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Weather & Climate > Exam 1 > Flashcards

Exam 1 Flashcards

1
Q

What are the 3 most abundant “permanent” gases in the atmosphere?

A

Nitrogen (N), Oxygen (O), Argon (Ar)

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2
Q

What percent of the atmosphere is made up of nitrogen?

A

78%

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3
Q

What percent of the atmosphere is made up of oxygen?

A

21%

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4
Q

What percent of the atmosphere is made up of argon?

A

0.9%

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5
Q

What are the 4 most common “variable” gases in the atmosphere?

A

Carbon dioxide (CO2), Dihydrogen monoxide (H2O), Ozone (O3), Methane (CH4)

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6
Q

What does a high dew point mean?

A

There’s more water vapor in the air

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7
Q

The rise and fall of CO2 in the atmosphere is caused by what?

A

the growth and death of plants in the Northern Hemisphere

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8
Q

Where does most methane come from?

A

Wetlands due to decaying, submerged organic matter

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9
Q

What are the major sources of aerosols and particles?

A

Dust, human pollution, crops/forests, wildfires, volcanic eruptions, salt spray

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10
Q

What does an abundance of aerosols cause?

A

A reduced amount of energy from sunlight

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11
Q

How long does it take for Earth to make one revolution around the Sun?

A

365.25 days

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12
Q

When looking down on Earth from the North Pole, which direction does the Earth rotate?

A

Counter-clockwise

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13
Q

How much of Earth is illuminated by the Sun at any time?

A

50%

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14
Q

Lines of latitude…

A

run east - west and never cross

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15
Q

What is the latitude of the North Pole?

A

90 degrees north

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16
Q

Where does all weather and human existence occur?

A

The troposphere

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17
Q

What are Greenhouse Gases?

A

CO2, H2O, CH4

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18
Q

What do Greenhouse Gases do?

A

Make our planet habitable

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19
Q

Where is the top of the troposphere located?

A

just above the altitude that most commercial jets fly and where rising clouds stop rising and spread laterally

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20
Q

What is insolation?

A

the incoming solar radiation, energy from the Sun (EM radiation)

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21
Q

What is an Equinox?

A

When the Sun directly hits the equator

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22
Q

What is the Summer Solstice?

A

June 21, when the Sun directly hits the Tropic of Cancer, which is the farthest north that the Sun gets directly overhead

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23
Q

What is the Winter Solstice?

A

December 21, when the Sun directly hits the Tropic of Capricorn, which is the farthest south that the Sun gets directly overhead

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24
Q

What is the latitude of the Tropic of Cancer?

A

23.5 degrees north

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25
Q

What is the latitude of the Arctic Circle?

A

66.5 degrees north

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26
Q

What is the sub-solar point (SSP)?

A

The latitude that the Sun is directly overhead

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27
Q

What are seasons caused by?

A

The Sun angle rather than the distance Earth is from the Sun

28
Q

How much energy is reflected back to space by atmosphere, clouds and surface?

A

30%

29
Q

How much energy is reflected back to space by clouds?

A

17%

30
Q

How much energy is reflected back to space by the atmosphere?

A

6%

31
Q

How much energy is reflected back to space by the surface?

A

7%

32
Q

How much energy is absorbed by the surface?

A

47%

33
Q

How much energy is absorbed by gases and clouds?

A

23%

34
Q

What is the most important factor is temperature?

A

Latitude

35
Q

How does elevation affect temperature?

A

Higher elevation=colder temperatures because of altitude, presence of water, continentality, surface type, advection

36
Q

What is advection?

A

The horizontal movement of something warm/cool air masses-wind

37
Q

What is continentality?

A

An area inward on land rather than close to the coast, affects air temperature because water has a high specific heat and oceans moderate daily temps

38
Q

What is temperature range?

A

The difference between the high and low temperatures in a given day or year

39
Q

What is the behavior of prevailing winds?

A

Move west-east in the U.S., east-west at the equator, ocean winds cool, while continental winds heat

40
Q

What is the behavior of ocean currents?

A

Northern Hemisphere: oceans spin clockwise
Southern Hemisphere: oceans spin counter-clockwise

41
Q

The longest wavelengths…

A

have the least amount of energy and include infrared light

42
Q

The shortest wavelengths…

A

have the highest amount of energy and include ultraviolet light

43
Q

What is the most harmful form of radiation to human life based on wavelength?

A

Gamma rays

44
Q

Incoming solar radiation is referred to as…

A

Shortwave radiation

45
Q

Outgoing solar radiation is referred to as..

A

Longwave radiation

46
Q

When can you expect the greatest temperature change on a summer day?

A

When the sky is clear during the day and night

47
Q

When can you expect the smallest temperature change on a summer day?

A

When the sky is cloudy during the day and night

48
Q

When is Earth closest to the Sun?

A

January

49
Q

When is Earth farthest from the Sun?

A

July

50
Q

When are the Equinoxes?

A

March 22, Sept. 22

51
Q

The highest the Sun reaches in the sky in Durango is…

A

76.5 degrees above the horizon

52
Q

Day length at the Equator…

A

hardly varies throughout the year

53
Q

How do you convert Fahrenheit to Celsius?

A

for every 5 degrees Celsius, add/subtract 9 degrees Fahrenheit
or
1degree Celsius, add/subtract 1.8 degrees Fahrenheit

54
Q

How do you calculate air pressure?

A

Every 5 km up in altitude, air pressure decreases by half

55
Q

What is the primary control of air pressure?

A

Elevation

56
Q

What is the secondary control of air pressure?

A

The passage of high and low pressure systems (stormy/clear weather)

57
Q

About how old is Earth?

A

4500 million (4.5 billion) years

58
Q

What is the elevation of the top of the tropopause?

A

20km

59
Q

In the troposphere, temperature…

A

decreases

59
Q

In the stratosphere, temperature…

A

increases

60
Q

Ozone absorbs what?

A

In coming ultraviolet light

61
Q

Greenhouse gases absorb…

A

Outgoing infrared light

62
Q

What is the current concentration of CO2 in the atmosphere?

A

420ppm

63
Q

What is the air pressure of one square inch at sea level?

A

14lbs in^2

64
Q

Why is is still cold in the North Pole on the Summer Solstice even with 24hr sunlight?

A

The sun angle isn’t high enough for the surface to absorb the energy.

Weather & Climate (3 decks)

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