weather and clinate Flashcards
What occurs when warm air and cool air meet each other?
Frontal rainfall occurs when warm air and cool air meet each other.
Warm air rises above cool air, leading to saturation and heavy rainfall.
What is atmospheric pressure?
Atmospheric pressure is the pressure of the air pressing down on everything around it.
This pressure is caused by the weight of the air being pulled in by gravity.
What happens to air pressure as air warms?
As air warms, it ascends, leading to low pressure at the surface.
What happens to air pressure as air cools?
As air cools, it descends, leading to high pressure at the surface.
What forms on grass when the ground gets cold at night?
Dew forms on grass when the ground gets cold at night.
What causes fog?
Fog is caused when water vapor condenses on dust.
What is frost?
Frost occurs when water vapor condenses and freezes on cold surfaces.
What are air masses?
Air masses are huge blocks of air that can be cold or warm depending on their origin.
What happens when a cold air mass enters a place?
The place experiences cold dry weather.
What happens when a warm moist air mass enters a place?
The place becomes wet and damp.
What is a front?
The leading edge of an air mass is called a front.
What is climate?
Climate is the average weather condition of a place for a long time.
What influences climate based on latitude?
Equatorial regions receive direct sunlight, while polar regions receive less energy due to a larger area of sunray impact.
What effect does the tilting of the Earth’s axis have?
It gives rise to seasons.
How does distance from the sea influence climate?
Coastal areas have a moderate climate compared to interior land due to the influence of sea breeze.
What can cause rain based on wind direction?
If the wind direction is from ocean to land, it can cause rain.
How do ocean currents affect nearby places?
Warm ocean currents can warm nearby places, while cold currents can have a cooling effect.
What happens to temperature as altitude increases?
For every 100 m increase in altitude, temperature falls by 1 degree Celsius.
What are the characteristics of the tropical zone?
The tropical zone is warm and wet all year round, located around the Equator.
What creates wind?
Wind is created when warm air above land expands and rises, causing cooler air to rush in.
What process forms clouds?
Clouds form when water vapor in the air condenses into water droplets or ice crystals.
What types of precipitation can occur when the air is very cold?
Snow, sleet, and hail stones can occur when the air is very cold.
Where does most weather happen in the atmosphere?
Most of the weather happens in the troposphere, the lowest layer of the atmosphere.
What is convectional rainfall?
Convectional rainfall occurs when heated air from the Earth’s surface rises with water vapor and condenses at higher altitudes.
What is orographic rainfall?
Orographic rainfall is precipitation produced when mountains act as barriers to airflow, forcing moist air to rise and cool.
