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1. CLOUDS

   • Stratus
     • Nimbostratus
       • Large dark sheets of clouds. Indicate rain or snow.
     • low altitude
     • indicates chance of light mist or drizzle
   • Cumulus
     • Cumulonimbus
       • large and darker cumulus clouds
       • dense, towering vertical cloud
     • thick and puffy on top, flat on bottom
     • high altitude
   • Cirrus
     • ends curl and feathery look
     • high altitude

2. HOW CLOUDS FORM

   • 1. Evaporation turns water into water vapor
     • 2. Temperature gets cooler and reaches dew point
       • 3. Water vapor turns back into liquid due to condensation and sticks to dust particles

3. VOCABULARY

   • Water vapor - water in gaseous form
     • Dewpoint - the temperature at which water vapor condenses
       • Global winds - winds that move over a long distance
         • Climate - average weather over a long period of time
           • Humidity - amount of water vapor in the air
             • Atmosphere - the mixture of gas that surrounds a planet
               • Air temperature - the measure of the force pushing on the surface of the Earth
                 • Precipitation - any form of water that falls on Earth

4. LAYERS OF THE ATMOSPHERE

   • Exosphere
     • Thermosphere
       • Mesosphere
         • Stratosphere
           • Troposphere
             • lowest layer with life forms
               • 9 miles - distance to earth
                 • 15 C to -52 C
                   • weather, gases, clouds, birds, airplane, and kites/balloons are found here
           • 31 miles - distance to earth
             • contains the ozone layer which protects everything of earth from UV rays
               • -52 C to -3 C
                 • commercial jets and Weather balloons are found here
                   • OZONE LAYER
                     • the thickness of the ozone layer can change in between seasons
                     • absorbs most of the solar radiation coming from the sun
                       • Protects everything living on Earth from the sun's UV rays
                         • contains high concentration of ozone
                           • the ozone layer is declining due to pollution/chemicals created by humans
         • protects earth from meteors and space "junk"
           • Ice crystals and meteors are found here
             • 53 miles - distance to earth
               • -3 C to - 90 C
       • -90 C to 1800 C
         • Northern lights and space shuttle are found here
           • 310 to 621 miles - distance to earth
     • 1800 C
       • Satellites are found here
         • Outermost limits of earth and very thin air
           • 620 miles - distance to earth
   • Earth's atmosphere is always moving due to the sun's uneven heating upon earth

5. WIND

   • Cold air is dense and sinks
     • warm air is less dense and rises
       • The motion of warm air rising and cool air sinking happens in a circular path - a.k.a convection current
   • wind is formed by the heat of the sun and the rotation of the earth
   • GLOBAL WINDS
     • winds that move over long distances between the equator and poles
       • warm air rises at the equator
         • cold air sinks at the poles
           • the earth tilts as it's rotating = global winds don't move in a straight path
             • these winds circle the globe from the right of the Northern Hemisphere to the left of the Southern Hemisphere
     • 3 Types of Global Wind Systems
       • Trade winds
         • winds that blow from a 30-degree latitude to the equator and curve to the west as moving towards the equator
       • Westerlies
         • winds that occur between a 30-degree and 60-degree latitude towards the poles from west to east. They typically bring moist air with them.
       • Easterlies
         • Polar easterly winds form when cold sinking moves between the poles. 60-degree latitude