Brainscape's Knowledge GenomeTM

Browse over 1 million classes created by top students, professors, publishers, and experts.


See full index

Weather and Climate > Weather and Climate: Ch. 1 > Flashcards

Weather and Climate: Ch. 1 Flashcards

1
Q

___ likely has the greatest variety of weather in the world

A

U.S.

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

Study of the atmosphere and its phenomena

A

Meteorology

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

State of atmosphere at a given time and place

A

Weather

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

Weather is always _______

A

changing

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

Average of all weather data

A

Climate

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

Climate helps describe environment of a ________ or _______

A

place or region

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

Climate includes _________

A

extremas

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

What are the 6 Elements of Weather and Climate

A
  1. Air temperature
  2. Humidity
  3. Type and amount of cloudiness
  4. Type and amount of precipitation
  5. Pressure
  6. Speed and direction of wind
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

Annual average of about __ lives lost in U.S. due to weather events

A

500

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

1 killer world wide

A

Excessive heat

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

Almost half the lives taken due to weather events in the US are due to _________ ____

A

excessive heat

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

NOAA

A

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (Weather Radio)

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

What is the NOAA’s maximum range?

A

40 miles

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

Issued by Storm Prediction Center when hazardous weather is considered possible (counties)

A

Weather Watch

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

Issued by National Weather Service when hazardous weather is imminent or taking place

A

Weather Warning

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

Who issues Weather Warnings?

A
  • local stations
  • Springfield’s comes from Lincoln, IL)
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
17
Q

What are Earth’s 4 spheres?

A
  • Atmosphere
  • Hydrosphere
  • Lithosphere
  • Biosphere
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
18
Q

Life-giving gases that surrounds Earth

A

Atmosphere

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
19
Q

Earth and atmosphere waters

A

Hydrosphere

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
20
Q

Soils and rocks that make up Earth’s crust

A

Lithosphere

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
21
Q

All living things

A

Biosphere

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
22
Q

Collection of numerous interacting parts, or subsystems, that form a complex whole

A

System

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
23
Q

What 2 sources power the Earth System?

A
  • Sun drives external processes
  • Earth’s interior drives internal processes
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
24
Q

Mixture of many gases

A

Air

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
25
Q

What happens to air in the atmosphere?

A

Tiny solid and liquid particles are suspended

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
26
Q

Earth’s atmosphere is a _____, gaseous envelope

A

thin

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
27
Q

What are the Earth’s nonvariable elements in the atmosphere?

A
  • 78% Nitrogen (N2)
  • 21% Oxygen (O2)
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
28
Q

What are the Earth’s variable elements in the atmosphere?

A
  • Carbon dioxide (CO2)
  • Water Vapor (H2O)
  • Ozone
  • Aresols
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
29
Q

Characteristics of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere

A
  • important greenhouse gas
  • traps a portion of Earth’s outgoing energy
  • keeps us warm
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
30
Q

Characteristics of water vapor in the atmosphere

A
  • invisible gas that varies
  • provides clouds and precipitation
  • important greenhouse gas
  • absorbs heat
  • releases large amounts of latent heat
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
31
Q

Characteristics of Ozone in the atmosphere

A
  • stratosphere
  • protects life from harmful ultraviolet (UV) radiation
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
32
Q

Characteristics of aerosols in the atmosphere

A
  • Tiny solid or liquid suspended particles
  • surface for water vapor to condense (clouds)
  • absorb and reflect incoming solar radiation
  • contribute to atmosphere optics (sunset)
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
33
Q

Characteristics of Pressure

A
  • Weight of air molecules on Earth
  • Decreases with increasing height
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
34
Q

What is Standard Value (at sea level)?

A

1013.25 mb used on surface weather maps

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
35
Q

What is Earth’s average surface temperature?

A

59℉ (15℃)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
36
Q

Where does almost all weather occur?

A

troposphere

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
37
Q

What is the troposphere’s average altitude?

A

7.5 miles

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
38
Q

What is the lowest layer of the atmosphere?

A

Troposphere

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
39
Q

At what temperature does temperature decrease at in the troposphere?

A

decreases at an average of 3.5℉ / 1000m (6.5℃ / 1000m)

40
Q

In the troposphere, decrease in air temperature with increasing height:

A

Sunlight warms earth’s surface, and surface warms air above it

41
Q

Air temperature increases with height

A

Temperature inversion

42
Q

Characteristics of a Radiosonde

A
  • Instrument collects weather data above surface
  • Carried by a balloon to altitude of 10,000 ft
43
Q

How far does the stratosphere extend?

