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Aerospace 3
Air Circulation
94
Other
Not Applicable
02/11/2011

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Cards

Term
What is the weight of all of the atmospehere's gases and molecules on the Earth's surface?
Definition
atmospheric pressure
Term
What is a scale for estimating wind speed, on land or sea?
Definition
Beaufort Scale
Term
What is the total energy of all molecules within a substance?
Definition
heat
Term
What is a measure of molecular motion expressed on a man-made scale?
Definition
temperature
Term
What is a body of air in motion?
Definition
wind
Term
How is wind direction defined?
Definition
the direction from which the wind is blowing?
Term
How is wind speed expressed in the US?
Definition
in either miles per hour or knots
Term
What is a common nautical and aviation term?
Definition
6,076 feet
Term
How much is one knot?
Definition
one nautical mile per hour
Term
What speed is the wind blowing if a flag is flying fully extended from the flag pole?
Definition
30 mph
Term
What uses temperature and wind speed to explain how cold it feels?
Definition
wind chill
Term
Why do airplaines takeoff into the wind?
Definition
because it gives the plane more lift
Term
What is defined as a downdraft or downburst?
Definition
microburst
Term
What are the three man-made scales used for measuring temperature?
Definition
Fahrenheit, Celsius or Kelvin
Term
What occurs when the body temperature drops below 95 degrees and can cause unconsciousness or death?
Definition
hypothermia
Term
What is the weight or push on the Earth's surface called?
Definition
atmospheric pressure
Term
What are the three ways air pressure can be measured?
Definition
1) aneroid barometer
2) mercury barometer
3) aneroid barograph
Term
Which type of pressure instruments gives a permanent record of pressure readings?
Definition
aneroid barograph
Term
What is the freezing point for water on a Fahrenheit scale?
Definition
32 degrees
Term
What is the boiling point for water on a Fahrenheit scale?
Definition
212 degrees
Term
What is the freezing point for water on a celsius scale?
Definition
0 degrees
Term
What is the boiling point of water on a Celsius scale?
Definition
100 degrees
Term
What is the freezing point of water on the Kelvin scale?
Definition
273 degrees
Term
What is the boiling point for water on a Kelvin scale?
Definition
373 degrees
Term
What causes an object moving freely in the Northern Hemisphere to be deflected to the right of its intended path?
Definition
Coriolis Force
Term
What is a strong wind that develops at 30,000-50,000 feet and moves across the U.S. generally from the west to the east?
Definition
jet stream
Term
What is the method by which the sun heats the Earth?
Definition
Radiation
Term
What is the movement of the Earth revolving around the sun?
Definition
Revolution
Term
What is the angle of the axis which the Earth roates on as it revolves around the sun?
Definition
23.5 degrees
Term
What is it called when the sun is at its northenmost point from the equator in the Northern Hemisphere?
Definition
Summer Solstice
Term
What is it called when the sun's direct rays strike the equator resulting in a day and night of equal length, usually on Sept 22nd or 23rd?
Definition
autumnal equinox
Term
What is it called when the sun's direct rays strike the equator resulting in day and night of equal length usually on March 21st or 22nd?
Definition
vernal equinox
Term
What is it called when the sun is farthest south of the equator and the Northern Hemisphere resulting in the shortest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere?
Definition
winter solstice
Term
What is it called when the sun is farthest south of the equator, resulting in the shortest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere?
Definition
winter solstice
Term
What is the fundamental cause of various weather conditions on Earth?
Definition
The sun heating the Earth
Term
What is the cause of temperature and pressure differences on earth?
Definition
uneven or unequal heating of the Earth by the Sun
Term
What creates circulation or movement of air?
Definition
temperature and pressure differences
Term
What initiates the whole weather process?
Definition
circulation or movement of air
Term
Through what method does the sun heat the Earth?
Definition
radiation
Term
Approximately how much of the sun's radiation is absorbed by the Earth's surface?
Definition
50%
Term
How much of the sun's radiation is reflected and absorbed in the atmosphere and space?
Definition
50%
Term
How much solar radiation is reflected from clouds?
Definition
25%
Term
How much of solar radiation is scattered to space by the atmosphere?
Definition
10%
Term
How much solar radiation is absorbed by the atmosphere?
Definition
15%
Term
Airplane engines work more efficiently in what type of weather?
Definition
dense cold weather
Term
What are the two motions the Earth has that effect the amount of heat received from the sun?
Definition
rotation and revolution
Term
How much time does it take for the Earth to revolve around the sun?
