Exam 1 & 2 Flashcards by Annika Merkens

Climate

Distribution of a weather variable over a period of time

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Troposphere

Layer of atmosphere in which our weather occurs

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Lapse Rate

The rate of vertical temperature change within the atmosphere

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Weather

Day to Day atomspheric conditions

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Energy

The ability to do work

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Insolation

The amount of energy received from the sun

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Stefan-Boltzmann Law

Gives amount of radiation emitted by object of a certain temperature

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Albedo

Fraction of radiation reflected by surface

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Sun

Angle of the sun above the horizon

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Isotherms

Connects equal temperatures on a map

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Continental Climate

Characterized by large daily and annual temperatue swings

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Transmitted

How energy from the sun interacts with the atmosphere

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Closed

Pressure system in which isobars are connected

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Coriolis

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

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Open

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

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Zenith

Angle between directly overhead and the sun

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Pressure Gradient

Force that results from a difference in pressure between two locations

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Air Mass

Large body of air with relatively uniform characteristics

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23 1/2

Angle that Earth is tilted

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Latent

Form of heat released when water vapor condenses

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New snow has an albedo as high as 0.95 meaning

It reflects 95% of shortwave radiation incident upon it

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Climate is defined as

The distribution of any weather variable over 30 years usually

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

20.8, 69.2

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

Clockwise, Counterclockwise

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Two major factors influencing horizontal pressure variations are

Precipitation and Wind Differences

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

Turbulent & Laminar

The tropopause is the boundary between the ____ and the ______

Troposphere & Stratosphere

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

Earth's Surface

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

Ferrell

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

Right

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

Temperature Wind Humidity Radiation

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

False

The 3-cell model of global circulation is highly idealized

True

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

True

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

False

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

True

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

False

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

False

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

True

Our air masses come from semi-permanent pressure systems

True

Hot, humid air derives from a continental tropical air mass

False

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

False

Sublimation

Phase change from solid to gas

Specific Humidity

Grams water vapor per kilogram moist air

Front

Sharp gradient in temperature

Stability

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

Polar Front

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

Entrainment

The process of dry air being pulled into a thunderstorm

Supercell

Type of storm that produces tornadoes

Air Parcel

Body of air with specific temperature and humidity characteristics

Vertical

Shear assoicated with increasing wind speeds with height

Deposition

Phase transition from water vapor directly to ice

Overrunning

Process by which a warm front produces precipitation

Condensation Nuclei

Water vapor cannot condense without these

Hygroscopic

Type of condensation nuclei that can cause hazy skies

Mature

Most active stage of thunderstorm

Directional

This type of shear causes a supercell to rotate

Speed

Type of divergence akin to cars accelerating

Evaporational

Cooling associated with water falling into dry air

Lifting Condensation

Level to which air must rise to produce clouds

Latent

Heat energy released when water vapor condenses

Momentum

Transfer of this to the surface leads to severe winds

Air is saturated when

Evaporation and condensation rates are equal

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:

Freezing Rain

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

Becomes more intense

Areas of Convergence create ____ pressure

High Pressure

Areas of Convergence create ____ pressure

High Pressure

Areas of Divergence create ____ pressure

Low Pressure

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

Sink

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

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

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

Becomes more intense

Frost on your windshield is an example of:

Deposition

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

No heat or energy is exchanged with environment

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

Directional convergence is like:

A 4 lane highway turning into a 2 lane highway

Clouds that produce a rainy day are called:

Nimbostratus

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

Cumulus Congestus

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

Altocumulus

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

True

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

False

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

True

A balance between cold and warm air is a stable situation

False

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

False