Chapter 6- Atmospheric Moisture Flashcards
What are the five types of latent heat?
Melting Fusion Vaporization Condensation Evaporation
What is evapotranspiration?
The combined process of water vapor entering the air from land sources
What is potential evapotranspiration?
The amount of evapotranspiration that could occur if the ground in that location was always sopping wet
How can you determine whether or not the climate is dry using PET?
If the annual precipitation is greater than the potential evapotranspiration there is a water surplus and visa versa
What is specific humidity?
The mass of water vapor in a given mass of air
How can you change specific humidity?
Change the quantity of water
What is absolute humidity?
The mass of water vapor in a given volume of air
How can you change absolute humidity?
Change the volume of air
What is vapor pressure?
The contribution of water vapor to the total pressure of the atmosphere
What is saturation vapor pressure?
The maximum vapor pressure at a given temperature
What is vapor content?
????
What is vapor capacity?
The maximum amount of water vapor that air can contain at a given temperature
What is dew point?
The temperature to which air must cool in order to saturate
What is sensible temperature?
The temperature that a persons body feels
What are the adiabatic lapse rates?
Dry: 10 C per 1000 m
Saturated: 6 C per 1000 m
Why is the saturated adiabatic lapse rate slower than the dry rates?
Release of latent heat during saturated rate
Name the cloud forms and families
High Cirriform Middle Cumuliform Stratiform Low Stratiform Vertical Cumuliform
Name four types of fog and how they form
Radiation: ground radiates away heat
Advection fog: warm moist air moves horizontally over a cold surface
Upslope: adiabatic cooling when humid air climbs a topographic slope
Evaporation: water vapor is added to cold air that is already near saturation
What is atmospheric stability?
If a parcel of air resists uplift
What is atmospheric instability?
Air rises without any external force other than the buoyant force or if it continues to rise after such an external force has ended
What is conditional stability?
A parcel is same temperature or cooler than the surrounding air so it is stable. If it is forced to rise above the lifting condensation level the release of latent heat during condensation may warm the air enough to make the parcel unstable. It will then rise until it reaches an altitude where the surrounding air has density and temperature similar to its own
How can you check for stability?
Compare adiabatic lapse rates to environmental lapse rates
Adiabatic cooler= stable
Or use cloud pattern in the same way
What is the collision/ coalescence process of precipitation formation?
In warm clouds rain is produced by the collision and coalescence (merging) of water droplets
What is the Bergeron process of precipitation formation?
In Cool clouds saturation vapor pressure is lower around the ice than the liquid droplets. The ice crystals attract most of the water vapor and the liquid evaporate replenishing the supply of vapor until the crystals are large enough to fall
The Bergeron process is also called what?
Ice-Crystal Formation
What are the main types of precipitation we discussed in class?
Rain Snow Sleet Glaze Hail Virga
How does hail form?
Cumulonimbus clouds as a result of great instability and strong updrafts and downdrafts. Gathers ice and goes up until too heavy. Goes down and gathers moisture. Cycle
What are the four main lifting mechanisms in the atmosphere?
Convective: unequal heating
Orographic: topographical barrier
Frontal: warm air meets cool air
Convergent: convergence of air of equal temps
What two acids are the main components of acid rain?
Sulfuric and nitric acid
What is the average pH for rain?
About 5.6
