Term
| What is the primary source of energy for the earth's atmosphere? |
|
Definition
|
|
Term
| List the 4 most sbundant gasses in today's atmosphere. |
|
Definition
Nitrogen - 78%
Oxygen - 21%
Water vapor +or- .04%
Carbon Dioxide - .038% |
|
|
Term
Of the 4 most abundant gasses in our atmosphere which one shows the greatest variation at the surface |
|
Definition
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|
Term
| What are some of the important roles that water plays in our atmosphere? |
|
Definition
Needed for clouds/ precipitation
Stores/ releases latent heat
Essential greenhouse gas
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|
Term
A)Briefly explain the production and natural destruction of carbon dioxide near the earth's surface.
B)Give two reasons for the increase of carbon dioxide over the last 100 years. |
|
Definition
A) Production - Decaying vegetation, erupting volcanoes, exhalation of animals, cumbustion of fuels in naturally occuring fires
Destruction - Photosynthesis especially phytoplankton because much of the CO2 ends up dissolved in oceans
B)Burning of fossil fuels, burning of deforested land areas, deforestation |
|
|
Term
List the 2 most important greenhouse gasses.
What makes them greenhouse gasses? |
|
Definition
Water vapor and Ozone
They absorb/ release infrared radiation |
|
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Term
| Explain how the atmosphere protects earth's inhabitants |
|
Definition
The ozone absorbs solar radiation
Greenhouse gasses prevent massive diurnal variations
Ionisphere helps to control buildup of electricity |
|
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Term
| What are some of the aerosols in our atmosphere? |
|
Definition
Dust
Salt particles
Ash
Tiny solid or liquid particles suspended in the atmosphere |
|
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Term
A) Explain the concept of air pressurein terms of mass of air above some level?
B)Why does air pressure always decrease with increasing height above the surface? |
|
Definition
A) Pressure is a consequence of the weight of the atmosphere
A vertical column of atmosphere pushes down on whatever is beneath it with a force equal to its weight.
That force devided by the cross-sectional area of the column is the force per unit area or PRESSURE
B) As you move away from the surface the amount of air above you becomes less, so there is less air pushing down on you = less pressure
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|
|
Term
What is standard atmospheric pressure at sea level in
A) Inches of mercury
B) Milibars
C) Hectopascals |
|
Definition
A) 29.92 Hg
B) 1013.25 mb
C) 1013.25 hPa |
|
|
Term
| What is the average temperature lapse rate in the troposphere? |
|
Definition
| 6.5C per 1000 meters (1km) |
|
|
Term
| Briefly describe how the air temperature changes from the earth's surface to the lower thermosphere. |
|
Definition
As you move up in altitude the temperature
Decreases in the troposhere
Increase in the stratusphere
Decrease in the mesosphere
Increase in the thermosphere |
|
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Term
| On the basis of temperature, list the layers of the atmosphere from the lowest layer to the highest. |
|
Definition
| Troposphere, stratusphere, mesosphere, thermosphere |
|
|
Term
What atmospheric layer contains all of our weather?
|
|
Definition
|
|
Term
In what atmospheric layer do we find
A) The lowest average air temperature
B) The highest average temperature
C) The highest concentration of ozone |
|
Definition
A) Mesosphere, average value of -130˚F
B) Thermosphere “hot layer”, but due to the air density being so low, air temperatures are not measured directly.
C) Stratosphere, 97% of atmospheric ozone is found in the stratosphere
|
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|
Term
| What region of the world would you find the hole in the ozone? |
|
Definition
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|
Term
| How does the ionosphere affect AM radio in the day vs the night |
|
Definition
At night radio transmissions can go much further because the transmission can bounce between the earth and the ionosphere.
During the day the transmissions go a shorter distance due to ionospheric absorption causes the waves to lose strength. |
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Term
| Even though the actual concentration of oxygen is nearly 21% (by volume) in the upper atmosphere why cant people breath with out oxygen tanks at altitude? |
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Definition
| The upper stratusphere contains so few molecules that the oxygen is 21% of nothing, there is not enough air to breath. |
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Term
| Explain how wind blows around low- and -high pressure systems in the northern hemisphere |
|
Definition
Low Pressure - bad weather
counter clockwise
inward
High Pressure - nice weather
clockwise
outward |
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|
Term
| How does weather differ from climate? |
|
Definition
Weather happens at a specific time and place
Climate is the average of a locations weather conditions over a period of time |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
The boundary between warm and cool air appears as a dark line on a weather map.
