Understanding the Weather: Elements, Instruments and Forecasting: 74 flashcards
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1. What is weather?
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Weather is the state of the Earth's atmosphere at a particular time and place.
2. What is the atmosphere?
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The atmosphere is the layer of gases that surround some planets, including Earth, where we call these gases 'air'.
3. What is the troposphere?
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The troposphere is the layer of the atmosphere closest to the Earth's surface where all land-based plants and animals live and breathe, and where almost all weather phenomena take place.
4. What are the five elements of weather?
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Temperature, precipitation, atmospheric pressure, wind, and humidity.
5. Define temperature as an element of weather.
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Temperature is how hot or cold the atmosphere is.
6. What is precipitation?
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Precipitation is any form of water, such as rain, snow, sleet, or hail, that falls from the sky.
7. What is atmospheric pressure?
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Atmospheric pressure is the weight of the air above us, felt on the Earth's surface.
8. What is wind?
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Wind is the movement of air, including its speed and direction.
9. What is humidity?
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Humidity is the amount of water vapour in the air.
10. What is meteorology?
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Meteorology is the systematic study of weather and its evolution, which is the basis for weather forecasting.
11. What is a thermometer used for?
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A thermometer is used to measure temperature.
12. What is a rain gauge used for?
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A rain gauge is used to measure the amount of rainfall.
13. What is a barometer used for?
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A barometer is used to measure atmospheric pressure.
14. What is an anemometer used for?
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An anemometer is used to measure wind speed and direction.
15. What is a hygrometer used for?
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A hygrometer is used to measure humidity.
16. What is a weather station?
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A weather station is a facility that brings together various instruments to measure and track the weather at a particular place and time.
17. What is an Automated Weather Station (AWS)?
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An Automated Weather Station is a self-operating system that uses sensors to measure and record weather data without human intervention.
18. What is the India Meteorological Department (IMD)?
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The India Meteorological Department is the national meteorological service of India, set up in 1875, responsible for weather forecasting and monitoring.
19. What is relative humidity?
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Relative humidity is the amount of water vapour in the air compared to the maximum amount the air could hold at that temperature, expressed as a percentage.
20. What is the range of temperature?
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The range of temperature is the maximum temperature minus the minimum temperature during a particular period (usually 24 hours).
21. How is mean daily temperature calculated?
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Mean daily temperature is calculated as the maximum temperature plus the minimum temperature of the day divided by two.
22. What is a depression in weather terms?
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A depression is a low-pressure system where atmospheric pressure drops dramatically, which can sometimes develop into a storm or cyclone.
23. What is the normal atmospheric pressure at sea level?
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The normal atmospheric pressure at sea level is around 1013 millibars (mb).
24. Why is atmospheric pressure lower at high altitudes?
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At high altitudes, the air is thinner, so there is less air above, resulting in lower atmospheric pressure and less oxygen available.
25. What is a wind vane?
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A wind vane (or weather vane) is an instrument with a rotating arm that indicates the direction of the wind.
26. What is a wind sock?
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A wind sock is a type of wind vane used at airports to indicate wind direction for pilots during take-off and landing.
27. How does an anemometer measure wind speed?
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An anemometer has cups that rotate when the wind blows; the stronger the wind, the faster the rotation, and a meter calculates the speed in km/h.
28. What is the unit of atmospheric pressure?
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The unit of atmospheric pressure is the millibar (mb).
29. What are traditional ways to predict weather?
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Traditional ways include observing birds flying low, ants carrying eggs, squirrels gathering nuts, frogs croaking loudly, and pine cones opening or closing.
30. Why is weather forecasting important?
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Weather forecasting helps us prepare for events like heavy rain, storms, drought, and heat waves, enabling governments to mobilize resources and prepare for disasters.
31. What does a rainfall of 30 mm in a day mean?
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It means that if the rain were to fall on a flat surface without draining or evaporating, it would accumulate to a depth of 30 millimeters.
32. What is sleet?
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Sleet is frozen or partly frozen rain.
33. What is hail?
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Hail is small, hard balls of ice that fall from the sky like rain.
34. What is water vapour?
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Water vapour is water in gaseous form instead of liquid form.
35. What is a forecast?
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A forecast is a prediction or finding out in advance, especially about the weather.
36. What is acclimatise?
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Acclimatise means to adjust to a new climate or new condition.
37. What is ambient temperature?
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Ambient temperature is the temperature of the immediate surroundings.
38. What is statistics in the context of weather?
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Statistics is the technique of gathering and analyzing information or data to detect patterns, understand events, or make predictions.
39. What does IMD's motto 'ādityāt jāyate vṛṣṭi' mean?
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It means 'From the sun arises rain'.
40. Why does rain arise from the sun?
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The sun's heat causes water to evaporate, forming water vapour that eventually condenses into clouds and falls as rain.
41. What is the troposphere's thickness at the poles compared to the tropics?
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The troposphere is less thick at the poles (where cold air contracts) and thicker in the tropical zone (where warmer air expands).
