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155 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
density
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number of molecules per volume unit
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greater density does what to pressure
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increases
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what does it mean that pressure is omni-directional
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exerted equally in all directions
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is density high or low at high altitudes
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low
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temperature
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at higher temperatures, molecules get agigated and absorb energy
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temperature and pressure relationship
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lower temp = lower pressure
higher temp = higher pressure |
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complications with pressure relationships
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temp increase > adiabatic cooling > pressure decrease
water and carbon dioxide |
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what is pressure measured in
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millibars
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mean sea level pressure
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1013.25 mb
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isobars
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lines of equal pressure
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high pressure associated with
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stability
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low pressure associated with
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instability
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why are high pressure zones along tropics
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zone gets most radiation
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what is the primary driver of climate
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radiation
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wind
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horizontal movement of air
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what is direction of wind determined by
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radiation and unequal heating of earth's surface
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air flows from what pressure to what pressure
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high to low
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pressure gradient
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activating force and moves air at right angles to isobars
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greater pressure differential =
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higher wind velocity
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close isobars =
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high pressure differential
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coriolis effect causes air to flow which ways in each hemisphere
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to the right in the north
to the left in the south |
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geostropic wind
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air flows parallel to isobars at high elevation because pressure gradient and coriolis effect are in balance
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friction
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decreases wind velocity and causes direction of flow to alter
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friction does what to wind angle
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flows at angle less than 90 across isobars
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high surface roughness =
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high turbulence
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cyclonic activity
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low pressure, instability
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anticyclonic activity
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high pressure, stability
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anticyclonic activity top and side views
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air flowing out from high pressure center
descending and diverging from adiabatic warming |
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cyclonic activity top and side views
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air is flowing into low pressure center
ascending and converging through adiabatic cooling |
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anticyclonic rotation in each hemisphere
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clockwise in north
counterclockwise in south |
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cyclonic rotation in each hemisphere
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counterclockwise in north
clockwise in south |
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polar high pressure
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over the poles
anticyclonic stable |
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polar easterlies
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60 degrees-poles
winds from east to west cold and dry winds |
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subpolar low pressure
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50-60 degrees
contains polar front (meeting of polar easterlies and westerlies) unstable |
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westerlies
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midlatitudes
flow is from west to east 30-60 degrees rossby waves |
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subtropical high pressure
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30 degrees N and S
position shfts depending on seasons arid anticyclonic |
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trade winds
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25 degrees
wind interrupted by continents flow to west steady and strong winds hold a lot of moisture but only released if they are uplifted by topographic barrier |
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ITCZ
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intertropical convergence zone
tradewinds converging equator low pressure unstable frequent rainfall |
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local variation controlling factors
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surface matter and topography
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monsoon process
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huge change in elevation > summer heats up land > convection > low pressure > huge pressure gradient between ocean and mountains > air moves from high pressure ocean to low pressure mountains > high velocity winds > lots of precipitation and flooding
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monsoons in summer or winter
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summer
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sea breeze
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during day, due to differential heating of land and water, from sea
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land breeze
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at night, due to differential heating of land and water, from land
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valley breeze
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warming of slopes and breeze up topographic slope
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mountain breeze
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cooling of the land and air and downslope movement of air
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katabatic winds
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very powerful air movement downslope, dense and cold air, common in Antarctic
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chinook wind
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downslop movement of air, low pressure trough on the leeward side, warm air from condensation and is also adiabatically warmed
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is evaporation a net warming or net cooling effect
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cooling
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firn
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higher density than snow
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glacier
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when ice is influenced by gravity and moves downslope
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cryosphere
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where snow and ice is found
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permafrost
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permanently frozen ground
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area perhaps most influenced by temperature and climate
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cryosphere
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confined aquifer system
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deeper in ground
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unconfined aquifer system
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more near the surface
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density of liquid water
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1000 kg/m^3
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ice density
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900 kg/m^3
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snow density
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100-200 kg/m^3
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firn density
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600 kg/m^3
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is condensation a net warming or net cooling process
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warming
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sublimation
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solid to gas or gas to solid
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evaporation and wind speed relationshiop
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faster = more evap
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evaporation and atmospheric temperature relationship
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higher temp = more evap
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high water vapor in air =
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less evaporation
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humidity
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amount of water vapor in air
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absolute humidity
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direct measure of water vapor
weight of water vapor in given volume of air |
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what is absolute humidity dependent on
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temperature
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specific humidity
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direct measure of mass of water vapor per mass of air
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when does specific humidity change
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only when quantity of water vapor changes
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relative humidity
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amount of water vapor in the air compared to amount that could be there if the air were saturated
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relative humidity equation
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RH = AH / P
absolute humidity / air moisture holding capacity |
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dew point
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temperature at which complete saturation occurs
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what do you need in order for condensation/cloud formation to occur
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nuclei
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high clouds
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cirrocumulus, cirrostratus, cirrus
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middle clouds
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altocumulus, altostratus
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low clouds
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nimbostratus, stratus, stratocumulus, cumulus
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stratus
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low cloud, dull, gray, featurless
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nimbostratus
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low cloud, gray, dark, low, drizzling rain
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cumulus
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low cloud, bright and puffy
