Physical Geography Exam 2

Barometer

measures air pressure

Isobars

lines that connect points of equal pressure

Barometric pressure at sea level

29.92 inches of mercury or 1013 millibars

3 things that decide wind direction and movement

pressure gradient between Highs and Lows, the Coriolis Effect, and friction from the Earth’s surface

Which of the following are high or low pressure; cyclones and anticyclones

cyclones are low pressure, and anti-cyclones are high pressure

Hadley cells

vertical convective circulation cells, with warm air rising at the ITCZ

ITCZ

Intertropical Convergent Zone

Subtropical Highs

big anticyclones (high pressure cells) at 30 degrees latitude

Trade winds & where are they

winds moving back in the direction of the equator, within the lines of the subtropical highs

Horse Latitudes

belts of calm air between the trade winds and westerlies 

Doldrums

low pressure area around the equator where winds are calm

What winds does Wayne lie in

Since we are in the mid-latitudes we are in the Prevailing Westerlies 

Polar Highs

high pressure right at top of poles

Polar Easterlies 

blows between polar highs and about 60 degrees latitude 

Polar Fronts

meeting spot at about 60 degrees latitude where westerlies meet the colder polar air 

Jet Streams

fast air current about 6 miles above Earth’s surface

Rossby waves

giant meanders of jet streams that mix up the cold air of poles with warmer air of the equator

Who experiences monsoons

South and East Asia, West Africa, and Southwest U.S.

El Nino

periodic warming of the ocean of the coast of South America- changes world weather patterns

Traits of water 

strong hydrogen bonding, surface tension, high specific heat, and is a universal solvent 

How latent heat is moved with converting water 

Evaporation takes heat away from the surface adding it to the atmosphere. Condensation releases that heat and gives it back to earth

Evapotranspiration

water brough to atmosphere through evaporation & transpiration from plants 

Absolute humidity

actual water vapor content of air- we don’t want to hear this on the news

Relative humidity

amount of water vapor as % of amount needed for saturation- what we hear on the news 

Dew Point 

temp air must cool to before water vapor will condense 

Cloud types lowest to highest 

Cirrus- ice crystals, wispy like hair

Cumulus- puffy billow upwards 

Stratus- sheets that cover most of sky

How does nature make it rain

air rises, expands, cools, condenses, and precipitates

Precipitation requires atmospheric lifting. 4 ways?

Convective, orographic, frontal, and convergent

highest precipitation in Nebraska seasons

late spring and early summer

How fog occurs

stable winds with high atmospheric moisture

How big are air masses

usually more than 1,000 miles

Mid latitude wave cyclones 

large low pressure cells happen in the mid latitudes

Tropical cyclones

form in the tropics over the ocean and move poleward

Localized severe weather

tornados and thunderstorms

Cyclogenesis

birth of cyclones from upper tropospheric conditions by jet streams 

What is an occlusion

when all warm air has been lifted, making a stable condition ending mid latitude wave cyclones 

Other names for Tropical Cyclones

hurricanes in U.S., baguious in Philippines, typhoons in North Pacific

Where hurricanes are common

low latitudes: the gulf of mexico and the phillipines 

Storm surge

increased water height above normal tide level 

Percentage of Earth’s water that is in the oceans

97%

Freshwater kept in glaciers

75%

Causes of ocean currents

winds on the surface and deep currents from thermohaline circulation; the differences in salinity

Permafrost- and what is the effect of the decreasing amount of it

permanently frozen subsoil- there is less as time goes on, releasing more methane and heating Earth

Aquifers

underground rocks with pores that can hold water; sandstone

Aquicludes

rocks that don’t allow water to flow through them; clay or shale

Water table

line separating zone of aeration from zone of saturation