Clouds
A wispy white cloud (usually of fine ice crystals) at a high altitude.
What is a cirrus cloud?
Two most common gases in Earth's Atmosphere
What are nitrogen and oxygen?
the forming of tiny droplets of water as water vapor cools
What is condensation?
winds that blow northeast to west in the polar region, moving cold polar air in that climate zone
What is polar winds
Protective layer in atmosphere that shields earth from UV radiation.
What is the ozone layer?
The traditional fair weather cloud.Low elevation, puffy shape
What is a cumulus cloud?
first layer of the atmosphere in which Earth's weather occurs and all life exists
What is the troposphere?
water contained in places such as lakes, ponds, rivers, streams, and reservoirs
What is surface water?
a high-speed high-altitude airstream blowing from west to east near the top of the troposphere
What is the jet stream?
coal, oil, natural gas
What are fossil fuels?
Low elevation clouds that are in layers. Sometimes produces light drizzle
What is a stratus cloud?
second layer of the atmosphere that contains the ozone layer
What is the stratosphere?
the layer of air that surrounds the earth
What is the atmosphere?
ocean current that influences the eastern Atlantic shoreline of the US by bringing warm, moist air
What is the Gulf Stream?
A gas produced by bacteria from hydrogen and carbon dioxide
What is methane?
Base of cloud in low altitude but tower of cloud can reach to high altitude. Associated with thunderstorms
What is a cumulonimbus cloud?
fourth layer of the atmosphere; hottest layer; auroras occur here
What is the thermosphere?
rain, sleet, snow, hail, freezing rain
What are the 5 types of precipitation?
Prevailing winds that blow from east to west between 60degrees-90degrees latitude in both hemisphere.
What is the Polar Easterlies
heat energy soaked up by land, water and plants
What is absorption?
Base of cloud at low altitude. Thickly layered. Produces snow
What is a nimbostratus cloud?
last layer of the atmosphere that extends out into outer space; satellites orbit here
What is the exosphere?
the gas formed when water evaporates
What is water vapor?
winds that blow west to east between 30 and 60 degrees in the northern and southern hemispheres
What are the Prevailing Westerlies?
Gases in Earth's atmosphere that trap heat near the surface
What are Greenhouse Gases?