Across the front there is a sharp change in temperature, humidity, and wind direction. |
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|
Term
| The weather in the middle latitudes tend to move in what direction? |
|
Definition
|
|
Term
| How does the average speed of air molecules relate to the air temperature. |
|
Definition
| Higher temperature correlate to faster movement |
|
|
Term
| Distinguish between temperature and heat |
|
Definition
Temperature is the means of describing how warm or cold an object is.
Heat is the transfer of energy from an area of higher temperature to an area of lower temperature. |
|
|
Term
How is heat transferred by
a)conduction
b)convection
c)radiation |
|
Definition
conduction - By molecular activity from one substance to another. Transfer is always from warmer to colder
Convection - Heat by the mass movement of a substance, air or water
Radiation - Energy travels from the sun through space and the atmosphere to the earth in the form of an electromagnetic wave. |
|
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Term
| How is latent heat an important source of atmospheric energy? |
|
Definition
a) Latent heat is the energy involved in the change of state (liquid to gas)
b)heat released from billions of vapor droplets fuels storm energy needs, warms the air and encourages taller cloud growth. |
|
|
Term
| In the atmosphere, how does advection differ from convection |
|
Definition
Convection- pattern of circular movement
Advection- horizontal movement |
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|
Term
| How does the temperature of an object influence the radiation that it emits. |
|
Definition
| Radiation is emitted by the vibrations of electrons, the higher the temperature the shorter the radiation waves that are emitted. |
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|
Term
| How does the radiation emitted from the sun differ from the radiation emitted from the earth? |
|
Definition
The sun emits shortwave solar radiation
The earth emits longwave terrestrial radiation. |
|
|
Term
| Which photon carries the most energy? |
|
Definition
|
|
Term
| When a body reaches radiative equilibrium, what is taking place? |
|
Definition
| At this temperature the earth (acting as a black body) is absorbing all of the solar radiation and emitting infrared radiation at the same rate. |
|
|
Term
| If the earth's surface continually radiates energy, why doesn't it become colder and colder? |
|
Definition
| The Earth is also absorbing Solar energy |
|
|
Term
| Why are carbon dioxide and water vapor called selective absorbers? |
|
Definition
| Water vapor and carbon dioxide are strong absorbers of infrared radiation and poor absorbers of solar radiation. |
|
|
Term
| Explain how the earth's atmospheric greenhouse effect works |
|
Definition
| Greenhouse gasses (ozone, water vapor) allow most of the sun's visible radiation to reach the earth and absorb much of the earth's departing infrared radiation trapping the gas with in the atmosphere keeping the temperature of the earth stable. |
|
|
Term
| What gasses appear to be responsible for the enhancement of the earth's greenhouse effect. |
|
Definition
| Carbon dioxide, water vapor and ozone |
|
|
Term
| Why do most climate models predict that the earth's temperature will continue to increase by more than 2.5 degrees C toward the end of the century? |
|
Definition
| Increased greenhouse gasses ex. CO2 |
|
|
Term
| What processes contribute to the earth's albedo being 30%? |
|
Definition
| The Earth and it's atmosphere return 30% of the solar radiation that hits the earth back into space, making the earth's albedo 30% |
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|
Term
| Explain how the atmosphere near the earth's surface is warmed from below. |
|
Definition
| Solar radiation heats the atmosphere from below through soil conduction and gas convection. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| A continuous stream of high-energy particles released from all directions from the Sun's corona. Solar flares can increase the speed and strength of the wind. The increase can interfere with radio and television communications on earth. |
|
|
Term
| Explain how the aurora is produced |
|
Definition
| The aurora (Northern or southern lights) is produced by solar flares hurling electrons and protons into the earths magnetic field. The acceleration of these particles gives them the energy needed to produce an auroral display |
|
|
Term
| Explain why the first snowfall of winter sticks better to tree branches than to the ground. |
|
Definition
| The ground holds heat (radiation) much longer than tree branches. |
|
|
Term
| In the Northern Hemisphere why are summers warmer than winters even though the earth is actually closer to the sun in January? |
|
Definition
| Due to the 23.5 degree tilt in the earth's axis, while the earth is closer to the sun, the suns beams do not directly strike the northern hemisphere in the winter months but are spread out causing less intense heat on the surface. Another important factor is that the days are much shorter in the winter and allow less time for surface warming. |
|
|
Term
| What are the main factors that determine seasonal variations |
|
Definition
| The 23.5 degree tilt of the earth combined with the earths orbit around the sun directly relate to the angle of the sun's beams striking the earth and the length of the daylight hours which in turn determine the seasons. |
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|
Term
| During the Northern Hemisphere’s summer, the daylight hours in the far northern latitudes are longer than those in the mid-latitudes, but the temperatures are not warmer farther north. Why? |
|
Definition
The far northern latitudes recieve more daylight due to the tilt of the earth the solar radiation reaching the earth is not direct because the angle the light hits the earth is low.
