Unit 5: Weather and Climate Warm ups Flashcards
study study study
Fwhat is the difference between weather and climate?
weather- short-term atmospheric conditions in a given place at a given time
climate- average weather conditions in a region over a long period of time
what are the 4 spheres of influence on Earth
atmosphere-gasses
hydrosphere-water
geosphere- earth or ground
biosphere-life
What is radiation
transfer of thermal energy from one material to another by electromagnetic waves
How does most thermal energy in the atmosphere move
convection
what causes air to move in the atmosphere
differences in pressure
air moves from high pressure to low pressure
what role does air circulation play in cloud formation
Clouds form as a result of the water cycle as air rises and cools. it then condenses on dust and pollution particles in the sky to form clouds
how is most weather driven?
by ocean currents
Wladimir Koppen’s weather classification system tracked what three things?
temp
precipitation
native vegetation
what were the 5 main climates that Koppen identified
tropical
dry
temperate
continental
polar/alpine
What are some main factors that determine climate
latitude of location (areas closer to equator are warmer)
large bodies of water (weather more constant because of specific heat capacity)
altitude (mountainous areas are rainy or snowy)
buildings and concrete (when retaining solar energy, their temp increases)
why is albedo an important factor when it comes to weather
Since albedo is the reflectivity of a surface, the more reflective a surface is, the less solar energy is absorbed and the more light energy that is retflected out to space
What is a greenhouse gas and the greenhouse effect
Greenhouse Gas- a gas in the atmosphere that absorbs Earth’s outgoing IR.
Greenhouse effect- helps trap heat from the Sun, which keeps the temp. on Earth comfortable. A buildup in these gases can make it warmer than normal
what is specific heat
amount of thermal energy needed to raise temp of 1 KG of a material by 1 degree celsius
how is heat distributed on our planet
Through global winds
what are the global wind belts and what are their names
patterns of wind around the globe in convection cells
polar easterlies
westerlies
trade winds
how do jet streams impact weather
jet streams are narrow bands of high speed wind high in the troposphere that move from west to east.
They move cold air from the poles toward the tropics and warm air from the tropics toward the poles.
what are low and high pressure systems
low pressure systems= systems of circulating air with low pressure at the center. (rising air )
high pressure systems= systems of circulating air with high pressure at the center (sinking air)
what weather is typically associated with low pressure vs. high pressure
low= precipitation, rain, or snow because rising air forms clouds
high= clear skies, fair weather and dry because the H pressure is sinking
what are air masses
large areas of air that have uniform temp. , humidity, and pressure
what are the air mass classifications
air masses are classified by temp. and moisture
Arctic
CP (continental polar)
CT(continental tropical)
MT(maritime tropical)
MP(maritime polar)
what are fronts
boundaries between two air masses
How does wind transfer energy to form surface currents
there is friction generated by the wind. As wind drags across the war, it forces the water to move.
what is a gyre and how are they different in the northern and southern hemispheres
gyre= large circular system of ocean currents.
Gyres in the northern hemisphere circle clockwise
Gyres in the southern hemisphere circle counterclockwise.
what are the most destructive storms on earth
tropical cyclones
