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36 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
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Properties of water |
most common molecule on surface of earth liquid is non-compressible has magnetic polarity: H+ O- sticks to itself:hydrogen bond dissolves polar molecules (salts, etc) |
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Solid is less dense than liquid |
ice floats, oceans do not freeze solid; fish survive winter weathering of rock due to expansion of ice |
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energy transfer occurs during phase changes (solid-liquid-gas) |
you must add energy to melt or evaporate water; you must remove energy to condense or freeze it H2o is constantly changing phase at the boundaries between liquid and gas 'boiling': when water vapor forms bubbles in water |
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water is found |
ocean: 97% of all water freshwater: 3% of all water ice: 77% of all fresh water groundwater: 22% of all freshwater atmosphere: 0.03% of all freshwater |
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humidity |
as air temp increases, evaporation increases &condensation decreases liquid water will evaporate until the air above it is 'saturated' |
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At saturation |
the process of evaporation and condensation are in balance |
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relative humidity |
expressed as a %; changes as temp changes |
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specific humidity |
does not change with temp change. often expressed in g/kg |
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dewpoint |
another way to express specific humidity; as a temperature |
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humid air |
less dense than dry air: compare molecular weight of h2o, n2 &o2 |
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Orographic lifting |
prevailing winds meet a mountain range and are forced upwards one side of the mountain is rainy where air moves upwards |
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rainshadow effect |
the leeward side (downwind side) of the mountain is dry: air moves down the mountains one side is wet, the other dry because of westerlie winds |
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frontal lifting |
a cold air mass moves forward and creates a cold front cold front lifts air upwards to form strong thunderstorms |
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cyclonic lifting |
low pressure: rising air high pressure: sinking air |
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cyclone |
low pressure, NH: CCW, SH: CW, rising air, cloudy/rainy skies |
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anticyclone |
high pressure, NH:CW, SH:CCW, sinking air, clear skies |
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humidity |
as air temp rises it's capacity to hold water vapor increases imagine air as a container that becomes larger as it warms |
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the dew point |
the temp at which condensation and evaporation occur at the same rate |
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relative humidity |
as temperature increases relative humidity decreases |
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specific humidity |
as temperature increases specific humidity stays the same |
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air masses and anticyclones |
homogenous air masses form underneath high pressure system (anticyclone) |
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air masses have two important qualities |
moisture content and tempertaure |
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moisture content |
dry: 'c' for continental moist: 'm' for maritime (form over ocean) |
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temperature |
warm: 'T' for Tropical cool: 'P' for Polar |
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mT |
maritime Tropical: responsible for our hot, humid summers |
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cP |
continental Polar: responsible for cold, dry air in winter |
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mP |
maritime Polar |
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cT |
continental Tropical |
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Warm Front |
warm air moving forward warm air pushes ahead and over cold air warm front moves slowly cirrus, then altostratus, then stratus small raindrops, mist, sprinkle,; may last for a day or so |
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Cold front |
Cold air moving forward cold air stays low and pushes warm air out of the way and upwards cold front moves quickly, and is not very wide; will pass in only an hour cumulonimbus clouds thunderstorms; heavy downpours, large rain, short duration |
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Stationary front |
cold air mass and warm air mass at a relative standstill |
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Occluded Front |
Cold front catches up to warm front in a mid-latitude cyclone combination of warm front and cold front associated with heavy rain and long duration |
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cyclogenesis |
the lifecycle of a mid latitude cyclone a low pressure system: CCW rotation in NH; CW rotation in SH storm tracks: system tends to move with the westerlies rising air--> rain; associated with warm and cold front |
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Hurricanes form by |
warm water and coriolis effect created from massive equatorial rainstorms |
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movement ( for atlantic hurricanes in NH) |
form off the coast of africa move towards the west and intensify as they reach the caribbean, they get into the westerlies take a sudden swing northwards, and then to the northeast |
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dangers |
storm surge ( in NH: onshore winds North of storm) winds flooding from heavy rainfall |
