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ES 11 Meteorology 1
Terms associated with atmospheric lifting, cloud forming/types, & precipitation.
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| meteorology | study of physics, chemistry, & dynamics/motion of atmospheric phenomena |
| meteor | any atmospheric phenomenon "high in the air" |
| nucleus | any particle (ex: dust) around which water condenses into droplets to form a cloud |
| condensation | process that changes water vapor into liquid water |
| humidity | another term for water vapor in the air |
| saturated | describes air that holds maximum water vapor (at 100% humidity) |
| temperature | amount vapor to saturate depends on ___ of the air |
| dew point | the temperature to which air must be cooled to for saturation (2 words) |
| dry | the comfort level of air with a dew point < 50 ºF |
| hygrometer | device that measures humidity |
| stable | describes air that rises to a level in the atmosphere, then stops (may form a fair weather cloud) |
| unstable | describes air that continues to rise in the atmosphere, often forming a towering storm cloud |
| cauliflower | vegetable to which the shape of a cumulonimbus (storm) cloud is often compared |
| inversion | condition that exists when it is warmer high in the atmosphere than at ground level |
| thermal | atmospheric lifting when air near the ground is warmed more and rises due to lower density |
| orographic | atmospheric lifting that occurs when air goes over mountains, often forming a cloud |
| frontal | ___ wedging: atmospheric lifting when warm & cold air masses meet... warm goes over cold |
| convergence | atmospheric lifting that occurs when 2 similar air masses meet and both push upwards |
| cumulus | individual cloud with flat base and domed top |
| stratus | layered cloud that covers much or all of the sky |
| cirrus | high, white, thin, wispy/feather-like cloud |
| altostratus | cloud that appears as white or gray sheets with the sun shining through only as a bright spot |
| stratocumulus | a cloud that consists of long parallel rolls or broken rounded patches |
| nimbostratus | cloud most associated with precipitation that is gentle but steady (dreary day cloud) |
| fog | cloud whose base forms at or near the ground (classified as stratus) |
| coalescence | process by which cloud droplets become larger by colliding with each other |
| supercooled | described (pure) liquid water that exists below its normal freezing point |
| rain | precipitation in the form of large drops of water |
| snow | precipitation in the form of 6-sided ice crystals or clumps |
| graupel | precipitation in the form of snow pellets (fairly rare in NC) |
| sleet | precipitation in the form of pellets of ice formed when rains falls through a layer of subfreezing air |
| hail | precipitation in the form of a LAYERED ice pellet formed by in cumulonimbus cloud |
| glaze | precipitation in the form of supercooled water that freezes on impact (i.e. freezing rain) |
Created by:
goakley
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