Winds, Forces, & Pressure, Humidity & Water Vapor, Clouds, and Precipitation

A set of flashcards covering key concepts related to winds, forces, pressure, humidity, clouds, and precipitation.

Frictional Force

Force from air rubbing against Earth’s surface, strongest at the surface, slows wind down and changes its direction toward low pressure.

Geostrophic Balance

Balance between Pressure Gradient Force (PGF) and Coriolis Force where winds flow parallel to isobars at high altitudes.

Isobar

A line connecting points of equal pressure on a map.

Cyclone

A low pressure system where air rises, leading to cloudy and stormy weather.

Anticyclone

A high pressure system where air sinks, resulting in clear and dry weather.

Gradient Wind

Wind that flows along curved isobars, includes geostrophic wind.

Humidity

The amount of water vapor present in air.

Dalton’s Law

Total pressure is the sum of the partial pressures of individual gases.

Saturation Vapor Pressure

The maximum amount of water vapor that air can hold at a given temperature.

Advection

The horizontal movement of air.

Condensation Nuclei

Tiny particles onto which water vapor condenses to form clouds.

Lapse Rate

The rate at which temperature changes with height.

Precipitable Water

The total amount of water vapor in a column of air, highest in the tropics.

Thermohaline Circulation

The deep ocean conveyor belt crucial for climate, controlled by temperature and salinity.

El Niño

A climate pattern associated with warm eastern Pacific waters and weak trade winds, causing global weather disruptions.

Hurricane

A tropical low-pressure system requiring warm water, moist air, low wind shear, and Coriolis force for formation.

Saffir-Simpson Scale

A scale based on hurricane wind speeds to classify storms, with categories from 1 to 5.