Scattering of radiation by clouds fine dust and other atmospheric particles limits the amount of solar radiation reaching the ground. Solar radiation that does reach the ground is reflected back up because of ice and snow.This reflected radiation melts some of the ice and snow and warms the lower atmosphere. |
|
|
Term
| If it's winter in New York what is the season in Sydney Australia? |
|
Definition
|
|
Term
| Explain why Southern Hemisphere summers are not warmer than Northern Hemisphere summers. |
|
Definition
| The large amount of water in the southern hemisphere (81%) causes the summers to be cooler and the winters to be warmer with the exception of the antarctic. |
|
|
Term
| Explain why the vegetation on the north-facing side of a hill tends to be different than the vegetation on the south-facing side of the same hill. |
|
Definition
| South facing side of hills receive more sunlight and are warmer, because they are warmer rates of evaporation are higher which also makes them drier than the partially shielded north-facing side. |
|
|
Term
| What are some of the factors that determine the daily temperature fluctuations just above the ground? |
|
Definition
| Latitude, local geography and elevation |
|
|
Term
| Explain how incoming energy and outgoing energy regulate the daily variation in temperature. |
|
Definition
| Incoming solar radiation is absorbed by the surface and warms it. The warm surface emits longwave infrared radiation much of which is absorbed by and warms the atmosphere.The radiation in the atmosphere is radiated out to space to balance the incoming solar radiation and also back to the ground. |
|
|
Term
| Why is the warmest part of the day in the afternoon even though the suns rays are most intense at noon? |
|
Definition
| The solar radiation around noon is the highest, even though solar radiation decreases after noon it still exceeds outgoing heat energy for about 2-4 hours after noon. |
|
|
Term
| What side of a home in the middle latitudes have solar heating panels attached? |
|
Definition
| They should be South-facing |
|
|
Term
| A good absorber of a given wave length of radiation is also a good emitter of the same wave length : This is a statement of? |
|
Definition
|
|
Term
| What region is earth's atmospheric window located in? |
|
Definition
|
|
Term
| On average about what percentage of solar energy that strikes the outer atmosphere reaches the surface? |
|
Definition
|
|
Term
| Describe characteristics of an equinox |
|
Definition
a. the days and nights are of equal length except at the poles
b. at noon the sun is overhead at the equator
c. the earth is not tilted toward nor away from the sun |
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|
Term
| Thermal belts are usually found where? |
|
Definition
|
|
Term
| what do wind machines do during radiation inversion? |
|
Definition
Bring warm air down near the surface
Lift cool surface air to higher altitudes
Mix the air near the ground |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| warmer hillsides that are less likely to experience freezing conditions. |
|
|
Term
| What weather conditions are best suited for formation of cold night and strong radiation inverse? |
|
Definition
| A clear night with light winds |
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|
Term
Why is the daily temperature range
a)greater in dry regions than in humid regions
b)greater on clear days than on cloudy days |
|
Definition
a)temperature range is greater in dry regions due to the lack of cloud cover, have dry soil and sparse vegetation
b)lack of cloud cover allows for stronger solar radiation to hit the surface during the day and more infrared radiation to escape at night. |
|
|
Term
| Why is the largest annual range of temperatures normally seen over continents away from large bodies of water? |
|
Definition
| Water heats and cools slowly making land masses near water more temperate |
|
|
Term
| During a cold calm sunny day why do we feel warmer than the temperature indicates? |
|
Definition
