Weather and Climate Study Guide – Flashcards
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The _______ is a layer of gases that surround Earth.
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Atmosphere
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Describe the composition of the atmosphere. (percentage of Nitrogen, Oxygen, and other gases)
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Nitrogen 78% Oxygen 21% Other Gases 1%
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The _____________ layer is important because it help block harmful rays from the sun which can cause sun burn and skin cancer.
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Ozone
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_____________, ______________ air has the most pressure (high) and ___________, ___________ air has the least pressure (low).
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Warm, Humid and Cold, Dry
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What is humidity and what instrument is used to measure humidity? What is dew point?
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A measure of the amount of H2O vapior in the air. Psychron. decreases
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As altitude increase, pressure ____________.
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Drecreases
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Heat transfer between two substances that are in direct contact is called ____________.
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Conduction
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Heat from a fireplace reaches you by _______ as it moves through the air.
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Radiation
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Most of the heating of the Earth's surface comes from which type of energy from the sun?
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Solar radiation
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______ breezes occur because land heats up faster than water.
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Sea
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_______ breezes occur because water retains (keeps) heat longer than land
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Land
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Earth's rotation makes winds and surface currents seem to curve. This is called the _______ .
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Coriolis Effect
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Bands of high speed winds traveling from west to east at high altitude (about 10 km above the Earth's surface) are known as _______ _________.
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Jet Stream
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MOST weather occurs in which atmospheric layer of the Earth?
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Troposphere
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What are the three ways in which heat is transferred in the atmosphere? List and describe the 3 ways.
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Conduction Radiation Convection
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Most of Earth's surface is heated by which type of energy from the sun?
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Electromagnetic radiation (UV Radiation)
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What type of clouds produce thunderstorms?
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Cumulonimbus
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Draw a quick sketch of a land breeze and a sea breeze
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...
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Label what is happening within each of the convection currents. Do they occur during the night or day?
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...
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An air mass is a large body of air that has the same pressure, ______________ and ______________________ throughout
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Temperature, humidity
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An air mass that forms over Mexico would be called
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Continental Tropical
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An air mass that forms over central Canada would be called ....
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Continental Polar
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Air masses that form over the ocean near the equator would be called....
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Maritime Tropical
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To be classified as a hurricane, winds must reach a speed of ____________.
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119 km/h
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If a thunderstorm has strong updrafts, this can cause what type of precipitation?
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Hail
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Why do most tornadoes form near the great plain states?
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Because continental polar air masses meet with maritime tropical air masses here
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Describe the eye of a hurricane.
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Calm
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Tornadoes usually occur during the ____________ and _____________
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Spring and Summer
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Hurricane season is begins in _________________ and ends in ___________ because the ocean water takes a long time to heat up and then cool down.
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June, November
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In order for a hurricane to form you must have _____________ ocean water, and a _________ pressure system.
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Warm, Low
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Most of the damage caused from hurricanes is caused by the ________________ __________________ (which causes flooding inland).
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Storm surge
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What is the difference between weather and climate?
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Weather: The condition of Earth's atmosphere at a particular time and place. Climate: The average, year-after-year conditions of temperature, precipitation, winds, and clouds
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After a cold front with high pressure passes the weather will be ___________ and ____________
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Cooler and Dryer
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After a warm front with low pressure passes the weather will be _____________ and more ______________.
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Warmer, Humid
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The ______________ side of a mountain receives more precipitation while the _______________ side of a mountain is very dry (desert-like) What is this called? ___________ _____________
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Windward, Leeward
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What happens to weather conditions as the air pressure decreases? and Increases?
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Decreases =Worsen Increases =Improve
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What factors can affect the climate of a region?
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Altitude, Latitude, City/Rural, Inland/Coastal
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What are the two MAIN weather measurements used to determine and report a region's climate?
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Temperature, Humidity
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What do all storms have in common in their formation?
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Low Pressure
