Download Wind, Water Vapor, and Humidity Notes

Wind, Water Vapor, and Humidity
(Pages D 57 – D 60 & D 38 – D 41)
Coriolis Effect
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Earth’s rotation affects winds blowing across its surface. Imagine you are in an
airplane. While you are in the air, Earth is ____________________, or spinning,
underneath you.
Earth rotates counterclockwise.
No matter which way the wind blows, it will curve to the right in the Northern
Hemisphere. This curving is known as the _________________________. In the
Southern Hemisphere, the Coriolis Effect causes winds to curve left.
Global Wind Patterns
At the _______________________ it is very hot. The heat causes _________________,
so the air becomes moist. The warm moist air produces a ______________ pressure near
the equator. As the warm air moves away from the equator it cools off, moving to the
north and south. The cool air cools and becomes denser. The air sinks toward the surface
causing high-pressure zones above and below the _____________________.
Global Wind Zones
The top and bottom of the Earth have polar easterly winds. _________________ latitudes
have westerly winds.
The continental United States is in the zone of _____________________ winds.
Isobars
Knowing where the air pressure is high or low allows you to predict which way air will
move. A line on a map connecting places with equal air pressure is called an _________.
Isobars make pressure patterns easier to see.
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Big differences in air pressure over short distances cause strong winds. This is
shown on a map by drawing closely spaced isobars. Widely spaced isobars
represent gentle winds.
_____________________________ is an air mass of higher than normal pressure
where the winds blow outward from the center in a clockwise pattern.
_____________________________ is an air mass of lower than normal pressure;
often brings precipitation.
High and low-pressure systems are represented with circular patterns on an isobar
map.
Air pressure is measured in ___________________ (mb).
Weather Station Model
A _____________________________________ shows the current weather conditions at
a particular place at a particular time. This includes information on temperature,
precipitation, cloud cover, air pressure, wind speed, and wind direction.
Interpreting Symbols
The circle inside the weather station model symbol is used to determine cloud cover.
Water Vapor
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Water that forms around a cool glass of liquid comes from the air around the
glass. When warm air touches the cold glass, the air cools. Droplets of water
form, run down the side of the glass, and make a puddle on the table.
The water in the air is called ____________________. Water vapor is water in the
form of a gas. It is invisible, colorless, odorless, and tasteless. The amount of
water vapor in the air is called _______________________.
More than 2/3 of the planet is covered with liquid.
The changing of a liquid to a gas is called ____________________.
_____________________________ is the changing of a gas into a liquid. You see
condensation on shower doors, on cold drink glasses, and dew on grass in the
early morning.
Plants transport the liquid in the ground their roots and stems to their leaves. The
leaves then give off water in the process called __________________________.
Humidity
Two factors determine the amount of humidity in the air:
1. ___________________________________________
2. ___________________________________________
Warm air will take on more water vapor than __________________.
______________________________ is a comparison between how much water vapor
is in the air and how much the air could hold—at a given temperature. Relative humidity
can be used to predict how the air will feel to a person.
Forming Clouds
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As air ________________ and ________________, the water vapor in it
condenses into tiny water droplets, forming clouds.
If the temperature is below the ___________________________ of water, its
water vapor will form a cloud of tiny ________________________.