Weather and Clouds Flashcards
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Questions and Answers

How are clouds classified?

They are classified by their height and shape.

What are the 4 basic types of clouds according to shape?

Stratus, cumulus, cirrus, and nimbus.

What are the four levels of cloud heights?

Cirro, alto, strato, and nimbo.

List the 10 cloud types according to their heights.

<p>Cirrus, cirrocumulus, cirrostratus, altocumulus, altostratus, cumulonimbus, stratus, cumulus.</p> Signup and view all the answers

Why do some clouds have names such as cumulonimbus and cirrostratus?

<p>Their names describe their shape and characteristics.</p> Signup and view all the answers

How do clouds form?

<p>Warm air is forced upward and cools, causing water vapor to condense in tiny droplets.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What factors cause the shape and height of clouds to vary?

<p>Temperature, pressure, and water vapor in the atmosphere.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What are stratus clouds?

<p>Smooth, even sheets or layers at low altitudes.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What are cumulus clouds?

<p>Puffy, white clouds, often with flat bases.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What are cirrus clouds?

<p>High, thin, white feathery clouds made of ice crystals.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the height of cirro clouds?

<p>Above 6000 m - high clouds.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the height of alto clouds?

<p>2000-6000 m - middle elevation clouds.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the height of strato clouds?

<p>Below 2000 m - low clouds.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What are nimbo clouds?

<p>Clouds are dark and so full of water that sunlight can't penetrate them.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is precipitation?

<p>Water falling from clouds.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What determines whether the droplets will form rain, snow, sleet, or freezing rain?

<p>Air temperature.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is hail?

<p>A form of precipitation that forms in cumulonimbus clouds.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is weather?

<p>The state of the atmosphere at a specific time and place.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What conditions help determine weather?

<p>Air pressure, wind, temperature, and moisture.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What does the sun's heat do to water?

<p>It evaporates water into the atmosphere, forming clouds.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is temperature a measure of?

<p>The movement of air molecules.</p> Signup and view all the answers

When the sun's energy causes air molecules to move rapidly, what happens to the temperature?

<p>The temperatures are high, and it feels warm.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What happens when less of the sun's energy reaches air molecules?

<p>The air molecules move less rapidly and it feels cold.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is wind?

<p>Air moving in a specific direction.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What happens when the sun heats air?

<p>The air expands, becomes less dense, rises, and has low atmospheric pressure.</p> Signup and view all the answers

Describe cooler air.

<p>Cooler air is denser and sinks.</p> Signup and view all the answers

How does air move?

<p>Air moves from low pressure areas to high pressure areas.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is humidity?

<p>The amount of water vapor in the air.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is relative humidity?

<p>The amount of water vapor in the air compared to what it can hold at a specific temperature.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What happens to relative humidity when the air cools?

<p>The air can't hold as much water vapor, leading to condensation.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is dewpoint?

<p>The temperature at which air is saturated and condensation occurs.</p> Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Cloud Classification

  • Clouds are classified based on height and shape.
  • Four basic types of clouds based on shape:
    • Stratus: Featureless sheets of clouds.
    • Cumulus: Puffy, lumpy clouds.
    • Cirrus: Wispy, stringy clouds.
    • Nimbus: Low, gray rain clouds.

Cloud Heights

  • Four levels of cloud heights:
    • Cirro: Bases start above 6000 m.
    • Alto: Bases between 2000-6000 m.
    • Strato: Below 2000 m.
    • Nimbo: Low elevation, dark and water-saturated.

Types of Clouds by Height

  • Common cloud types include:
    • Cirrus
    • Cirrocumulus
    • Cirrostratus
    • Altocumulus
    • Altostratus
    • Cumulonimbus
    • Stratus
    • Cumulus

Cloud Nomenclature

  • Cloud names like cumulonimbus and cirrostratus describe their characteristics.
    • Cumulonimbus: Associated with thunderstorms, can reach nearly 15,000 m, linked to extreme weather (lightning, thunder).
    • Cirrostratus: Thin, sheetlike clouds that form ahead of storms.

Formation of Clouds

  • Clouds form when warm air rises and cools, leading to water vapor condensing into tiny droplets.

Factors Influencing Cloud Characteristics

  • Cloud shape and height vary with temperature, pressure, and atmospheric water vapor.

Characteristics of Specific Clouds

  • Stratus: Smooth sheets at low altitudes.
  • Cumulus: Puffy, often with flat bases.
  • Cirrus: High, thin, feathery clouds made of ice crystals.

Precipitation

  • Precipitation occurs when water droplets in clouds grow large enough to fall to Earth.
  • Types of precipitation (rain, snow, sleet, freezing rain) are determined by air temperature.

Characteristics of Wind and Air Movement

  • Wind is air movement in a specific direction, caused by temperature differences and atmospheric pressure.
  • Cooler air is denser and sinks, resulting in high pressure; warmer air expands, rises, and creates low pressure.

Humidity

  • Humidity measures the amount of water vapor in the air; warmer air holds more water vapor.
  • Relative humidity compares the current amount of water vapor in the air to the maximum it can hold at a specific temperature.

Dewpoint

  • Dewpoint is the temperature at which air is saturated and moisture condenses into liquid or forms ice crystals.

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Description

Explore the fascinating world of clouds with these flashcards. Learn how clouds are classified by their height and shape, and discover the four basic types of clouds. This quiz is perfect for anyone looking to deepen their understanding of weather phenomena.

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