Science - Chapter 9

humidity

humidity

the amount of water vapor in a given volume of air

dew point

the temperature at which condensation begins

cirrus

wispy, feathery clouds made of ice crystals that form at high levels

cumulus

fluffy, white clouds, usually with flat bottoms, that look like a rounded pile of cotton

stratus

clouds that form in flay layers and often cover much of the sky

air mass

a huge body of air that has similar temperature, humidity, and air pressure at any given height

front

the boundary where unlike air masses meet but do not mix

jet stream

bands of high-speed winds about 10 kilometers above the earth’s surface

hurricane

a tropical storm that has winds of about 119 kilometers per hour or higher

Meteorologists

scientists who study the causes of weather and try to predict it

isobar

a line on a weather map that joins places that have the same air pressure

isotherm

a line on a weather map that joins places that have the same temperature

Tiny particles of salt, dust, or smoke

what must be present for water

Cirrus clouds

wispy feathery clouds

Cirrus clouds

clouds made of ice crystals and indicate fair weather

Stratus clouds

clouds that form in flat layers

Stratus clouds

clouds that’s name is from the Latin word strato = spread out

Stratus clouds

clouds that usually cover the sky (cloudy)

Stratus clouds

As these clouds thicken they may produce drizzle, rain, or snow

Cumulus clouds

clouds that look like cotton

Cumulus clouds

these clouds when they’re short usually indicate fair weather

Cumulus clouds

towering clouds with flat tops that often produce thunderstorms

Altocumulus and altostratus

contain the prefix alto = high

Altocumulus and altostratus

are “medium-level” clouds

Altocumulus and altostratus

these clouds indicate precipitation

Cirrocumulus

these clouds indicate a storm is on its way

freezing rain, rain, snow, sleet, and hail

the types of precipitation

freezing rain

sometimes falls as liquid water but freezes when they touch a cold surface

rain

reaches earth as water

snow

reaches the earth as frozen water

sleet

sometimes snow that is melted or rain that refreezes as it falls

hail

reaches earth as ice pellets

Continental

overland

Maritime

overwater

tropical

close to the equator

polar

near the poles

arctic or antarctic

near colder region

Cold front

cold air moves under warm air

Warm front

warm air moves over cold

Occulted front

warm front caught between 2 cold fronts

Stationary front

when cold and warm fronts meet

How a hurricane begins

a low-pressure area over warm water, or tropical disturbance

what happens after there is a low-pressure area over warm water, or tropical disturbance

warm, humid air rises and begins to spiral

What happens after warm, humid air rises and begins to spiral

as the air rises warmer, moist air is drawn into the system, and the hurricane gains energy

what happens after moist air is drawn into the system and the hurricane gains energy

bands of high winds and heavy rains form as winds spiral inwards

Cyclone

when the boundary between fronts meets and becomes distorted; can cause the air to swirl, creating a low