| The lack of wind and the presence of strong solar radiation makes us feel warmer despite the air temperature. |
|
|
Term
| Basically how do the three states of matter differ? |
|
Definition
Solid - minimal molecular movement
Liquid - moderate molecular movement
Gas - faster molecular movement |
|
|
Term
| What are the primary factors that influence evaporation? |
|
Definition
| Wind, temperature, surface area, humidity |
|
|
Term
| How are evaporation and condensation related to saturated air above a flat water surface? |
|
Definition
| Water molecules evaporating from from the surface equal the number of molecules condensing back into the water. |
|
|
Term
| Explain how dew, frozen dew, and frost form? |
|
Definition
Dew- dew forms when the air cools to the dew point
Frozen dew- forms when the air cools to the dew point, dew forms, then the air temp drops below freezing
Frost - the dew point is below freezing and the water vapor changes directly from gas to solid via deposition |
|
|
Term
| Distinguish among dry haze, wet haze, and fog. |
|
Definition
Dry haze is when solid particles (salt and dust) are suspended in the air
Wet haze is when water vapor condense on solid particles which happens on a relative humidity of 75%
Fog - visibility of the air is less than 1km. The air is wet with tiny water droplets as the base of a cloud has settled at the surface. |
|
|
Term
| Why is fog that forms in industrial areas normally thick? |
|
Definition
| There are more condensation nuclie for the water vapor to condense onto. |
|
|
Term
| How can fog form when relative humidity is less than 100%? |
|
Definition
| hydroscopic condensation nuclei are attracted to water. Water will condense readily onto the nuclei, when many of the nuclei are present in the atmosphere fog can occur. |
|
|
Term
Name and describe 4 types of fog.
What conditions are necessary for the formation of radiation fog. |
|
Definition
Acid fog - Fog that forms in polluted air can turn acidic as the tiny liquid droplets condense with gaseous impurities such as oxides of sulfur and nitrogen.
Advection fog - When moist air moves over a cold surface, it's temperature is lowered to the dew point and fog is created.
Upslope fog - Moist air moves up hill. As the air rises it expands and cools. If the temperature is right fog can occur
Evaporation (mixing) fog - when 2 unsaturated air masses mix together, and the resulting mixture is moist enough and the temperature below the dew point, fog can occur. 2 types, steam fog and frontal/precipitation fog. Steam fog is when the cold air is over warm water, water evaporates, and adds more water to the air, raising the dew point. If the dew point reaches the temperature, fog can occur. Frontal fog is when warm rain falls through a layer of cold moist air, the water from the raindrop evaporates into the air, which can saturate it.
Radiation fog - this fog forms near the ground, due to the ground losing heat through radiation, which results in cooler air at the ground. The cooler air near the ground results in a lower saturation vapor pressure, and fog is more likely to form. |
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|
Term
| Why do ground fogs burn off by early afternoon. |
|
Definition
| As the sun warms the ground the air temperature rises. The rising air temperature evaporates the water in the fog. |
|
|
Term
| List as many positive consequences of fog as possible. |
|
Definition
California valley fog helps keep temperatures help keep temperatures cool during the summer and fall. This ensures the healthy growth of fruit and nut trees which require winter chilling. The fog acts like a blanket that keeps the days cool and the nights from getting too cold.
Advection fog provides moisture to the coastal redwood trees. The fog collects on the needles of the trees and then drips down to the soil where it is absorbed by the tree's root system. |
|
|
Term
| List and describe three methods of fog dispersal. |
|
Definition
Cold fog can be dispersed by seeding it with dry ice to the point where the water droplets freeze and fall to the ground and evaporate.
