L2

• Weather


  The temporary state or momentary day-to-day state of the atmosphere at a given place and time and takes place
• Elements of Weather


  • Temperature
  • Humidity
  • Atmospheric Pressure
  • Wind
  • Clouds
• Temperature


  The hotness and coldness of the atmosphere, measured using a thermometer
• Thermometer


  Instrument used to measure temperature
• Humidity


  The amount of water vapor in the air. Low humidity indicates dryness, high humidity indicates wetness
• Hydrometer


  Instrument used to measure humidity
• Atmospheric Pressure


  The weight of air on the earth's surface, varies depending on altitude. Falling pressure indicates a storm is approaching, rising pressure indicates fair weather
• Barometer


  Instrument used to measure atmospheric pressure
• Wind


  The horizontal movement of air on the earth's surface, caused by differences in pressure and temperature
• Anemometer


  Instrument used to measure wind speed
• Wind vane


  Device used to determine wind direction
• Clouds


  A mass of condensed water vapor suspended in the atmosphere, formed by condensation
• Cloud types based on appearance


  • Cirrus (hairlike)
  • Stratus (layered)
  • Cumulus (pile)
• Cloud types based on altitude


  • Cirro (above 6000m)
  • Alto (2000-6000m)
  • Nimbo/Nimbus (below 2000m)
• High clouds (above 6000m)


  • Cirrus
  • Cirrostratus
  • Cirrocumulus
• Middle clouds (2000-6000m)


  • Altostratus
  • Altocumulus
• Low clouds (below 2000m)


  • Stratus
  • Stratocumulus
  • Nimbostratus
• Clouds with vertical growth


  • Cumulus
  • Cumulonimbus
• Fronts


  A transition zone between two large different air masses that collide at the earth's surface, changing the weather
• Types of Fronts


  • Cold Fronts
  • Warm Fronts
  • Stationary Fronts
  • Occluded Fronts
• Cold Fronts


  When heavy cold air displaces lighter warm air, pushing it upward. Temperatures drop 5-15 degrees
• Warm Fronts


  When warm air moves slowly and replaces cold air by sliding over it. Temperatures may warm slightly
• Stationary Fronts


  When a cold or warm front stops moving, as two air masses are pushing against each other but neither is powerful enough to move the other. Temperatures remain stagnant
• Occluded Fronts


  When cold air from a cold front meets the cool air ahead of a warm front. The warm air rises as the air masses come together. Temperature fluctuations are small, winds are gentle
• Severe Weather


  Weather changes that include heavy rain, high-speed winds, snow, and hail. Examples are tornadoes, hurricanes, and thunderstorms, which can cause massive destruction
• Types of Severe Weather


  • Tornadoes
  • Hurricanes
  • Cyclones
  • Typhoons
• Tornadoes


  Violent, destructive whirling funnel-shaped wind formed from severe thunderstorms
• Climate


  Weather conditions at some locality over a specified period, which do not vary from time to time or change from day to day
• Biogeochemical cycle


  A pathway by which chemical substances move through biotic (biosphere) and abiotic (geosphere, atmosphere and hydrosphere) compartments of the Earth
• Types of biogeochemical cycles


  • Hydrologic Cycle
  • Carbon Dioxide-Oxygen Cycle
  • Phosphorus Cycle
  • Nitrogen Cycle
• Hydrologic cycle


  1. Evaporation

  2. Transpiration

  3. Condensation

  4. Precipitation

  5. Surface runoff

  6. Infiltration

  
• Evaporation


  The process where water changes from its liquid state to gaseous state (water vapor)
• Transpiration


  A process of evaporation through plant
• Condensation


  The opposite of evaporation. Condensation occurs when a gas is changed into a liquid
• Precipitation


  When the temperature and atmospheric pressure are right, the small droplets of water in clouds form larger droplets and precipitation occurs
• Surface runoff


  A process where water runs off the land surface and flows downhill and returns again to the oceans, where a great deal of evaporation occurs
• Infiltration


  A process where water infiltrates into the soil and underlying rocks
• Carbon dioxide-oxygen cycle


  The recycling of carbon and oxygen
• Oxygen is second most abundant gas in the atmosphere (21%) and one of the most common element in human body
• Carbon is the backbone of all life. This element is also found in our atmosphere as carbon dioxide (CO2). It helps to moderate the Earth's temperature as GHG and an element present in the food like carbohydrates