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ATPL Meteorology > Atmospheric Stability > Flashcards

Atmospheric Stability Flashcards

1
Q

What 3 states can moisture exist?

A
  • Liquid
  • Solid
  • Gas
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2
Q

What is the process of;

Gas to Solid?

A

Deposition

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3
Q

What is the process of;

Solid to Gas?

A

Sublimation

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4
Q

What is the process of;

Gas to Liquid?

A

Condensation

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5
Q

What is the process of;

Liquid to Gas?

A

Evaporation

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6
Q

What is the process of;

Solid to Liquid?

A

Melting

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7
Q

What is the process of;

Liquid to Solid?

A

Freezing

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8
Q

How is a change of state achieved?

A

Exchange of latent heat

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9
Q

What does humidity refer to?

A

Amount of water vapour contained in air sample

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10
Q

How is humidity measured?

A

Psychrometer

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11
Q

What is relative humidity expressed as?

A

Percentage

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12
Q

When is a sample of air said to be saturated?

A

When the air sample can hold no more water without condensation occurring

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13
Q

Relative humidity %=

A

Actual Mass of water x 100/ Mass of water vapour at saturation

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14
Q

What influences the amount of water being able to be held?

A
  • Temperature

- Pressure

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15
Q

Increased temperature increases the stability of an air sample and is there for able to hold more or less water?

A

More

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16
Q

The relative humidity is decreased with….

A

An increase in temperature

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17
Q

What is dew point?

A

Temperature at which a sample of air must be cooled to reach saturation

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18
Q

As a parcel of air rises up through the atmosphere what happens to the surrounding air pressure?

A

Reduces

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19
Q

A parcel of air cools when it rises why is this?

A

The volume of parcels increases and the temperature reduces. Process called expansion

20
Q

When an air sample changes temperature due to pressure or volume this is called?

21
Q

What is the lapse rate?

A

Lapse rate is the rate at which an air sample cools as it rises

22
Q

What does the lapse rate depend on?

A

Whether the sample of air is dry or saturated

23
Q

What is the lapse rate of unsaturated air?

A

3/1000ft

DALR

24
Q

What is the lapse rate of saturated air?

A

1.5/1000ft

SALR

25
Q

What causes saturated air to move more slowly?

A

As water vapour condenses to liquid, latent heat is released causing it to cool more slowly

26
Q

What is the Dew point lapse rate?

27
Q

What is considered a stable atmosphere?

A

One which an air parcel return to its original level after being forced vertically

28
Q

What is the air said to be if it continues to rise on its own after being forced vertically?

29
Q

Stability or instability depends on?

A

Relative lapse rates and the air parcels being forced vertically

30
Q

What is ELR?

A

Environmental Lapse Rate

31
Q

When does stability exist?

A

When the ELR is less than the SALR

32
Q

When does instability exist?

A

When ELR is greater than DALR

33
Q

When does conditional stability exist?

A

ELR is less than DALR but greater than SALR

34
Q

What does conditional stability mean?

A

The parcel remains dry and cools at the DALR, conditions will be stable. If dew point is reached the parcel will cool at the slower SALR and if sufficient lifting occurs become warmer than the environment resulting in instability

35
Q

How do you find out the cloud base height?

A

Subtract the surface dew point from the actual surface temperature and divide by 2.4

36
Q

When does an inversion exist?

A

Whenever a layer of warm air exists above cooler air

37
Q

What is a surface inversion?

A

Air close to the surface is cooled at night by conduction

38
Q

When is surface inversion most common?

A

Just before dawn when the surface temperature is lowest

39
Q

What is a turbulence inversion?

A

Moderate winds at low level may cause adiabatic expansion and cooling in lower layers due to mixing

40
Q

What is a frontal inversion?

A

Boundary between two air masses of different temperatures may form an inversion as the warm air slides up over the cooler air

41
Q

What is a subsidence inversion?

A

As a column of air subsides the top of the column undergoes greater compression and heating than the bottom

42
Q

Are inversions associated with stable or unstable conditions?

43
Q

Are there bumpy or smooth conditions above or below the inversion layer?

A

Above- Smooth

Below- Bumpy

44
Q

What is a fohn wind?

A

Hot, dry breeze blowing down lee side of a mountain

45
Q

How is a fohn wind created?

A

Cloud base on lee slope is higher than on the windward slope due to precipitation on the Winward slope and a change in dew point

46
Q

On the lee slope surface temperatures are higher because…

A

The air warms at the DALR from the higher cloud base through a greater depth than it cooled on the windward side

ATPL Meteorology (12 decks)

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