Earth’s Atmosphere and Temperature Controls
What is the difference between weather and climate?
Weather is short-term atmospheric conditions, while climate describes long-term patterns over time.
What instrument is used to measure air pressure?
A barometer.
What forms when two air masses with different characteristics meet?
A front
What is an air mass?
A large body of air with uniform temperature and moisture.
What type of front is often associated with tornadoes?
Cold front.
What causes the seasons to change on Earth?
The tilt of Earth's axis.
How does the Coriolis Effect influence wind direction in the Northern Hemisphere?
It deflects winds to the right.
What type of front forms when warm air slowly rises over cold air and brings light to moderate rain?
A warm front.
How are air masses classified?
By temperature and the region where they form.
What is a thunderstorm and how does it form?
It's a storm with lightning and thunder, formed by rapidly rising warm, moist air
Which two layers of the atmosphere can experience temperature inversions?
The stratosphere and thermosphere.
What is the source of all wind on Earth?
The sun, through uneven heating of Earth's surface.
What kind of front is associated with violent storms and a steep slope?
A cold front.
What does relative humidity tell us?
The ratio of actual water vapor in the air to what it could hold at that temperature.
How is tornado strength measured?
Using the Enhanced Fujita Scale.
Why do clouds reflect a lot of sunlight back into space?
Due to their high albedo from water droplets.
How do winds rotate around high and low pressure systems in the Northern Hemisphere?
Counterclockwise around low pressure, clockwise around high pressure.
What is a front called that doesn't move for a while?
A stationary front.
What happens to weather when an air mass moves into a new area?
The weather changes to reflect the characteristics of the air mass.
What causes hurricanes to lose strength after hitting land?
They lose access to warm ocean water, their energy source.
Why do some coastal cities experience moderate temperatures while others do not?
West coasts benefit from cooler ocean currents; east coasts often have warmer currents.
What is the air pressure like in a cyclone compared to an anticyclone?
A cyclone has low pressure; an anticyclone has high pressure.
What are the three types of air masses that combine to form a mid-latitude cyclone?
Maritime Tropical (mT), Continental Polar (cP), and Maritime Polar (mP).
What two things can change relative humidity?
Temperature and evaporation.
What scale is used to measure hurricane intensity?
The Saffir-Simpson scale.