Fog can be interjected with hygroscopic particles and will then grow large and fall to the earth. (expensive and takes a long time)
Warm the air so that the fog evaporates. |
|
|
Term
| What atmospheric conditions are are necessary for advection fog to form? |
|
Definition
| Warm moist air flowing over cool surface. There must be air movement. |
|
|
Term
| How does evaporation/ mixing fog form. |
|
Definition
Forms when 2 unsaturated air masses mix together.
When cold air moves over a warm body of water, water vapor is evaporated and raises the amount moisture in the air. This in turn raises the dew point, which if raised to the air temp, leads to formation of fog. |
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|
Term
|
Definition
| Cirrus, Cirrostratus, Cirrocumulus |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Stratus, stratocumulus, nimbostratus |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Thin and wispy clouds blown by high winds into streamers. Move from west to east across the sky, indicate fair weather. |
|
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Term
|
Definition
| small, rounded, white puffs. May occur individually or in rows rarely cover more than a quarter of the sky. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
Thin clouds
Sun and moon can be seen through them
produce a halo effect around sun or moon
Thick Cirrostratus often predict a storm |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
Composed mostly of water droplets
Rarely more than 1 km thick
Gray puffy masses, darker in one area than another |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
-Gray or blue-gray cloud
-Comprised of ice crystals and water droplets
-Often cover the entire sky |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
-Darkgray, wet-looking
-Associated with constant rainfall |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
-low lumpy, appear in rows, patches or rounded masses
- blue sky is often seen between the clouds |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
Uniform grayish cloud
Often covers the entire sky
Very Low
Resembles fog |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
-Vertically developing
-Base is white or light gray
-If humid the cloud may only be km from the surface |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
Thunderstorm cloud
Dark base very low (600m)
Can build upward to the tropopause
can be one cloud or part of a wall of clouds |
|
|
Term
Why are high clouds normally thin?
Why are they mostly ice crystals? |
|
Definition
|
|
Term
| How can you distinguish between altostratus and cirrostratus? |
|
Definition
| Cirrostratus forms a halo around the sun or moon? |
|
|
Term
| Which cloud is associated with lightning? |
|
Definition
|
|
Term
| Which cloud is associated with heavy rain? |
|
Definition
|
|
Term
| Which cloud is associated with Mackerel sky? |
|
Definition
|
|
Term
| Which cloud is associated with mares tails |
|
Definition
|
|
Term
| Which cloud is associated with halos? |
|
Definition
|
|
Term
| Which cloud is associated with light continuous rain or snow? |
|
Definition
|
|
Term
| Which cloud is associated with hailstones? |
|
Definition
|
|
Term
| Which cloud is associated with an anvil top? |
|
Definition
|
|
Term
| How does a broken layer of clouds near the horizon appear as overcast? |
|
Definition
| Broken spaces between the clouds are hard to see. |
|
|
Term
| How do geostationary satellites differ from polar orbiting satellites? |
|
Definition
Geostationary satellites are much higher and rotate with the earth. They see the same place on the earth all of the time.
Polar satellites orbit at a lower altitude and pass over both poles during their rotation. Each pass around the earth moves the satellite slightly to the west until they have covered the entire planet. |
|
|
Term
| Explain why visible and infrared images can be used to distinguish high clouds from low clouds? |
|
Definition
| Higher clouds are colder and give off less radiation than lower clouds. |
|
|
Term
| Explain why visible and infrared images can be used to distinguish high clouds from low clouds? |
|
Definition
Visible images can be used because thick clouds reflect a lot of light
thin clouds allow a lot of light through them. |
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|
Term
| Name 2 clouds that form above the troposphere. |
|
Definition
Nacreous clouds form in the stratosphere at altitudes above 30 kilometers.
Noctilucent clouds are sometimes seen in the stratosphere at altitudes above 70 kilometers. |
|
|
Term
| Various information obtained by satellites |
|
Definition
1. images of clouds/weather activity.
2. radiometers - which detect radiation that is emited by clouds.
3. imager - an advanced radiometer which provides much better resolution.
4. sounder, a special radiometer that gives a more accurate profile of temperature and moisture at different levels in the atmosphere.