42. What are the two temperature scales mentioned?
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The Celsius scale and the Fahrenheit scale.
43. What is the normal atmospheric pressure at the sea coast?
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The normal atmospheric pressure at the sea coast is around 1013 mb.
44. What pressure indicates a depression?
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A pressure below 1000 mb indicates a depression.
45. What is the atmospheric pressure at Khardung la (over 5600 m)?
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The atmospheric pressure at Khardung la is generally about 650 millibars.
46. Why do people feel breathless at high altitudes?
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At high altitudes, the air pressure is lower, so there is less oxygen available for the lungs to take in, making the body work harder.
47. What is the purpose of a rain gauge's collecting funnel?
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The collecting funnel directs rainwater into the measuring tube.
48. How is rainfall measured using a rain gauge?
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Rainfall is measured by the depth of water collected in the measuring tube, read on a scale attached to it.
49. What is the role of a hygrometer in weather measurement?
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A hygrometer measures humidity, which is the amount of water vapour in the air.
50. Why is humidity important in museums?
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Museums monitor humidity to maintain a dry environment to preserve their exhibits.
51. What is the relative humidity range for dry weather?
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Dry weather has a relative humidity range between 20% and 40%.
52. What is the relative humidity range for humid weather?
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Humid weather usually falls between 60% and 80% relative humidity.
53. If humidity in Delhi is 52% and in Kochi is 84%, where will wet clothes dry faster?
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Wet clothes will dry faster in Delhi because lower humidity allows faster evaporation.
54. Where would you sweat more if temperature is the same: Delhi (52% humidity) or Kochi (84% humidity)?
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You would sweat more in Kochi because higher humidity reduces the evaporation of sweat, making you feel sweatier.
55. What is the primary function of a weather station?
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A weather station brings together various instruments to measure and track the weather at a particular place and time.
56. What types of data does an Automated Weather Station (AWS) measure?
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An AWS measures temperature, humidity, wind speed and direction, precipitation, and atmospheric pressure.
57. Where was an AWS set up in 2023 by the National Disaster Management Authority?
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An AWS was set up at a glacial lake in Sikkim at an altitude of more than 4800 metres above sea level.
58. Why are accurate weather predictions important?
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Accurate predictions help us prepare for extreme weather events like droughts, floods, and cyclones, and enable governments to mobilize resources and prepare for disasters.
59. How do weather predictions help fishermen?
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Weather predictions warn fishermen about stormy weather at sea, preventing them from venturing out in dangerous conditions.
60. What is the role of the India Meteorological Department (IMD)?
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The IMD is responsible for weather forecasting and monitoring in India, issuing warnings and alerts for various weather conditions.
61. What do the colors on IMD's weather warning map indicate?
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The colors indicate the level of warning: No Warning, Watch (Be Updated), Alert (Be Prepared), and Warning (Take Action).
62. What is a 'loo'?
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A loo is a strong, hot, and dusty wind that blows in north India in summers.
63. In which month is rainfall the dominant weather element in India?
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Rainfall is dominant in July, during the monsoon season.
64. In which months is temperature the dominant weather element in India?
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Temperature is dominant in May (summer heat) and December (winter cold).
65. When is atmospheric pressure the dominant weather element?
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Atmospheric pressure is dominant when a cyclone is moving.
66. When is wind the dominant weather element?
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Wind is dominant when a loo is blowing or when forest fires are spreading.
67. Why does the same temperature feel cold to one person and pleasant to another?
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People are accustomed to different climates, so what feels chilly to someone used to 30°C may feel pleasant to someone used to 5°C. This is why weather needs a common language of measurement rather than vague feelings.
68. How thick is the troposphere, and why does its thickness vary?
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It extends roughly 6 to 18 km above the surface — thinner at the poles where cold air contracts, and thicker in the tropics where warm air expands.
69. What is the difference between a simple thermometer and a maximum-minimum thermometer?
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A simple thermometer shows only the ambient temperature, while a maximum-minimum thermometer records the highest and lowest temperatures of the day, from which range and mean daily temperature are calculated.
70. Where must a rain gauge be placed, and why?
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On flat, open ground away from walls or trees, because obstacles could block or channel rain and distort the reading. This matters when designing rain-gauge experiments.
71. How is snow measured with a rain gauge?
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The snow is allowed to melt first, and then the depth of the melted water is measured, since the rain gauge records rainfall as depth.
72. Why does wind blow from high pressure to low pressure?
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Wind is simply air flowing from areas of high pressure to areas of low pressure; this pressure difference drives the movement of air that we describe by speed and direction.
73. Why does Delhi at 52% humidity feel more comfortable than Kochi at 84% at the same temperature?
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At higher humidity the air is already full of water vapour, so sweat evaporates slowly and we feel stickier. Lower humidity allows faster evaporation, making the same temperature feel more comfortable.
74. How do pine cones act as natural weather indicators?
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Pine cones close in humid conditions to protect their seeds and open in dry conditions to release them — a traditional observation of how plants respond to the same atmospheric changes that instruments measure.
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