CHAPTER 10 SECTION 2 NOTES:

1. weather-describes the current condition of the atmosphere

2. factors of weather-temperature, could cover, wind speed, wind direction, humidity, and air pressure

3. meteorologists-people who monitor all weather data continuously.

4. temperature measures?  how fast air molecules are moving

5. high temperature-air molecules are moving rapidly

6. thermometer-measure temperature on a particular scale

7. conduction-the transfer of energy that results when  molecules collide (faster moving molecules bump into slower molecules and transfer energy)

8. convection-the process of warm air rising and cool air sinking

9. atmospheric pressure- pressure varies over Earth's surface, cool air sinks and warm air rises, air that is higher exerts less pressure on the earth because it has less mass at a higher altitude.

10. humidity-amount of water vapor in the air

11. dew point-when air is holding as much water vapor as it can, it is said to be saturated and condensation can occur

12. relative humidity-a measure of the amount of water vapor that is present compared to the amount that could be held at a specific temperature

13. clouds-form when air rises, cools to its dew point, and becomes saturated

14. low clouds- form at about 2000 m or less in altitude

15. cumulus-puffy clouds that form when air currents rise, carrying moisture with them

16. stratus-form dull gray sheets that can cover the entire sky (fog)

17. nimbostratus-clouds form low, dark, thick layers that blot out the Sun

18. middle clouds-clouds that form between about 2000 m and 8000 m, most of these are layered, and have the prefix alto- in front of them, (altocumulus and altostratus) can be made up of a mixture of liquid water and ice crystals

19. high and vertical clouds-so cold they are made up entirely of ice crystals

(cirrus-which are wispy) (cirrostratus-high, layered that cover the entire sky)

20. cumulonimbus-vertical clouds that extend throughout all levels of the atmosphere, create the heaviest precipitation of all, better known as thunderstorm clouds.

21. nimbus-when you see nimbus attached to a cloud name, it usually means the cloud is creating precipitation

22. precipitation-when drops of water or crystals of ice become too large to be suspended in a cloud, they fall in the form of rain, freezing rain, sleet, snow, or hail

23. wind-air moving from one temperature or pressure area to another

(air generally moves from high pressure areas to low pressure areas)

24. anemometer-measures wind speed

25. Coriolis effect-(pic. pg. 296)moving air deflects to the right in the northern hemisphere and to the left in the southern hemisphere

26. trade winds-tropical easterlies, because they blow in a general east to west direction

27. prevailing westerlies-major wind cells that are located between 30o and 60o latitude north and south of the equator and blow from the west

28. jet streams-bands of strong winds that develop at higher altitudes and are like giant rivers of air

29. tornadoes and hurricanes-occur when air rushes into the center of low pressure