5. can get vertical profiles of temperature/moisture content.
6, cloud thickness as well as height. Precipitation radar, infrared scanner, microwave imager all help to provide a 3 dimensional image of clouds/storms along with the intensity and distribution or precipitation. Also lightning discharges and earth's 'energy budget'. |
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|
Term
|
Definition
|
|
Term
| If the environmental lapse rate is 5 degrees C for every 1000M, and the temperature at the surface is 25C, what is the temp at 2000m above the ground? |
|
Definition
|
|
Term
| If an air parcel is given a push up but then descends back to its original position, the atmosphere is said to be... |
|
Definition
|
|
Term
| What is an adiabatic process |
|
Definition
| A parcel of air that expands and cools or compresses and warms without exchange of heat with its surrounding |
|
|
Term
| Why are moist and dry adiabatic rates different? |
|
Definition
| Because when lifting the moist or saturated parcel, water vapor has to condense. Therefore latent heat energy is released from the water. This energy release keeps the parcel warmer than it would have been if the air were not saturated. |
|
|
Term
| Under what conditions would the moist adiabatic rate and the dry adiabatic rate be almost equal? |
|
Definition
| When the rising air is VERy cold |
|
|
Term
| Explain the difference between environmental lapse rate and dry adiabatic rate. |
|
Definition
Environmental lapse rate refers to the temperature at different altitudes in the troposphere.
Adiabatic rate refers to air that becomes warmed or cooled with vertical movement. |
|
|
Term
| How would one normally obtain the environmental lapse rate? |
|
Definition
| These temperatures are measured twice daily by the release of radiosonde balloons at the various National Weather Service Offices. |
|
|
Term
| What is an absolutely stable atmosphere? |
|
Definition
| When the environmental lapse rate is less than the moist adiabatic rate. |
|
|
Term
| What conditions cause a stable atmosphere? |
|
Definition
The environmental lapse rate is small.
** The difference in the air The difference in temperature from the surface to the atmosphere aloft is relatively small. |
|
|
Term
| What processes in the atmosphere can cause the atmosphere to become more stable? |
|
Definition
-Warm air advection aloft
-Downward movement of air aloft (subsisdence)that will cause the air aloft to warm do to compression
-Cold air advection in lower atmosphere
-Night time radiational cooling at surface
-Air moving over a cold surface, will cause the air temperature to decrease. |
|
|
Term
| What kind of clouds are associated with a stable atmosphere? |
|
Definition
The rising stable air will spread out and the clouds that form will also exhibit this characteristic.
Altostratus, cirrostratus, stratus, nimbostratus |
|
|
Term
| What can cause the atmosphere to become more unstable? |
|
Definition
1) cooling aloft
2)Cold air advection
3)Radiational cooling aloft
4)Warming at the surface
5)Daytime solar heating
6)warm air advection
7)Cool air moving over a warm surface |
|
|
Term
| On a typical summer day, how does stability change from day to night? |
|
Definition
During the day solar radaition causes the lowest part of the troposphere and the surface to warm, which causes the atmosphere to become unstable.
At night, radiational cooling will cause the surface and lowest part of the troposphere to cool making the air more stable. |
|
|
Term
| What kind of an atmospheric stability is required for thunderstorm development in the vertical? |
|
Definition
| The temperature with in the storm must be warmer than the surrounding environmental air. This makes the air in the mass unstable and allows for vertical development. |
|
|
Term
| What is lapse rate equal to? give an eqation |
|
Definition
change in temperature divided by the change in height.
(t1-t2)/(h1-h2)= lapse rate |
|
|
Term
| Define conditionally unstable |
|
Definition
Occurs when the environmental lapse rate falls between the moist and dry adiabatic rates.
Conditionally unstable means that if a parcel of unsaturated air could be lifted to a level where the air becomes saturated, instability would result. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
|
|
Term
| How does collision and coalesence form rain in a cloud? |
|
Definition
1) Cloud droplets are present in a range of sizes due to varying strengths of up drafts with in the cloud.
