Earth Science Final #4

Water vapor (gas)

• expand to fill container
• igid crystalline structure
• takes the shape of its container

Sublimation

• solid directly to gas (heat (absorbed))
•  gas directly to solid (heat (released))

Relative humidity

•  how near air is to saturation rather than how much water vapor is in the air
•  temperature parcel of air would need to be cooled to reach saturation (measure of actual moisture content)

Orographic lifting

•  air is forced to rise over a mountain berried (causes rainshadow effect)
•  a pileup of horizontal airflow result in upward movement

Stable air

• parcels temperature is lower than surrounding air, it is more dense = it will sink to original position if allowed to do so
• parcel's temperature is higher than surrounding air, less dense = will rise to meet air of the same temperature

Water condenses in the air it needs condensation nuclei

• tiny bits of particulate matter for water to condense on
• When water condenses near ground it needs a surface to condense on

Cirrus

• (cirrus = curl of hair): high,  Delicate, veils, wispy, feathery
• (cumulus = a pile): globular

Cumulus

• (stratum = a layer): sheets/layers
•  (cumulus = a pile): globular,  Flat based with rising done/tower

Stratus 

• (stratum = a layer): sheets/layers,   Like a blanket
• uniform white to grey sheet

Clouds by Height  Cumulonimbus (thunder heads)

•  towering large cloud usually resulting in thunderstorms  
• Altocumulus: larger and denser than cirrocumulus Altostratus: uniform white to grey sheet