury
  • The density of air above the dish is constantly changing
  • As air pressure increases, it pushes the mercury further up the tube
  • As air pressure decreases, the mercury sinks down the tube
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25
Q

Can digital instruments be use instead of normal ones when taking weather measurements?

A

Yes, they are more precise and give a reliable reading.

26
Q

How do clouds form?

A
  • Water on the ground evaporates and the air it is in cools as it rises
  • When the air cools below the dewpoint, the water condenses
  • It condenses around dust particles
  • As more and more condenses around a particle, a raindrop forms
  • If these become large enough, you can see them as a cloud or as fog
27
Q

What factors determine the name of a cloud?

A
  1. Height

2. Shape

28
Q

What are high clouds usually composed of?

A

Ice crystals

29
Q

What are medium clouds usually composed of?

A

• Water droplets
OR
• Mixture of water and ice crystals

30
Q

What are low clouds usually composed of?

A

Water droplets

Except cumulonimbus

31
Q

What is the height of the base of high clouds?

A

5500 - 14000m

32
Q

What is the height of the base of medium clouds?

A

2000 - 7000m

33
Q

What is the height of the base of low clouds?

A

Below 2000m

34
Q

What are the form main cloud types?

A
  • Nimbus
  • Stratus
  • Cumulus
  • Cirrus
35
Q

Name some high clouds.

A

• Cirrocumulus
• Cirrostratus
• Cirrus
(Cumulonimbus clouds can also grow very high)

36
Q

Name some medium clouds.

A
  • Altocumulus

* Altostratus

37
Q

Name some low clouds.

A
  • Stratus
  • Cumulus
  • Statocumulus
38
Q

What is special about cumulonimbus clouds?

A

The are very tall. Their base can be below 2000m but the top can reach 6000m. This makes it hard to classify them into a specific height category.

39
Q

What does the Latin word “cirro” mean?

A

Curl of hair

40
Q

What does the Latin word “cumulo” mean?

A

Heap or pile

41
Q

What does the Latin word “strato” mean?

A

Layer or sheet

42
Q

What does the Latin word “nimbo” mean?

A

Rain

43
Q

Describe cirrus clouds.

A
  • Very high level (12000m)

* Mimic curls of hair + very wispy

44
Q

What are cirro and alto used as a prefix for?

A

Cirro: Describing high clouds.
Alto: Describing medium clouds.

E.g. Cirrostratus are like stratus clouds except very high up

45
Q

Describe cumulus clouds.

A
  • Low level (Below 2000m)
  • Fluffy cotton-ball-like
  • Look detached
46
Q

Describe status clouds.

A
  • Low level (Below 2000m)

* Hazy layer without a shape

47
Q

Describe altostratus clouds.

A
  • Medium level

* Like stratus clouds, but slightly higher up

48
Q

Describe cirrostratus clouds.

A
  • High level

* Like stratus clouds, but very high up

49
Q

Describe nimbostratus clouds.

A
  • Low level
  • Layered clouds
  • Produce precipitation
50
Q

Describe cumulonimbus clouds.

A
  • Extends from low level to high levels of the troposphere

* Known as thunderstorm clouds

51
Q

Describe cirrocumulus clouds.

A
  • High level
  • Resemble a shoal of fish
  • Fluffy
52
Q

Describe altocumulus clouds.

A
  • Medium level
  • Like cirrocumulus but lower
  • Fluffy
53
Q

Describe stratocumulus clouds.

A
  • Low level

* In layers + fluffy

54
Q

Remember to practice cloud types.

A

Google an image which has to be labelled + Pg 49 of revision guide

55
Q

What are the 4 types of cloud you need to know?

A
  • Stratus
  • Cumulus
  • Cirrus
  • Cumulonimbus
56
Q

How is cloud cover calculated?

A
  • A mirror is divided into squares and it is placed on the ground
  • Count the number of squares completely or partially covered by cloud
  • Repeat several times to avoid anomalies
  • Calculate a percentage cloud cover
  • Convert this to oktas
57
Q

What is the unit for cloud cover?

A

Oktas

58
Q

What is an okta?

A

An eighth of the sky in cloud cover.

59
Q

What does each number of oktas mean?

A 
0 - Complete absence of cloud
1 - 1/8th cloud cover or less
2 - 2/8th cloud cover
3 - 3/8th cloud cover
4 - 4/8th cloud cover
5 - 5/8th cloud cover
6 - 6/8th cloud cover
7 - 7/8th cloud cover or more
8 - Complete cloud cover
9 - Sky obscured for some reason (e.g. fog)
60
Q

Remember to revise wind roses, dispersion diagrams and climate graphs.

A

Online + Pg 50 of revision guide

Geography (20 decks)

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