2)Coalescence occurs when large and small cloud droplets collide
3)Droplets grow in size until they are heavy enough to over come the vertical velocity with in the cloud and fall to the surface. |
|
|
Term
| Describe the solute effect. |
|
Definition
| Substances dissolved in a water droplet can enhance or retard the growth of the droplet. |
|
|
Term
| When a cloud consists of water droplets and ice crystals, is the saturation vapor pressure greater over the water droplets or over the ice crystals? |
|
Definition
| The saturation vapor pressure is greater over the water than the ice because it is easier for water molecules to escape liquid water than ice. |
|
|
Term
| Describe the curvature effect |
|
Definition
| Smaller droplets, with a greater amount of curvature evaporate more easily than larger droplets with less curvature. This is because more vapor molecules are needed around the small droplet in order to keep it at equilibrium and from evaporating away. |
|
|
Term
| Condensation onto hygroscopic nuclei is possible at relative humidities less than 100 percent due to the: |
|
Definition
|
|
Term
| Explain how the Bergeron Process increases the size of ice crystals. |
|
Definition
| Liquid drops have more water vapor molecules around them than ice crystals have. This imbalance causes the water molecules to diffuse to the ice crystals. Ice crystals grow at the expense of the water droplets. |
|
|
Term
| Which cloud type below will only produce precipitation by the collision-coalescence process? |
|
Definition
| Warm thick cumulus clouds |
|
|
Term
| What cloud would likely develop drizzle? |
|
Definition
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| what is the merging of liquid drops by collision called? |
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Definition
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| What temperature would you expect a cloud to become entirely glaciated? |
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Definition
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| what are super cooled cloud droplets? |
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Definition
| liquid droplets that have a temperature below 0 degrees C |
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| The growth of precipitation by the collision of an ice crystal with a super-cooled liquid droplet is called? |
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Definition
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| Cloud seeding with silver iodide only works in... |
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Definition
| Clouds composed of both ice crystals and supercooled liquid drops. |
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Definition
| Rain that falls from a cloud but does not reach the ground. |
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| Most common shape of an ice crystal |
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Definition
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Definition
| Snow or ice-crystals that fall from a cloud but evaporate before reaching the ground. |
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| What are large heavy snowflakes associated with? |
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Definition
| Moist air and near freezing temperatures. |
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| Rain drop/ partially melted snowflake that freezes into a pellet of ice in a deep subfreezing layer of air near the surface is called: |
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Definition
| Hail deposited in a long narrow band |
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| What is the precipitation where in only 1/100 of an inch .25mm falls |
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Definition
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| How does radar gather information about precipitation in clouds? |
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Definition
| It measures the amount of energy reflected back to the transmitter. |
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| Why does air pressure decrease with height more rapidly in cold air than in warm air? |
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Definition
| Cold air is more dense than warm air which causes a rapid change in pressure with height. |
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Term
What is considered standard sea-level atmospheric pressure in
millibars
Inches of Mercury
Hectopascals |
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Definition
1013.25 mb
29.92 inHg
1013.25 hPa |
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Term
| How does an aneroid barometer differ from a mercury barometer. |
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Definition
| An aneroid barometer does not use a liquid. A mercury barometer uses liquid mercury. |
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Definition
| An area of high atmospheric pressure around which the wind blows clockwise in the northern hemisphere. |
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Definition
| An area of low atmospheric pressure around which wind blows counter clockwise in the northern hemisphere. also called a low |
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Definition
| A bright ring of light seen around shadow of an observers head as the observer peers into a cloud or fog bank. |
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Term
| According to IPCC the average temperature increase by 2100 will be.. |
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Definition
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Term
| Increased concentrations of what gasses are responsible for the atmospheric green house effect? |
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Definition
Carbon monoxide
Nitrous oxide
Methane |
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Term
| The Milankovitch theory of climate change relates the major changes in climate to |
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Definition
| Variations in the orbital characteristics of the earth. |
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Term
| When did the little ice age happen? |
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Definition
| between the years 1400 and 1800 |
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Term
| East of the rocky mountains where do you find precipitation with the highest acidity? |
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Definition
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| When does precipitation become acidic? |
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Definition
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Term
| Where does highest precipitation fall in relation to urban areas. |
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Definition
| Down wind from urban areas tends to have higher precipitation. |
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Term
| When is the urban heat island more pronounced? |
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Definition
| during the hours of darkness |
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Term
