Heating Effects In The Atmosphere Flashcards
What is the ELR?
Environmental lapse rate
This is the rate that real air cools
What is the DALR?
Dry Adiabatic lapse rate
If a pocket of dry air rises, it cools 3 degrees for every 1000ft climbed (1 degrees per 100m)
What is the SALR?
Saturated Adiabatic Lapse Rate
If the water in a pocket of air cools it will fall as raindrops releasing heat energy. This means the air will cool at a lower rate. The value of which varies considerably (0.6 degrees per 100m)
If the ELR is less than the SALR and DALR, what atmosphere can be expected?
The atmosphere is stable. Air will return to its usual condition if displaced. Likely weather includes clear skies, fog, stratus and mountain waves
If the ELR is greater than the SALR and DALR, what atmosphere can be expected?
Unstable atmosphere. Air will rise if displaced. Weather includes cumulus and cumulonimbus clouds
If the ELR is less than DALR but greater than SALR, what environmental conditions can be expected?
Conditional instability where dry unsaturated air is stable but moist saturated air is unstable
What is a temperature inversion?
When ground cools at night the heat rises and cold air sinks and does not mix with the warm air. This leads to temperature on the ground being cool and increasing with altitude until it reaches the inversion where it begins to cool again
What is the diurnal variation of temperature?
The heating and cooling of the earth between day and night (hottest at mid afternoon, coldest at sunrise)
What is the general circulation pattern?
The way air circulated across the earth. There are 3 main cells, the polar cell (at the poles), the mid latitude cell and the tropical cell (at the equator)
How do you work out Fahrenheit from Celsius?
Fahrenheit= 9/5 x degrees +32
How do you work out Celsius from Fahrenheit?
Celsius= 5/9 x (Fahrenheit-32)
What is the ISA standard temperature at sea level?
15 degrees Celsius
