9-1 Water in the Atmosphere
What tool do we use to measure relative humidity?
A psychrometer is used to measure relative humidity.
What types of cloud forms at high altitudes and appears wispy and feathery?
Cirrus clouds
What is the name for raindrops that freeze as they fall through the air?
Sleet
What do you call a hot air mass that forms over land?
A continental tropical air mass
What is the energy source for the water cycle?
The sun
One type of cloud is a nimbostratus, which is _______
A gray, thick cloud at a medium altitude that brings precipitation
Rain and hail are both forms of precipitation, which is ______
Precipitation is any form of water that falls from clouds to Earth's surface.
What are the four types of fronts?
Cold fronts, warm fronts, stationary fronts, and occluded fronts.
Define humidity. How does temperature affect humidity?
Humidity is the amount of water vapor in the air. The warmer the temperature is, the more water vapor the air can hold. This means that when it is hot, the air can become more humid.
The three types are cirrus, cumulus, and stratus. Scientists classify clouds based on their shape. Clouds are further categorized by their altitude.
What are the 5 most common forms of precipitation?
Rain, sleet, freezing rain, snow, and hail
What type of weather do cyclones come with? What type fo weather do anticyclones come with?
Cyclones come with wind and precipitation. An anticyclone causes dry, clear weather.
Describe the water cycle. Why is the water cycle important?
In the water cycle, water vapor enters the atmosphere by evaporation from the oceans and other bodies of water. Some of the water vapor in the air condenses to form clouds. Rain and snow fall from clouds towards the surface as precipitation. The water then runs off the surface or moves through the ground, back into lakes, streams, and eventually the oceans. Then the water cycle begins all over again with evaporation.
Why do clouds usually form high in the air instead of near earth's surface?
The air must be cold for water vapor to condense and form clouds. Air at high altitudes is usually colder than air at the surface.
What are droughts and what cause them? What is one negative affect of a drought?
A drought is long period of low rainfall and dry weather. Droughts are usually caused by dry weather systems that remain in one place for weeks or months at a time.
The major air masses are classified as _____ or ______ and as _____ or _______
The major air masses are classified as maritime or continental and as tropical or polar