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The Water Cycle

Explore the continuous movement of water in the troposphere and learn about the processes of evaporation, condensation, and precipitation. Discover how humidity and temperature affect the water cycle, and understand how clouds form and the different types of clouds. Additionally, learn about air pressure and its connection to weather patterns, as well as the factors that cause wind and the global wind circulation patterns.

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The Water Cycle

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  1. The Water Cycle • What happens to water in the troposphere? • Water is continuously being moved through the troposphere. • water cycle: the continuous movement of water between the atmosphere, the land, and the oceans • Water is continuously being moved, primarily between the oceans and the continents.

  2. The Water Cycle, continued • Evaporated water vapor condenses to form precipitation. • Evaporationoccurs when solar energy heats water molecules, and they rise as gaseous water vapor. • transpiration: the process by which plants release water vapor into the air through their leaves • precipitation: any form of water that falls to Earth’s surface from the clouds

  3. The Water Cycle, continued • Air contains varying quantities of water vapor. • humidity: the amount of water vapor in the air • Relative humidity is the actual amount of vapor in the air compared to the maximum amount the air could hold at that temperature. • Air that has a relative humidity of 100% is said to be saturated.

  4. The Water Cycle, continued • Warmer temperatures evaporate more water. • Warm air can hold more water vapor than cold air can. • Water vapor becomes liquid at the dew point.

  5. The Water Cycle, continued • The higher the humidity, the higher the dew point. • dew point: the temperature at which the rate of condensation equals the rate of evaporation • Air or a gas begins to condense to a liquid. • When humidity is high, there are more molecules of water in the air and it is easier to form liquid.

  6. The Water Cycle, continued • Clouds form as warm, moist air rises. • Water vapor condenses into tiny droplets of liquid as it cools. • Depending on where clouds form, they can have different shapes and characteristics.

  7. The Water Cycle, continued • Cloud names describe their shape and the altitude at which they form. • Clouds are named with combinations of three root words: • cirrus • stratus • cumulus • Cirrus cloudsare thin, wispy, and occur at high altitudes. • Stratus cloudsare layered and look like sheets. • Cumulus cloudsare white and fluffy with somewhat flat bottoms.

  8. The Water Cycle, continued Cloud names reflect combined characteristics. • Cirrostratus clouds are high, layered clouds that form a thin white veil. • Altostratus and altocumulus clouds are stratus and cumulus clouds that occur at middle altitudes. • Cumulonimbus clouds are towering rain clouds that often produce thunderstorms. • Nimbostratus clouds are large, gray clouds that often produce steady precipitation.

  9. Cloud Types

  10. Air Pressure • What is air pressure, and by what terms is it also known? • The barometric pressure, also called atmospheric pressure or air pressure, is the pressure that results from the weight of a column of air extending from the top of the thermosphere to the point of measurement.

  11. Air Pressure, continued • Changes in barometric pressure often accompany changes in the weather. • Falling pressure may indicate that a large air mass is leaving the area. • Rising air pressure may mean that an air mass is moving in.

  12. Wind • What causes wind? • Differences in pressure create winds. • Pressure gradients cause air to move. • pressure gradient: a difference in air pressure from one place to another • The air in a pressure gradient moves from areas of high pressure to areas of low pressure. • wind: the movement of air from a high-pressure area to a low-pressure area

  13. Wind, continued • Earth’s rotation affects the direction of winds. • Coriolis effect: the curving of the path of a moving object from an otherwise straight path due to Earth’s rotation • Points at different latitudes on Earth’s surface move at different speeds. • Earth goes through a full rotation in 24 hours. • Points on the equator travel the Earth’s full circumference in 24 hours. • Points closer to the poles do not travel as far.

  14. Wind, continued • Predictable air circulation forms wind patterns. • Winds in the Northern Hemisphere curve clockwise. • Winds in the Southern Hemisphere curve counterclockwise. • The resulting patterns are very regular, and have been named by meteorologists. • Polar easterlies • Westerlies • Northeast trade winds • Southeast trade winds

  15. Circulation Patterns

  16. Wind, continued • Global wind patterns form circulation cells. • Flowing from a high-pressure area to a low-pressure area, air flows both north and south in a large loop. • Three loops of rising warm air and sinking cold air can be found in each hemisphere. • Air in each of the hemispheres completes three loops, called cells.

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