Definition
365 days, 5 hours and 48 minutes
Term
What direction does the Earth rotate on its axis?
Definition
counterclockwise
Term
Unequal heating caused by air movement is caused what?
Definition
general circulation of the atmosphere
Term
What region of the Earth receives most of the sun's heat?
Definition
the equator
Term
At what degree North and South of the equator does warm air begin to cool and sink?
Definition
30 degree
Term
Where does most of the cooling, sinking air move back to the equator?
Definition
between 30 degree latitude and the equator
Term
What are air movements towards the equator called?
Definition
trade winds
Term
What are warm, steady breezes that blow almost continuously?
Definition
trade winds
Term
What makes the trade winds appear to be curving to the west, when they are actually traveling toward the equator from the south to the north?
Definition
the Coriolis Force
Term
What is the area of calm where converging trade winds produce general upward winds as they are heated?
Definition
doldrums
Term
What are the winds that move toward the poles appear to curve to the east between 30 and 60 degrees?
Definition
prevailing westerlies
Term
What are responsible for many of the weather movements across the U.S. and Canada?
Definition
Prevailing Westerlies
Term
What are formed when the atmospehre over the poles cools then sinks and spreads out over the surface?
Definition
polar easterlies
Term
At about what latitude in both hemispheres do the prevailing westerlies join with polar easterlies to produce upward motion?
Definition
at about 60 degrees latitude
Term
What develops when there are strong temperature differences in the upper troposphere?
Definition
jet stream
Term
What is the process of converting water vapor to liquid?
Definition
condensation
Term
What is the temperature at which the air becomes saturated?
Definition
dew point
Term
What are tiny droplets of liquid water in contact with the surface?
Definition
fog
Term
What is a general term given to various types of condensed water vapor?
Definition
precipitation
Term
What is a parcel of air holding as much water vapor as it can?
Definition
saturation
Term
What is the amount of water vapor in the air compared to its water vapor capacity at a given temperature?
Definition
relatvie humidity
Term
What are the three states moisture exists in?
Definition
solid, liquid and gas
Term
What is moisture called when it is in a gaseous state?
Definition
water vapor
Term
What is the term used for the amount of water vapor in the air?
Definition
humidity
Term
What generally forms when the temperature and dew point are within five degrees of each other and the winds are light (five knots or less)?
Definition
fog
Term
What are the three basic cloud forms?
Definition
cumulus, stratus and cirrus
Term
How are clouds classified?
Definition
by their appearance and height
Term
Which type of cloud can be described as white billowy, puffy clouds?
Definition
Cumulus
Term
What type of clouds has a uniform appearance, it is thin with very little vertical temperature?
Definition
stratus
Term
Which type of clouds are very high, can be described as white, thin and wispy and are mainly composed of ice crystals?
Definition
cirrus
Term
What type of cloud prduses rain that can last for hours?
Definition
nimbostratus
Term
What type of cloud only produces thunder and lightning?
Definition
cumulonimbus
Term
What type of cloud produces tornadoes?
Definition
cumulonimbus
Term
What formation occurs at the base of a cumulonimbus cloud and indigates the degree of instability in the area?
Definition
mammatus formations
Term
What is an unrest or disturbance of the air?
Definition
turbulance
Term
What is defined as warm air rising?
Definition
convection
Term
What is precipitation that falls to the ground but freezes upon contact with various surfaces, such as the ground, a highway or cars?
Definition
freezing rain
Term
What is the most important element when it comes to developing weather?
Definition
moisture
Term
What is a huge body of air with the same temperature and moisture characteristics?
Definition
air mass
Term
What is a boundary between two air masses?
Definition
front
Term
What is a tropical cyclone of low pressure and very strong winds?
Definition
hurricane
Term
What is a cumulonimbus cloud possessing thunder and lightning; usually strong winds, rain and sometimes hail?
Definition
thunderstorm
Term
What is a whirling funnel of air of very low pressure and very strong winds?
Definition
tornado
Term
What is a air mass' place of origin called?
Definition
source region
Term
What is identified by a two-letter code consisting of a lowercase letter and a capital letter?
Definition
air mass source code
Term
What are the two possible lowercase letters for an air mass source code?
Definition
1) m (maritime)
2) c (continental)
Term
What are the four possible capital letters for an air mass source code?
Definition
1) polar (P)
2) artic (A)
3) tropical (T)
4) equatorial (E)
Term
What are the four classifications for Fronts?
Definition
1) warm
2) cold
3) stationary
4) occluded
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