Chapter 1 Flashcards
What is the deadliest type of hazard?
Heat
What is the most damaging type of hazard?
Hurricane
What is the difference between weather and climate?
Weather- short term, constantly changing
examples: snow storm, hurricane, heat wave
Climate- long period of time. monthly, yearly, average conditions
examples: annual # of hurricanes
What gases make up the atmosphere?
- Nitrogen- 78%
- Oxygen- 21%
- Carbon dioxide- .038%- green house gas
- Argon
- Ozone- blocks UV light
- Water Vapor- forms clouds, precip.
- Aerosols
What is a greenhouse gas?
a gas that absorbs heat from the earth
What are are Aerosols?
-small solid and liquid particles in the atmosphere
-reflects light
natural: dust, pollen, sea salt
man-made: pollution
What are the good and bad effects of aerosols?
Good:
- serve as a cloud
- colorful sunsets
- the cool the temp.
Bad:
1. health effects- smog
What is pressure?
Pressure is the weight of air above
What is the average sea level pressure?
about 1000 millibars
What does pressure do with altitude?
As you go higher, pressure decreases
What are the atmospheric layers?
- Troposphere
- Stratosphere
- Mesosphere
- Thermosphere
What is the most important layer of the atmosphere? Why?
Troposphere.
Because all weather occurs here and it touches the surface of the earth
What is the environmental lapse rate?
And what is its average?
- It is how quickly temp cools with height
temp. decreases with altitude - 3.5 F per 1000 feet (average)
What is important about the Stratosphere?
What does temp. do here?
- it is where the ozone layer blocks UV
- temp. increases at top because of ozone layer
What does temp. do in the Mesosphere?
Temp. decreases