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stratocumulus
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low cloud, lumpy, grayish, patches
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altocumulus
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middle cloud, patches of cotton balls, rippling waves, patchy rows
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altostratus
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middle cloud, gray day, sun's outline just visible
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cirrus
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high cloud, ice crystals, feathery strokes, wispy
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cumulonimbus
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vertically developed cloud, towering giant, thunderhead, lightning, tunder
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radiation fog
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from land cooling
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advection fog
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warm air moves over cool surface
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upslop fog
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cooling when forced up
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evaporation fog
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addition of water vapor to cold air
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where does hail develop
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cumulonimbus clouds
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convergent lifting
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rising air from low pressure area
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convective lifting
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tied to type of material on surface and amount of energy that is absorbed
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orographic lifting
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air runs into barrier, rises, cools, clouds form, precipitation
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frontal lifting
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cold front moves into warm air, warm air moves up along front slope, creates tall clouds
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as you go west in U.S. does precip increase or decrease
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decrease
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evapotranspiration
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evaporation and loss of water through plant leaves
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homogenous characteristics of air mass
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temperature, humidity, stablility
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air mass formation: where, how long, stability condition
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large surfaces
2-4 days stable conditions |
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arctic air mass
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A
poles |
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continental polar
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cP
north hemisphere high latitude stable, cold, dry |
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maritime polar
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mP
oceans 50-60 degrees cool, humid, unstable |
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continental tropical
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cT
deserts, low latitude hot, high pressure, stable |
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maritime tropical
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mT
subtropical oceans warm, humid, unstable |
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equatorial
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E
oceans near equator |
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front
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location on earth surface where air masses meet
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frontal activity
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what happens when air masses meet
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instability and frontal activity relationship
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lots of instability = lots of frontal activity
little instability = little frontal activity |
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warm front
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warm air moves over cold air
gradual gradient little instability spatially extensive |
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cold front
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cold air displaces warm air
lots of instability steep slope vertical cloud development |
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stationary front
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neither air mass displaces the other because the air mass characteristics are similar
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occluded front
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cold front overtakes a warm front, energy in system is lost, stability develops
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tornado process
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warm and cold air mix>rotation horizontal>bends and rotation becomes vertial>extrememly low pressure
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group A
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tropical humid
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group B
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dry
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group C
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mild midlatitude
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group D
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severe midlatitude
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group E
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polar
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group H
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highland
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highland climate
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mountain, high variability in temp and precip due to high variation in topographic conditions
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polar climate
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coldest temps
very dry stable |
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tundra climate
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part of polar climate (group E)
southern edge of polar climate treet line grass, moss low precip |
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ice cap climate
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part of polar climate (group E)
freezing all year katabatic winds permanent ice and snow polar deserts |
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tropical humid climate
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0-20 degrees
highest temps wettest climate winterless |
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tropical wet
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part of tropical humid climate (group A)
0 degrees rains every day consistently warm |
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tropical monsoon
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part of tropical humid climate (group A)
seasonal dumpage of rain in summer windward side of coasts |
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tropical savannah
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part of tropical humid climate (group A)
grassland wet and dry seasons least precip of 3 tropical humid climates |
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dry climates
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most area
high pressure leeward side of mtns |
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subtropical desert
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part of dry climate (group B)
subtropical high pressure zone barely any precip |
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subtropical steppe
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part of dry climate (group B)
east side of continents little precip surrounds sbtropical deserts |
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midlatitude desert
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part of dry climate (group B)
deep interior of continents low precip distinct seasonality |
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midlatitude steppe
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between desret and humid zone
big annual temp range |
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mild latitude climate
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where air masses contrast
summer/winter climate |
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mediterranean climate
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part of mild midlatitude climate (group C)
west side of continent small temp variation winter rain summer drought |
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humid subtropical climate
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part of mild midlatitude climate (group C)
lots of rain mild winters high humidity |
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marine west coast climate
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part of mild midlatitude climate (group C)
west side of continent constant annual precip |
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severe midlatitude climate
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four clear seasons
only in north hemisphere |
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humid continental climate
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part of severe midlatitude climate (group D)
big annual temp range |
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subarctic climate
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part of severe midlatitude climate (group d)
boreal forest greatest annual temp range of all greatest daily temperature range of all less precip than humid continental |
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ecosystem
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self-sustaining group of organisms that depend on each other and the surronding organisms and physical components of environment
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abiotic factors
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physical factors
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biotic factors
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living organisms
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limiting factors
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the single factor that is most deficient determines the presence or absence of a particular plant of animal
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tropical rain forest
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most complex
high species diversity dense vegetation rains every day low temp variability |
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tropical deciduous forest
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leaves of trees fall off during year
less dense vegetation less precip more ground vegetation |
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tropical scrub
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low growing trees and bushes
grasses low species diversity high temps and low precip |
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tropical savannah
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tall grasses
dry and wet season totally controlled by climate |
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desert
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sparse vegetation
plants can conserve moisture |
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mediterranean woodland and shrub
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dry summer and wet winter
chaparral vegetation (rough and dry) |
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midlatitude grassland
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prairie tall grasses
steppe shorter grasses |
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midlatitude deciduous forest
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broad leaf deciduous
oak, hickory, maple, beech, birch |
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boreal forest
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extensive
conifers (cone bearing plants) pines, firs, spruces lots of insects swamps and bogs |
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tundra
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cold desert
grasses, mosses, lichen, herbs low shrubs |
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ecotone
|
boundaries of ecosystems
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ecotone and temperature relationship
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if temperature changes, the ecotones will change the quickest and greatest
|
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lapse rate
|
change in temp / change in height
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5 factors for hurricane
|
warm water
warm and humid air calm upper level winds blowing from east east wind needs to be unstable strong coreolis effect |