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FTCE Science > Weather and Climate > Flashcards

Weather and Climate Flashcards

1
Q

Condensation

A

a phase change from the gas state to the liquid state

Example: humidity condensing on a cold glass of tea

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2
Q

Stationary Fronts

A

Fronts that forms when a cold air mass and a warm air mass meet; brings lingering precipitation

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3
Q

Cirrocumulus clouds

A

high clouds; thin, patchy, grainy appearance; indicate fair weather

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4
Q

Lenticular Clouds

A

lens-shaped clouds which usually form over the peaks of hills or mountains

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5
Q

Water Cycle / Hydrologic Cycle

A

the process by which water circulates between the earth and the atmosphere

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6
Q

Evaporation

A

a phase change from the liquid state to the gas state

Example: water boils at 100°C at sea level

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7
Q

Mammatus Clouds

A

one of the ten main varieties of clouds which has pouch-like shapes hanging from the bottom due to the movement of cold air

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8
Q

Humidity

A

a measure of the amount of water vapor in the air

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9
Q

Percolate

A

to travel from the surface to groundwater through the spaces between soil and rock particles

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10
Q

Water Table

A

the level below which the soil and rock remain saturated with water

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11
Q

Southern Hemisphere

A

The half of the earth south of the equator

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12
Q

Lonosphere

A

a layer of ions and free electrons in the atmosphere; can reflect and direct radio waves

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13
Q

Precipitation

A

water which falls to the earth due to gravity

Example: rain, snow, sleet, hail

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14
Q

Mid-Level Clouds

A

clouds at an altitude between 6,500 and 23,000 feet above earth’s surface; includes altocumulus, altostratus, and nimbostratus clouds

Example: altostratus clouds

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15
Q

High Clouds

A

clouds at an altitude between 16,500 and 45,000 feet above the earth’s surface; includes cirrus, cirrostratus, and cirrocumulus clouds

Example: cirrus clouds

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16
Q

Coriolis Effect

A

A curving of the flow of wind or water caused by Earth’s rotation; to the right in the northern hemisphere, to the left in the southern hemisphere.

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17
Q

Surface Current

A

a river-like flow of water of different temperature within Earth’s oceans

Example: Humboldt Current

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18
Q

Air Pressure / Atmospheric Pressure

A

the force exerted on an area due to the weight of the air in the atmosphere above

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19
Q

Clouds

A

a formation created when water vapor in the atmosphere condenses into liquid or ice crystals

Example: cumulus clouds

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20
Q

Thermosphere

A

a very thin layer of atmosphere which has high temperatures; contains the ionosphere and exosphere

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21
Q

Greenhouse Gases

A

gases which, when present in elevated quantities in Earth’s atmosphere, trap solar radiation and cause the planet to warm

Example: carbon dioxide

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22
Q

Orographic Clouds

A

clouds which are formed from mountains, hills, or sea breezes moving air

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23
Q

Atmosphere

A

the gases surrounding the surface of the earth

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24
Q

Troughs (on a Weather Map)

A

areas where air is turbulent and unstable; signified on a weather map by a black line

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25
Maritime Tropical Air Mass (mT)
A warm, moist air mass that formed over tropical oceans
26
Ozone Layer
a layer of ozone in the stratosphere that blocks harmful ultraviolet radiation from reaching the earth's surface
27
Exosphere
a layer in the atmosphere which provides a boundary between the thermosphere and outer space
28
Water Vapor
water in the gas phase
29
Continental Polar Air Mass (cP)
A cold, dry air mass that formed over polar landmasses
30
Meteoroids
small bodies of debris from space which move into Earth's atmosphere and can then turn into meteors
31
Surface Runoff
water which flows over the surface of the earth to a body of water
32
Transpiration
process of evaporation in which water exits as vapor from the surface of plant leaves
33
Stratus Clouds
low clouds; misty, foggy clouds; indicate fair but gloomy weather
34
Cold Fronts
boundaries of an advancing mass of cold air; signified on a weather map by a blue line with blue triangles
35
Cumulus Clouds
low clouds; fluffy, cotton-like appearance; indicate fair weather
36
Mesosphere
the coldest layer in the atmosphere; protects the earth from meteoroids
37
Occluded Fronts
When a warm air mass gets stuck between two cold air masses and lifted away from the Earth's surface. Causes dropping temperatures and rain; signified on a weather map by purple lines with purple triangles and semicircles next to each other.
38
Continental Tropical (cT)
A warm, dry air mass that formed over tropical landmasses
39
Stratocumulus Clouds
low clouds; patchy, gray or white appearance; indicate an incoming storm
40
Isobars
lines on a weather map connecting two areas of similar barometric pressure
41
Cirrostratus Clouds
high clouds; veil-like, thin clouds that cover the whole sky; seen in winter; cause a halo effect around the sun; indicate incoming rain or snow
42
Troposphere
the layer of gases closest to the earth where weather occurs
43
Aquifer
an underground body of water-saturated rock Example: Ogallala aquifer
44
Ultraviolet Radiation
radiant energy which can heat up the planet and damage the cells of living organisms
45
Continental Arctic Air Mass (cA)
A frigid, dry air mass that formed over arctic landmasses
46
Low Clouds
clouds at an altitude below 6,500 feet; includes cumulus, stratus, cumulonimbus, and stratocumulus clouds Example: stratus clouds
47
Surface Water
water held on the surface of the earth Example: lake
48
Contrails
clouds formed from condensed water vapor from the exhaust of jet planes
49
Synoptic Chart
a weather map which includes pressure patterns, fronts, wind direction, and speed
50
Jet Streams
strong eastward winds in the stratosphere which blow horizontally around the earth
51
Warm Fronts
boundaries of an advancing mass of warm air; signified on a weather map by a red line with red semicircles
52
Cumulonimbus Clouds
multi-level clouds; impressive, towering appearance; indicate thunderstorms and severe weather
53
Nimbostratus Clouds
low-level to mid-level clouds; dark, misty clouds that cover the whole sky; indicate rain or snow
54
Northern Hemisphere
The half of the earth north of the equator
55
Air Masses
Regions of warm or cold, wet or dry air that tend to move as a unit across Earth's surface, carrying their temperature and humidity compositions with them
56
Altostratus Clouds
mid-level clouds; gray clouds that cover the whole sky; indicate rain or snow
57
Maritime Polar Air Mass (mP)
A cold, moist air mass that formed over polar oceans
58
Stratosphere
the layer above the troposphere; contains jet streams and the ozone layer
59
Altocumulus Clouds
mid-level clouds; layered, patchy clouds; indicate fair weather
59
Groundwater
water below the earth's surface held in the spaces between rock and soil particles Example: aquifer
60
Cirrus Clouds
high clouds; feathery clouds made mostly of ice crystals; indicate a change in the weather

FTCE Science (15 decks)

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