Term
| How much of the world is made up of ocean? of glacier? |
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Definition
Ocean = 97%
Glacier = 2%
the rest is streams, lakes, etc. |
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Term
Definition of Hydrologic cycle.
Is it an open or closed system? |
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Definition
Hydrologic cycle: the circulation of water from one part of the general Earth system to another. it is highly dynamic (volatile, sensitive, mobile)
It is a CLOSED system. |
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Term
| What are the 6 storage areas for water? |
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Definition
| Atmosphere, oceans, surface freshwater, plants & animals, groundwater, and glacial ice. |
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Term
| Definition of Water Budget |
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Definition
| water vapor found within approximately the first 5,500 meters of the troposphere. |
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Term
| What is the source of all the condensation and precipitation? |
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Definition
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Term
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Definition
| the temperature at which the water vapor in the air becomes saturated and condensation begins |
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Term
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Definition
| Absolute humidity (rarely used), and Relative humidity |
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Term
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Definition
| ratio between amount of water vapor in air of a given temperature and the max amount of water vapor that the air could hold at that temp. |
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Term
| What is humidity measured with? |
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Definition
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Term
| What is it called when plants sweat to stay cool? |
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Definition
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Term
Evapotranspiration is affected by two things:
1.
2. |
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Definition
1. The AMOUNT and TEMPERATURE of accessible water. (warmer air has more evapotranspiration)
2. The amount of SATURATION in the air
The more the parcel of air is saturated, the less evapotranspiration occurs. |
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Term
| If ______ evapotranspiration exceeds _______ then there is a deficit in water. |
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Definition
| If potential evapotranspiration exceeds precipitation then there is a deficit in water. |
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Term
name the altitude at which these clouds can be found:
1. Cirro
2. Alto
3. Strato |
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Definition
1. Cirro = 6,000+ m
Made up of ice crystals
2. Alto = 2,000-6,000
Made up of ice crystals and water droplets
3. Strato = less than 2,000 m
made up of water droplets |
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Term
| Which clouds produce rain? |
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Definition
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Term
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Definition
| When air settles in on cold surface of Earth, air becomes cold and saturated and fog forms above the ground. Stays until solar radiation penetrates down and warms earth's surface |
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Term
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Definition
| Transfer of heat as one air parcel moves across another. They last for a long time and are very thick. |
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Term
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Definition
| parcel of air hits a mountain and the air starts to move up |
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Term
| Frost forms when ______... |
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Definition
| Frost forms when water vapor changes directly to the frozen state (process of sublimation) |
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Term
Continental Arctic (cA)
c stands for _____,
A stands for _____. |
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Definition
Continental Arctic (cA)
c stands for the moisture content,
A stands for the temperature. |
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Term
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Definition
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Term
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Definition
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Term
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Definition
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Term
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Definition
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Term
| Continental Tropical (cT) |
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Definition
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Term
| Cold fronts are emphasized by _______ and warm fronts are emphasized by _______. |
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Definition
Cold fronts = arrows
Warm fronts = half circles |
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Term
| ___ (cold/warm) air eventually overtakes the ___ (cold/warm) air. |
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Definition
| Cold air eventually overtakes the warm air. |
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Term
3 types of thunderstorms:
1. Frontal thunderstorms
2. Convective thunderstorms
3. Orographic thunderstorms |
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Definition
1. Frontal thunderstorms = associated with cold fronts
2. Convective thunderstorms = summer thunderstorms. Clouds are heated by solar radiation.
3. Orographic thunderstorms = occur along the mountains. |
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Term
| Positive molecules accumulate around the ____ (top/bottom) of the thunderhead and negative molecules accumulate around the ____(top/bottom). |
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Definition
| Positive molecules accumulate around the top of the thunderhead and negative molecules accumulate around the bottom. |
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Term
| How hot does lightning get? |
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Definition
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Term
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Definition
| The lightning strike breaks the sound barrier, causing a sonic boom (aka thunder) |
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Term
| Tornadoes develop in what kind of supercell? |
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Definition
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Term
Hurricane has to have winds in excess of 80 mph to be classified as such?
TRUE OR FALSE |
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Definition
| FALSE. Winds have to be 74 mph in order for it to be classified as a hurricane. |
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Term
| What are the 3 factors for hurricanes? |
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Definition
1. Warm enough ocean water
>81 degrees farenheit
2. Warm enough ocean layer depth
>200 feet
3. Away from the equator
>5 degrees N/S of equator
no Coriolis force winds |
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Term
| Saffir-Simpson scale is based on what? |
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Definition
| Low pressure, wind speed, and size of storm surge |
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Term
| A hurricane is called a ___ in the Pacific, and a ____ in Australia. |
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Definition
Typhoon = Pacific
Tropical Cyclones = Australia |
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Term
| Difference between climate and weather? |
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Definition
Climate = long-term (30-year) average
Weather = the current temperature |
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Term
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Definition
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Term
| We are currently in the Holocene age |
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Definition
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Term
| Name the ice ages from newest to oldest: |
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Definition
| Wisconsinan, Illinoian, Kansan, Nebraskan |
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Term
| Proxies for climate change: |
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Definition
1. Ocean sediment cores
2.Oxygen-Isotope analysis (ice core samples)
3. Tree Rings
4. Ecotones = where one ecosystem ends and one begins
5. Pollen analysis
6. Packrat Middens |
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Term
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Definition
| Milutin Milankovitch proposed there were three cycles of Earth's movement. |
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Term
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Definition
| a 100,000 year variation in the shape of the Earth's orbit around the sun. |
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Term
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Definition
a 41,000 year variation in the tilt of the Earth's axis from a maximum of 24.5 degrees to a minimum of 22 degrees and then back.
- the more tilt, the more seasonality |
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Term
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Definition
| 21,000 year cycle that determins the time of year the aphelion occurs |
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Term
| Potential Evapotranspiration |
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Definition
| approximates the water use of plants with an unlimited water supply |
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Term
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Definition
believed vegetation is associated with climate
***50 degrees farenheit*** anything below this and trees can't grow |
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Term
| Disadvantages of the Koppen System |
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Definition
| only uses average monthly temperature, and it ignores the winds, clouds, and intensity of precipitation. |
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Term
| A desert has 1/2 precipitation than ______. |
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Definition
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Term
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Definition
| plants that are well adapted to dry climates |
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Term
| Average temperature of the tundra? |
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Definition
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Term
| the coldest place on earth? |
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Definition
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Term
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Definition
| occurs at 10 degrees per 1000 meters |
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Term
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Definition
| occurs at 5 degrees per 1000 meters |
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Term
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Definition
| occurs at about 6.5 degrees per 1000 meters |
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Term
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Definition
| based on Potential evapotranspiration. establishes moisture availability at the sub-regional scale. Looks at climates on a local scale. |
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Term
| Koppen Climate Classification |
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Definition
A = Humid Tropical Climates
B = Arid Climates
C = Humid Mesothermal (Mild Winter) Climates
D = Humid Microthermal (Severe Winter) Climates
E = Polar Climates
H = Highland Climates |
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