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Earth Science > Weather, Water, Climate > Flashcards

Weather, Water, Climate Flashcards

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1
Q

Radiation

A

Radiation is the emission or transmission of energy in the form of waves or particles through space or through a material medium

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2
Q

Conduction

A

Conduction is the transfer of heat energy from atom to atom or molecule to molecule when vibrating atoms or molecules collide

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3
Q

Convection

A

Convection is the transfer of heat by movement in fluids, gases, and liquids caused by differences in density within the fluids.

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4
Q

Dynamic Equilibrium

A

A region loses and gains equal amounts of energy.

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5
Q

Temperature

A

A measure of the average kinetic energy of the particles of a body of matter. (NOT a type of energy)

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6
Q

Specific heat

A

The quantity of heat needed to raise the temperature of one gram of any substance one degree Celsius

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7
Q

Condensation

A

Changing of a gas, or vapor, to a liquid

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8
Q

Crystallization

A

The process where solidification results in a solid with an ordered pattern of atoms.

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9
Q

Solidification

A

The changing of a liquid to a solid.

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10
Q

Sublimation/Deposition

A

The changing of a gas directly to a solid or from a solid directly to a gas without going through a liquid state.

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11
Q

Insolation

A

(INcoming SOlar radiATION) The portion of the sun’s output of electromagnetic radiation that is received by Earth at the outermost part of our atmosphere

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12
Q

Ozone

A

Form of oxygen gas (Found in stratosphere)

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13
Q

Angle of incidence

A

Angle at which the isolation strikes Earth’s surface

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14
Q

Transpiration

A

A process by which plants release water vapor into the atmosphere as part of their life functions.

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15
Q

Greenhouse effect

A

Trapping of the sun’s warmth in a planets lower atmosphere. It keeps the average temperature for the earth.

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16
Q

Sunspot

A

A darker region of the sun’s visible surface.

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17
Q

Weather variables

A

The state or condition of the variables of the atmosphere at any given location for a short period of time.

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18
Q

Troposphere

A

Part of he atmosphere immediately above Earth’s surface.

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19
Q

Isotherms

A

Temperature modeled on maps and charts by the use of isolines

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20
Q

Coriolis effect

A

Modifies the pattern of movement, deflecting winds to the right in the Northern Hemisphere and to the left in the Southern Hemisphere.

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21
Q

Atmospheric pressure; Barometric pressure/ Air pressure

A

The pressure is due to the weight of the overlying atmosphere pushing down on any given area.

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22
Q

Barometers

A

An instrument used to measure air pressure.

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23
Q

Air pressure gradient

A

The difference in air pressure for a specific distance

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24
Q

Knots (measurement)

A

Nautical miles per hour

25
Q

Anemometer

A

An instrument used to measure wind speed.

26
Q

Jet Streams

A

Bands of easterly moving air at the top of the troposphere.

27
Q

Monsoons

A

Extreme weather changes

28
Q

Humidity

A

General term that refers to the water vapor content of the atmosphere

29
Q

Relative Humidity

A

The ratio of the amount of water vapor in the air (absolute humidity) to the maximum amount it can hold (its moisture capacity).

30
Q

Dew point

A

The temperature at which air is filled with water vapor

31
Q

Psychrometer

A

An instrument with 2 thermometers. One side has a dry bulb and the other has a wet bulb.

32
Q

Cloud cover

A

The fraction or percent of the total sky at a location that is covered by clouds.

33
Q

Fog

A

When a cloud is on, or just above earth’s surface

34
Q

Precipitation

A

The falling of liquid or solid water from clouds towards the surface of Earth

35
Q

Forms of precipitation

A

Rain, drizzle, snow, sleet, freezing, rain, hail

36
Q

Rain gauge

A

Type of precipitation gauge to measure liquid precipitation

37
Q

Atmospheric transparency

A

How transparent atmosphere is to insolation

38
Q

Air mass

A

A large body of air in the troposphere with similar characteristics of pressure, moisture, and temperature.

39
Q

Cyclones/Anticyclones

A

Cyclones have low pressure. Spins counterclockwise (Coriolis effect). Related to stormy weather and high cloud cover, much precipitation
Anticyclones have high pressure. Spins clockwise (Coriolis effect). Related to relatively clear skies and little or no precipitation.

40
Q

Front

A

Where two air masses of different characteristics meet, an interface, or boundary.

41
Q

Cold Front

A

The boundary of advancing cold air mass and warmer air mass where cold air pushes forward like a wedge. More dense

42
Q

Warm Front

A

The boundary of advancing warm air mass and retreating wedge of a cooler air mass. The warm air mass rises. Less dense

43
Q

Occluded Front

A

The boundary of opposing wedges of cold air masses formed when a cold front overtakes a warm front, lifting the warm air mass off the ground.

44
Q

Stationary Front

A

When two adjacent air masses of different characteristics remain in the same positions.

45
Q

Polar Front

A

Ever-changing boundary in the middle latitudes between the colder air masses toward the poles and the warmer air masses toward the equator

46
Q

Mid-latitude cyclones, wave cyclones, or cyclonic storms

A

The movement of air masses along the polar fronts of the middle latitudes can result in the formation of low-pressure storm systems.

47
Q

Hurricane

A

A tropical low-pressure center gains enough energy and a large enough pressure gradient to sustain winds of 74 miles an hour or more.

48
Q

Tornado

A

Rapidly rotating, extremely low-pressure funnel that hangs down from thunderstorm clouds towards Earth’s surface.

49
Q

Blizzard

A

A storm with winds of 35 miles an hour or greater associated with considerable amounts of falling and / or blowing snow.

50
Q

Water cycle / Hydrologic cycle

A

The continuous circulation of water in the Earth-atmosphere system. Fueled by solar energy–isolation

51
Q

Water retention

A

Precipitation can be stored or retained on the land surface as ice or snow.

52
Q

Water table

A

The level between the zone of saturation and zone of aeration.

53
Q

Ground water

A

Subsurface water below the water table

54
Q

Porosity

A

The percentage of open space in a material compared to its total volume

55
Q

Permeability

A

The ability of a material to allow fluids such as water to pass through

56
Q

Stream discharge

A

Volume of water flowing past a certain spot in a stream in a specific amount of time. (expressed in cubic meters/second or liters/minute)

57
Q

Climate

A

The overall view of a region’s weather conditions over a long period of time. (2 characteristics: average temperature of the year and annual temperature range.)

58
Q

Prevailing winds

A

Movements of air over Earth’s surface that blow in the same direction most of the time.

59
Q

Wind belts

A

Regions of the Earth where winds blow in a consistent direction and speed. They are caused by the uneven heating of the Earth’s surface by the Sun and the rotation of the Earth (Trade winds, prevailing westerlies, polar easterlies)

Earth Science (8 decks)

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