| Where do the highest levels of pollution occur when speaking topographically? |
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Definition
| in valleys and between hills |
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Term
| Why are hurricanes more likely to form in october than in may? |
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Definition
| The ocean surface is warmer in october than in may making hurricane formation more likely. |
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Term
| Would the winds of a hurricane decrease more quickly over land or water? |
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Definition
| The winds would decrease more quickly over land. This is because when a hurricane moves over the land it is deprived of its energy source (the latent heat of condensation). Friction is greater over land and slows the storm. |
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Term
| Why is the surface water of the ocean cooler after a hurricane? |
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Definition
| The large amount of water evaporated by the hurricane would leave the ocean cooler after the passage of the storm. |
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Term
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Definition
| Hurricanes are tropical cyclones comprised of an organized mass of thunderstorms |
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Term
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Definition
| The eye of the hurricanes are a place that peak winds of the storm revolve around. the winds exceed 64 knots. |
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Term
| Where do hurricanes form? |
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Definition
| Form over warm tropical waters, where light surface winds converge and the humidity is high in a deep layer and the winds aloft are weak. |
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Term
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Definition
Intertropical Convergence Zone.
A region that circles the earth near the equator where the trade winds of the northern and southern hemisphere come together. |
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Term
| What are the mechanisms that trigger thunderstorms to become hurricanes? |
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Definition
1)converging surface winds along the ITCZ
2)Pre-existing atmospheric disturbance
3)A tropical wave |
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Term
| Where do hurricanes derive their energy from? |
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Definition
Warm tropical oceans and by evaporating water from the oceans surface.
Heat energy is converted to wind energy when the water vapor condenses inside deep convective clouds. |
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Term
| What must happen for hurricanes to grow stronger? |
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Definition
| The air aloft must move outward, away from the storm center more quickly than the surface air moves in toward the center. |
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Term
| What causes a hurricane to disipate? |
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Definition
| A hurricane will become smaller if it moves over cooler water or a large land mass. |
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Term
| What causes a hurricane to disipate? |
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Definition
| A hurricane will become smaller if it moves over cooler water or a large land mass. |
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Term
| How are severe thunderstorms different than airmass thunderstorms? |
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Definition
| Severe thunderstorms have a tilted updraft in the mature stage. |
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Term
| What is the cloud that forms along the leading edge of a gust front is called?/ |
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Definition
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Term
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Definition
| The leading edge of cool air rushing down and out from a thunderstorm. creates a boundary between the thunderstorm and the air around it. |
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Definition
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| How can you tell how far away a storm is? |
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Definition
| The amount of time between lightning and thunder. If there is 5 seconds between lightning and thunder that means that the storm is 1km away. |
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Term
| Where do most squall line thunderstorms form? |
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Definition
| They form ahead of a cold front. |
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Term
| What enhances the downdraft of a thunderstorm? |
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Definition
| the drag of falling precipitation |
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Term
| What is the typical diameter of a tornado? |
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Definition
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Term
| When is a tornado watch issued? |
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Definition
| when circulation of atmosphere is favorable for tornado formation in the next 1-6 hours over an area of 25,000mi |
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Term
| how are hurricanes and mid-latitude cyclones similar in the northern hemisphere? |
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Definition
| Both move in a counter clockwise motion around their center. |
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Term
| what is a storm of tropical origin located between the international dateline and Asia that causes much destruction to islands in that part of the world? |
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Definition
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Term
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Definition
| Strong, linear straight line winds produced by a thunderstorm |
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Term
| How are Derechos produced? |
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Definition
Result of the downdrafts of a thunderstorm that rush from the bottom and come out ahead of a storm
Can have winds in excess of 58mph |
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Term
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Definition
| A severe down draft that can cause damage to aircraft |
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Term
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Definition
| flash of light generated by the flow of electrons between oppositely charged parts of a cloud or between the cloud and the ground |
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Term
| Three ways that lightning can occure |
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Definition
Cloud to cloud
Inside a cloud
Cloud to ground |
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