Atmospheric Stability

Question 1

Evaporation

Answer 1

Requires heat/latent heat

Question 2

Condensation

Answer 2

Releases latent heat

Question 3

States of Moisture

Three States

Answer 3

Gas/Vapor (Invisible)

Liquid (Visible)

Solid (Visible)

Question 4

Adiabatic Process

Answer 4

When the temperature of a gas is changed without the addition or deletion of heat energy

Question 5

Adiabatic Process

Cooling Rates

Answer 5

(1) Dry– approximately 3°C per 1,000 feet occurs when the air is rising and is not saturated (no condensation is occurring).
(2) Moist–approximately 1.5°C per 1,000 feet occurs after saturation takes place in rising air.

Question 6

Standard temperature lapse rate

Answer 6

2°C/1,000 feet

Question 7

Lifted Condensation Level (LCL)/Level of Condensation

Answer 7

is an altitude where the temperature equals the dew point.

Question 8

Level of Free Convection (LFC)

Answer 8

is an altitude where the temperature of the rising air equals the ambient air that is not being lifted. The air will continue to lift after this point, because of the latent heat released inside the forming clouds.

Question 9

Stability conditions (three)

Answer 9

Stable–air that resists vertical movement.

Unstable–air that starts moving vertically and will continue without any outside force.

Conditionally unstable (convectively unstable)–air that may be stable under one set of conditions and unstable under another.

Question 10

Weather hazards are related to water in one of its three states. Name the three states of water.

Answer 10

vapor
liquid
solid

Question 11

A change of state from a vapor to a liquid (visible moisture) is called

Answer 11

condensation

Question 12

What term describes the process of vapor turning directly to solid?

Answer 12

deposition

Question 13

What process occurs when a solid changes directly to a gas, without going through the liquid stage?

Answer 13

sublimation

Question 14

Evaporation is a change of state from a_____ to a _____.

Answer 14

liquid to a vapor

Question 15

Dew point temperature

Answer 15

The temperature to which air must be cooled to become saturated

Question 16

Generally, condensation will take place when the spread is __°C or less.

Answer 16

2°

Question 17

A large temperature/dewpoint spread indicates ____ relative humidity.

Answer 17

low

Question 18

How do you express relative humidity when reporting it?

Answer 18

as a percentage

Question 19

The amount of water vapor a given volume of air can contain depends upon the

Answer 19

temperature of the air

Question 20

Air being lifted over a mountain range will cool on the windward side and heat up as it moves downslope on the leeward side. This temperature change is a result of the

Answer 20

adiabatic process

Question 21

The dry adiabatic cooling rate per 1,000 feet is

Answer 21

3°

Question 22

The moist adiabatic cooling rate is approximately

Answer 22

1.5°

Question 23

The Level of Free Convection is the level

Answer 23

Where the rising air temperature is the same as the ambient air temperature

Question 24

The Level of Condensation can be described as when the

Answer 24

rising air temperature is the same as the dew point temperature and clouds are formed

Question 25

If lifting action occurs, air with high moisture content tends to be

Answer 25

more unstable than dry air