Ch. 2 Temperature and Cloud Formation Flashcards
What is radiation?
emmision of energy
What is the electromagnetic spectrum?
a range of all possible frequencies of electromagnetic radiation
Group types of radiation?
Radio, micro, infrared, visible light, ultraviolet, x-rays, gamma
What role does temperature play in the amount and type of radiation emitted by any object?
The more radiation given off, the higher the temperature
Why is the sun hotter than the Earth?
The sun gives off visible light, UV, and short wavelength infrared. The Earth gives off long wavelength infrared.
How does our atmosphere interact with radiation from the sun?
The surface of the atmosphere is warmed
What is the difference between ‘transmission’, ‘reflection, and ‘absorption’ of radiation?
Some radiation is transmitted through our atmosphere, reflected or absorbed
How does earth’s atmosphere differ from the surface in terms of how each interacts with solar radiation?
The earth both absorbs and reflects solar radiation. A lot having to do with the greenhouse effect
What are ‘greenhouse’ gases and how do they influence the escape of terrestrial radiation?
Gases that absorb infrared radiation. The escape of terrestrial radiaion is slowed by Earth’s atmosphere
What is the relationship
between the angle at which solar radiation strikes earth’s surface and the amount of energy absorbed?
The higher the angle of radiation, the more energy is absorbed.
What is
‘insolation’ and what factors control insolation values?
Insolation is a measure of solar radiation energy received on a given surface area and recorded during a given time. Factors include angle of incoming radiatoin and tilt of earth
What is the subsolar point?
the point at which the sun hits at local noon
What is local noon?
the point in the day where sun is directly over earth
How do changes in
insolation values affect daily temperatures?
The higher the insolation value, the warmer the temperature, the lower the insolation value, the cooler the temperature
What is the significance of the Tropics of Cancer and Capricorn in
terms of seasonal insolation values?
The insolation values are higher at tropics because the sun hits the at a steeper angle
What factors are the dominant controls on seasonal changes in
temperature?
The tilt of the earth
Why are Earth’s polar regions generally cooler than its tropical regions?
The polar regions don’t get the same levels of incoming radiation because of the way the Earth is tilted
What is meant by air pressure?
how dense the air is
What role does altitude play in controlling temperature and why?
The higher the altitude, the lower the air pressure. The higer the air pressure, the warmer the air
What factors contain daily variations in temperatures?
Changing insolation values, changing angle of incoming solar radiation, presence or absence of clouds, movement of air from polar and tropics
What factors control annual temperature changes?
changing insolaion values, changing angle of incoming radiation, length of day and night, solstice, equinox, and subsolar point
What factors control long term temperature changes (climate)?
greenhouse gases
What is the largest reservior of water on this Earth?
Lake Kariba - 43 cubic miles (180 km³) in Zambia and Zimbabwe
Largest reservoir of fresh water?
groundwater
What is the hydrologic cycle?
evaporation, condensation, precipitation, infiltration, run off and subsurface flow
What process releases energy?
High energy state to a low energy state
What process absorbs energy?
A low energy state to a high energy state
Which of the processes can be considered heating processes?
Freezing
Which of the processes would be considered a cooling process?
Melting
What is latent heat?
the heat required to convert a solid into a liquid or vapor, or a liquid into a vapor, without change of temperature.
What is evaporation?
liquid to gas
what is condensation?
gas to liquid
What is sublimation?
Solid to gas
What is deposition?
gas to solid
What is relative humidity?
the amount of water vapor present in air expressed as a percentage of the amount needed for saturation at the same temperature.
What adds water to the atmosphere?
Evaporation and sublimation
What removes water vapor from the atmosphere?
Condensation and deposition
Th molecules the more ___?
heat
What is dew point?
the temperature needed for dew to form as a result f condensation
The difference between dew point and frost point?
Dew point is the temperature needed for dew to form. Frost point is the temperature needed for frost to form.
What factor controls the dew point for any given body of air?
The amount of condensation
How do temperature changes affect relative
humidity?
The higher the temperature, the lower the humidity. the lower the temperature, the higher the humidity.
What is meant by ‘saturation’ of air?
The condition under which the amount of water vapor in the air is at the maximum possible for the existing temperature and pressure
What makes up a cloud?
condensed water
What is adiabetic temperature change?
process deals with the changing temperature of a parcel of air due to the air rising adiabatically or sinking adiabatically
What is rising air?
Warm air that rises due to less air pressure
What is sinking air
Cold air that sinks due to greater air pressure
What is condensation level?
The altitude at which a rising air parcel reaches saturation, usually the cloud base height.
What is saturated air?
moist air in which the partial pressure of water vapour equals the vapour pressure of water at the existing temperature
What is unsaturated air?
Moist air which is not saturated.
What is stable atmosphere?
calm weather
What is unstable atmosphere?
violent weather
High layered clouds?
Cirrus, cirrostratus, cirrocumulus
Middle layered clouds?
Altostratus, altocumulus
Lower layered clouds?
Stratus, Stratocumulus, Nimbostratus
Vertical Clouds
Cumulus, cumulonimbus
High pressure Systems?
cooler temperatures, clear skies
Low pressure systems?
warmer temperatures that produce rain and storms
What are cyclones?
a system of winds rotating inward to an area of low atmospheric pressure
What is an anticyclone?
a weather system with high atmospheric pressure at its center
What are fronts?
air masses at bounderies
What are air masses?
large body of air
What is net evaporation?
liquid water to water vapor
What is Net Condensation?
Water vapor to liquid
How are dew point values affected?
Proximity to coast, latitude and atmospheric circulation
What is temperature?
functions of incoming radiation and sunlight