A

about 30 miles above the surface

44
Q

In the stratosphere, temperature increases with ______

A

height

45
Q

What is ideal in the stratosphere because of weather?

A

jet travel

46
Q

high winds that guide storm systems

A

jet stream

47
Q

Where is the jet stream?

A

stratosphere

48
Q

Where is the ozone layer?

A

stratosphere

49
Q

How far does the mesosphere extend above the surface?

A

about 50 miles above the surface

50
Q

“Hot layer”

A

Thermosphere

51
Q

Why is the thermosphere called the “hot layer”?

A

because oxygen molecules absorb solar rays

52
Q

Auroras found here

A

Ionosphere

53
Q

Wind blows due to ________ differences in pressure

A

horizontal

54
Q

Greater the difference in pressure = _______ _____

A

stronger winds

55
Q

Winds blow from _____ pressure to _____ pressure

A

high to low

56
Q

What are the 2 types of pressure systems?

A
  • Highs (or anticyclones)
  • Lows (or cyclones)
57
Q

higher air pressure compared to surrounding areas

A

H or HIGH

58
Q

lower air pressure compared to surrounding areas

A

L or LOW

59
Q

Characteristics of high pressure systems

A
  • fair weather systems
  • surface winds blow clockwise and out (Northern hemisphere)
  • calm conditions typical
60
Q

Characteristics of low pressure systems

A
  • Storms weather systems
  • cloudy and unsettled weather
  • surface winds blow counterclockwise and in (Northern hemisphere)
61
Q

Highs and lows generally more ____ across US

A

east

62
Q

Highs follow _____

A

lows

63
Q

lows follow ____

A

highs

64
Q

converting a liquid to gas (water vapor)

A

Evaporation

65
Q

Characteristics of condensation

A
  • water vapor changes to liquid state
  • air is cooled
  • clouds, fog, frost, dew
66
Q

Water in a liquid or solid form atmosphere to surface

A

Precipitation

67
Q

Types of precipitation

A

rain, snow, hail

68
Q

Temperature must be cooled for clouds and precipitation to form

A

Saturation

69
Q

Temperature at which water vapor condenses

A

dew point temperature

70
Q

Air temp =

A

dew point

71
Q

air is saturated:

A

clouds, fog, frost, dew

72
Q

huge volume of air that is relatively uniform in temp and humidity

A

Air masses

73
Q

Narrow zone of transition between air masses

A

Fronts

74
Q

Fronts differ in …

A

temp, humidity, or both

75
Q

Fronts form where ________ air masses meet

A

contrasting

76
Q

Air movements often produce…

A

cloudiness and precipitation

77
Q

How is a warm front formed?

A

by advancing WARM AIR

78
Q

Warm fronts have ______ lifting

A

gradual

79
Q

In a warm front, clouds and precipitation are …

A

light to moderate

80
Q

Where do clouds and precipitation occur in a warm front?

A

over a broad area

81
Q

How is a cold front formed?

A

by advancing COLD AIR

82
Q

Cold fronts have ______ lifting

A

rapid

83
Q

In a cold front, most clouds and precipitation occur as a …

A

narrow band along or just ahead of front

84
Q

Cold and warm fronts are anchored at ______ of a _______ pressure system

A

center; low

85
Q

If pressure code begins with a number between 0 and 5, add a __

A

10

86
Q

If pressure code begins with a number between 6 and 9, add a __

A

9

87
Q

Add a ______ before last digit of pressure codes

A

decimal

88
Q

Pressure code: 356

A

1035.6 mb

89
Q

Pressure code: 865

A

986.5 mb

90
Q

Can give advance warning of a tornado before a funnel touches the ground

A

Doppler Radar

91
Q

Give a view of Earth from space

A

Satellites

92
Q

UTC

A

Universal Coordinated Time

93
Q

UTC is commonly called …

A

“zulu” time

94
Q

Observations around world at same time

A

Universal Coordinated Time

95
Q

For Springfield, Il, what is the formula for standard time

A

z - 6 hours

96
Q

For Springfield, Il, what is the formula for daylight savings time

A

z - 5 hours

97
Q

When is Daylight Savings Time

A

2nd Sunday in March to 1st Sunday in November

Weather and Climate (11 decks)

Brainscape helps you reach your goals faster, through stronger study habits.
© 2024 Bold Learning Solutions. Terms and Conditions