Review for ESS 2.2 and 2.4 Flashcard

Front

What is climate change?

Back

Climate change refers to significant changes in global temperatures and weather patterns over time. It is primarily caused by human activities, such as burning fossil fuels, deforestation, and industrial processes.

Front

What does it mean when we say the water is cold and cools the air?

Back

When water is cold, it absorbs heat from the air above it, causing the air to cool down. This cooler air is denser and tends to sink.

Front

What is the relationship between high and low pressure areas in wind movement?

Back

Wind blows from high pressure areas to low pressure areas. This movement is due to the difference in air pressure, where air moves to equalize the pressure.

Front

What causes day and night on Earth?

Back

Day and night are caused by the rotation of the Earth on its axis. As the Earth rotates, different parts of it receive sunlight, creating day, while the opposite side experiences night.

Front

How do we characterize an air mass that forms over near the equator?

Back

An air mass that forms near the equator is characterized as warm due to the intense sunlight and heat in that region.

Front

What is the definition of rotation in terms of Earth?

Back

Rotation is the spinning of the Earth on its axis, which takes approximately 24 hours to complete one full turn.

Front

What is the difference between weather and climate?

Back

Weather refers to the short-term atmospheric conditions in a specific place at a specific time, while climate is the long-term average of weather patterns in a particular area.

Front

What is an air mass?

Back

An air mass is a large body of air that has uniform temperature and humidity characteristics. They can be classified based on their source region.

Front

What are the four main types of air masses?

Back

The four main types of air masses are: Maritime Tropical (mT), Continental Tropical (cT), Maritime Polar (mP), and Continental Polar (cP).

Front

What is the significance of the Coriolis effect?

Back

The Coriolis effect is the deflection of moving objects, such as wind, due to the rotation of the Earth. It causes winds to curve rather than move in a straight line.