Exam 1 & 2 Flashcards

1
Q

Climate

A

Distribution of a weather variable over a period of time

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2
Q

Troposphere

A

Layer of atmosphere in which our weather occurs

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3
Q

Lapse Rate

A

The rate of vertical temperature change within the atmosphere

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4
Q

Weather

A

Day to Day atomspheric conditions

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5
Q

Energy

A

The ability to do work

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6
Q

Insolation

A

The amount of energy received from the sun

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7
Q

Stefan-Boltzmann Law

A

Gives amount of radiation emitted by object of a certain temperature

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8
Q

Albedo

A

Fraction of radiation reflected by surface

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9
Q

Sun

A

Angle of the sun above the horizon

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10
Q

Isotherms

A

Connects equal temperatures on a map

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11
Q

Continental Climate

A

Characterized by large daily and annual temperatue swings

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12
Q

Transmitted

A

How energy from the sun interacts with the atmosphere

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13
Q

Closed

A

Pressure system in which isobars are connected

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14
Q

Coriolis

A

Force that causes wind to turn right in the N. hemisphere

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15
Q

Open

A

Energy and matter can flow in and out of this type of system

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16
Q

Zenith

A

Angle between directly overhead and the sun

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17
Q

Pressure Gradient

A

Force that results from a difference in pressure between two locations

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18
Q

Air Mass

A

Large body of air with relatively uniform characteristics

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19
Q

23 1/2

A

Angle that Earth is tilted

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20
Q

Latent

A

Form of heat released when water vapor condenses

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21
Q

New snow has an albedo as high as 0.95 meaning

A

It reflects 95% of shortwave radiation incident upon it

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22
Q

Climate is defined as

A

The distribution of any weather variable over 30 years usually

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23
Q

On June 21 in Brookings (44.3N) the zenith and sun angles are repsectively

A

20.8, 69.2

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24
Q

In the Northern Hemisphere, lows and highs rotate in the following manner, respectively

A

Clockwise, Counterclockwise

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25
Q

Two major factors influencing horizontal pressure variations are

A

Precipitation and Wind Differences

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26
Q

The type of atmospheric flow located near the ground is ____ and abobe the influence of the surface is _____

A

Turbulent & Laminar

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27
Q

The tropopause is the boundary between the ____ and the ______

A

Troposphere & Stratosphere

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28
Q

The atmospheric boundary layer is the part of the atmosphere affected directly by the ________

A

Earth’s Surface

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29
Q

We live in what cell of the 3 cell global circulation model

A

Ferrell

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30
Q

The Coriolis Force alwasy acts to the ____ in the Northern Hemisphere

A

Right

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31
Q

What are four weather measurements needed to calculate ET using th Penman Monteith Formula

A

Temperature
Wind
Humidity
Radiation

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32
Q

In the 3-cell model of global circulation, the trade winds occur in mid-latitudes

A

False

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33
Q

The 3-cell model of global circulation is highly idealized

A

True

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34
Q

The location (latitude) of the Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) follows the change in highest sun angle through the year

A

True

35
Q

Humid air is more dense than dry air because there’s additional mass of water vapor in the same volume

A

False

36
Q

The height (meters) of a particular pressure level increases as you move toward the equator

A

True

37
Q

The tropopause at the poles is twice the height of the tropopause at the equator

A

False

38
Q

The Bermuda High is a semi-permanent pressure system that influences the US during the winter

A

False

39
Q

If low pressure exists at the surface, there is high pressure aloft

A

True

40
Q

Our air masses come from semi-permanent pressure systems

A

True

41
Q

Hot, humid air derives from a continental tropical air mass

A

False

42
Q

The color of a substance determines whether it emits shortwaves or longwave radiation

A

False

43
Q

Sublimation

A

Phase change from solid to gas

44
Q

Specific Humidity

A

Grams water vapor per kilogram moist air

45
Q

Front

A

Sharp gradient in temperature

46
Q

Stability

A

The tendency of an air parcel to rise, sink or remain in place

47
Q

Polar Front

A

Transition zone in mid-latitudes between arctic and tropical air masses

48
Q

Entrainment

A

The process of dry air being pulled into a thunderstorm

49
Q

Supercell

A

Type of storm that produces tornadoes

50
Q

Air Parcel

A

Body of air with specific temperature and humidity characteristics

51
Q

Vertical

A

Shear assoicated with increasing wind speeds with height

52
Q

Deposition

A

Phase transition from water vapor directly to ice

53
Q

Overrunning

A

Process by which a warm front produces precipitation

54
Q

Condensation Nuclei

A

Water vapor cannot condense without these

55
Q

Hygroscopic

A

Type of condensation nuclei that can cause hazy skies

56
Q

Mature

A

Most active stage of thunderstorm

57
Q

Directional

A

This type of shear causes a supercell to rotate

58
Q

Speed

A

Type of divergence akin to cars accelerating

59
Q

Evaporational

A

Cooling associated with water falling into dry air

60
Q

Lifting Condensation

A

Level to which air must rise to produce clouds

61
Q

Latent

A

Heat energy released when water vapor condenses

62
Q

Momentum

A

Transfer of this to the surface leads to severe winds

63
Q

Air is saturated when

A

Evaporation and condensation rates are equal

64
Q

If a thick, above freezing layer in the atmosphere is producing precipitation above a thin cold below freezing layer at the surface, the type of precipitation that is most likely occuring is:

A

Freezing Rain

65
Q

A low pressure system will ____ in response to increasing upper level divergence

A

Becomes more intense

66
Q

Areas of Convergence create ____ pressure

A

High Pressure

67
Q

Areas of Convergence create ____ pressure

A

High Pressure

68
Q

Areas of Divergence create ____ pressure

A

Low Pressure

69
Q

An air parcel that is warmer than its environment will tend to:

A

Sink

70
Q

The dew point in a rising and saturated air parcel will fall faster than the dew point lapse rate in an unsaturated atmosphere because:

A

Water vapor is condensing out of the air parcel as it rises

71
Q

A high pressure system will ____ in response to increasing upper level convergence

A

Becomes more intense

72
Q

Frost on your windshield is an example of:

A

Deposition

73
Q

An adiabatic process for an air parcel is one in which:

A

No heat or energy is exchanged with environment

74
Q

The highly nonlinear saturated vapor pressure curve means that it takes ____ water vapor to increase the dew point at high temperatures than at low temperature

A

More

75
Q

Directional convergence is like:

A

A 4 lane highway turning into a 2 lane highway

76
Q

Clouds that produce a rainy day are called:

A

Nimbostratus

77
Q

Whats the cloud stage that occurs between a small cumulus cloud and a mature thunderstorm

A

Cumulus Congestus

78
Q

Clouds that indicate instability in the mid levels of the atmosphere are called

A

Altocumulus

79
Q

Rising pressure can be expected in locations to the west of a low pressure system

A

True

80
Q

The dew point is the upper left value in a weather symbol

A

False

81
Q

A tilted updraft in a thunderstorm means that speed shear is present in the atmosphere

A

True

82
Q

A balance between cold and warm air is a stable situation

A

False

83
Q

Occulusion in a low pressure system occurs when the warm front cataches up to the cold front

A

False