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Key Terms - Ch 6
key terms for ch 6
27
Geography
Undergraduate 2
02/25/2014

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Term
absolute humidity
Definition
direct measure of mass of water in volume of air (g/L)
Term
specific humidity
Definition
direct measure of mass of water in mass of air (g/kg)
Term
relative humidity
Definition
actual vapor content/vapor capacity
Term
cooling processes
Definition
radiative, advective, adiabatic
Term
radiative cooling
Definition
ground loses heat and cools air directly above it (ground fog, dew, frost)
Term
advective cooling
Definition
horizontal movement of air (coastal fog)
Term
adiabatic cooling
Definition
cooling without energy loss as a result of pressure loss (clouds)
Term
condensation forms
Definition
ground fog, dew, frost, coastal fog, clouds
Term
lifting
Definition
convective, orographic, frontal, convergent
Term
convective lifting
Definition
surface is warm, warms air, air rises
Term
orographic lifting
Definition
mountains push air up, it cools and condenses into clouds and rain, air rushes down leeward side and humidity drops
Term
frontal lifting
Definition
(like a polar front) 2 air types converge, one rises, one sinks
Term
convergent lifting
Definition
(ITCZ) low pressure, air rises
Term
lapse rate
Definition
temp change with altitude change
avg lapse rate: 3.5°F/1,000 ft (6.4°C/km)
Term
dry adiabatic lapse rate
Definition
10 °C/km
Term
saturated adiabatic lapse rate
Definition
6°C/km
Term
lifting condensation level
Definition
altitude at which rising air cools sufficiently to reach 100% relative humidity at the dew point temperature and condensation begins
Term
instability
Definition
conditions that promote rising air (and cloud formation)
Term
stability
Definition
conditions that do not promote rising air
Term
inversion
Definition
extreme stability (opposite of normal lapse rate, layer of air in the troposphere that warms as you rise through it)
Term
cirrus
Definition
high latitude clouds
Term
alto
Definition
mid lat clouds
Term
cumulus
Definition
puffy
Term
stratus
Definition
sheet
Term
nimbus
Definition
rain producing
Term
coalescence process
Definition
bigger drops move down and collect smaller droplets
Term
ice crystal (bergeron) process
Definition
crystals grow large enough to fall, melt beneath cloud on way to earth
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