Intro into Meteorology

Question 1

What is meteorology?

Answer 1

Study of atmospheric conditions and disturbances.

Question 2

What is weather?

Answer 2

Current state of the atmosphere.

Question 3

What is climate?

Answer 3

Long-term weather patterns.

Question 4

What is the compositions of the atmosphere (percentages of what makes up the air we breathe)

Answer 4

78% = Nitrogen
21% = Oxygen
1% = Trace gases

Question 5

Structure of the atmosphere: What are the four elements of weather?

Answer 5

Temp, pressure, wind, moisture

Question 6

What kind of climate does California have?

Answer 6

A mediterranean climate. Winters are mild and don’t get snow in most places and don’t get the rain we need.

Question 7

Layers of climate: What is the lowest layer?

Answer 7

Troposphere (All weather happens here) (Life zone) 5-10 miles thick

Question 8

Layers of climate: What is the second lowest layer?

Answer 8

Stratosphere (Ozone layer) 10-20 miles thick

Question 9

Layers of climate: What is the third lowest layer?

Answer 9

Mesosphere (20 miles thick)

Question 10

Layers of climate: What is the highest layer?

Answer 10

Thermosphere (80 miles thick)

Question 11

Layers of climate: What is the pause line between the Troposphere and Stratosphere?

Answer 11

Tropo Pause

Question 12

Layers of climate: What is the pause line between the Stratosphere and the Mesosphere?

Answer 12

Strato Pause

Question 13

Layers of climate: What is the pause line between the Mesosphere and the Thermosphere?

Answer 13

Meso Pause

Question 14

What is temperature?

Answer 14

Measurement of molecular movement.

Question 15

What kind of radiation does the sun give off?

Answer 15

100% Short-wave radiation.

Question 16

What does the word scattering refer to?

Answer 16

The particle matter (water vapor, smoke, smog, pollen, dust, pollution, etc) that is in the air between the short-wave radiation and the ground of the earth.

Question 17

What is the percentage of short-wave radiation that makes it/hits the ground?

Answer 17

about 47%

Question 18

What is incoming solar radiation?

Answer 18

Insolation (can be absorbed, scattered, and/or reflected) *does NOT directly heat the atmosphere.

Question 19

When solar radiation makes its way all the way to Earth, this is called what?

Answer 19

Absorption

Question 20

When solar radiation goes back up to the air, this is called what?

Answer 20

Reflection

Question 21

What is terrestrial radiation?

Answer 21

Long-wave radiation. (Heats the atmosphere)

Question 22

Variations in temp worldwide are caused by what?

Answer 22

Several control factors.

Question 23

As altitude increases, what happens to temperature?

Answer 23

It decreases.

Question 24

What is the adiabatic lapse rate?

Answer 24

Temp. change in a moving air mass 5 1/2 divided by 1000

Question 25

If you are 10,000 feet high in elevation and it’s 56 degrees, and you walk down to a 2,000 feet high elevation, what is the temp now? (consider the adiabatic lapse rate - 5 1/2 divided by 1000).

Answer 25

100

Question 26

What is the degree of the tilt in the Earth?

Answer 26

23 1/5

Question 27

Because of the tilt in the Earth, this is the only reason why we have what?

Answer 27

The seasons. b/c of the angle of the sun and the length of a day.

Question 28

Why are some ocean currents warm and others cold?

Answer 28

Depending on where the ocean current is coming from, if on the West side of the U.S the current will be cold because of the California Current and the East side of the U.S current will be warm because of the GolfStream.

Question 29

Does land or water heat/cool faster?

Answer 29

Land heats and cools faster then water.