Module 10 APES

Quiz 11/18

Four properties that determine how air circulates

Adiabatic heating or cooling, density, latent heat release, and water vapor capacity.

Air density

Mass of all molecules in the air in a given volume.

What happens to less dense and more dense air?

Less dense air = rises

More dense air = sinks

Saturation Point

Maximum amount of water vapor that can be in the air at a given temperature

Adiabatic Cooling

Cooling effect as air rises higher in the atmosphere, which lowers the temperature of the air

Adiabatic Heating

Heating effect as air sinks towards Earth’s surface and decreases in volume, which increases the temperature of the air.

Latent Heat Release

Release of energy when water vapor condenses into liquid water, warming the surrounding air and rising into the atmosphere.

Atmospheric Convection Current

Global patterns of air movement started by Earth’s unequal heating

Hadley Cell

Convection currents (movement of air as heat rises and falls) that cycle between the Equator at 30N-30S.

Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ)

The latitude that gets the most intense sunlight causing two branches of the Hadley cell to converge

Polar Cell

Convection currents formed by the air at 60N and 60S and then they sink at the poles 90N and 90S.

Rising air cools and the water vapor condenses into precipitation then it dries and falls back into the Earth’s surface. It goes 60→90→60.

Ferrell Cell

In between the Hadley and polar cells and are driven by the movement of these two cells.

Coriolis Effect

Earth’s rotation causes objects to be deflected if they move N or S

Rain Shadow

Area with dry conditions on the leeward side (downward side) of a MT range due to humid winds from the ocean causing precipitation on the windward side