Weather and Climate Flashcards

You may prefer our related Brainscape-certified flashcards:
1
Q

What is the weather?

A

Day to day changes in the atmosphere at a given time and place

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

What is climate?

A

Long-term weather pattern of an area (total of average weather conditions recorded over 30 years)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

What variables are measured for weather?

A

Temperature, precipitation, wind speed/direction, cloud cover and air pressure.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

What variables are measured for climate?

A

Temperature, precipitation and wind.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

Define temperature, the measuring equipment used to work it out, and the units it is measured in.

A

Exactly how hot or cold it is, Thermometer, and °C/°F

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

Define precipitation, the measuring equipment used to work it out, and the units it is measured in.

A

Water falling from the sky in any form, Rain Gauge, and Millimetres

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

Define humidity, the measuring equipment used to work it out, and the units it is measured in.

A

The amount of water vapour held in the air, Hygrometer, and a Percentage

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

Define wind speed, the measuring equipment used to work it out, and the units it is measured in.

A

How fast the wind is blowing, Anemometer, and Kilometres per hour

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

Define wind direction, the measuring equipment used to work it out, and the units it is measured in.

A

Where the wind is blowing from, Wind Vane, and Compass Points

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

Define air pressure, the measuring equipment used to work it out, and the units it is measured in.

A

How heavy the air is around us, Barometer, and Millibars

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

Define cloud type.

A

These can tell us something about the weather higher in the atmosphere

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

Define cloud cover, the measuring equipment used to work it out, and the units it is measured in.

A

How much of the sky is covered with cloud, Okta Index Cover and Oktas.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

Starting from the ground, what is the order of the five layers of the atmosphere?

A

Troposphere, stratosphere, mesosphere, thermosphere and exosphere.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

What happens in the troposphere?

A

Contains half of Earth’s atmosphere and weather occurs in this layer.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

What happens in the stratosphere?

A

Many aeroplanes fly here, because it is very stable. The ozone layer absorbs harmful rays from the Sun.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

What happens in the mesosphere?

A

Meteors and rock fragments burn up here.

17
Q

What happens in the thermosphere?

A

It’s the layer with auroras and where the space shuttle orbits.

18
Q

What happens in the exosphere?

A

This is the layer where the atmosphere merges into space, and is extremely thin.

19
Q

What is an air mass?

A

An air mass is a big lump of atmosphere

20
Q

What is the sea surface temperature?

A

The water temperature of the surface of the ocean.

21
Q

What is the water cycle?

A

A never ending transfer of water between sea, air and land

22
Q

What does an input mean?

A

Something entering the system

23
Q

What does an output mean?

A

Something leaving the system

24
Q

What is a flow or transfer?

A

Movement in the system

25
Q

What is a store?

A

Something held in the system

26
Q

What is a reservoir?

A

A large lake where water is stored (normally man-made)

27
Q

What is a surface runoff?

A

Water flowing over the ground (e.g. rivers)

28
Q

What is evaporation?

A

Water changing from a liquid to a gas (water vapour)

29
Q

What is groundwater?

A

Water held underground in soil or in rock

30
Q

What is transpiration?

A

Water released from plant leaves into the atmosphere

31
Q

What is condensation?

A

Water changing from a gas to a liquid (water droplets)

32
Q

How are clouds formed?

A

When air at ground level rises due to heat and the water vapour inside cools. The droplets form together but stay spaced out so that the cloud can float.

33
Q

What are synoptic charts?

A

Charts of surface pressure. They help meteorologists predict the weather.

34
Q

What are isobars?

A

Lines joining areas of equal pressure

35
Q

What happens when air is rising?

A

There’s less force pressing down on us, so the air pressure falls.

36
Q

What happens when air is sinking?

A

Air pressure rises