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FSS1601 ITA > ITA-Block 3 > Flashcards

ITA-Block 3 Flashcards

1
Q

5 elements of the atmosphere

A 
Nitrogen
Oxygen
Carbon dioxide
Ozone
Water vapour
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2
Q

Where does 99% of weather occur?

A

The lowest 35,000 feet of the atmosphere.

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3
Q

Which is more dense, cold or warm air?

A

Cold air.

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4
Q

True or false:

An aircraft can take off more easily/quickly in warm air.

A

False.

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5
Q

The lowest level of the atmosphere

A

Troposphere

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6
Q

The boundary between the lower levels of the atmosphere

A

Tropopause

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7
Q

The upper level of the atmosphere

A

Stratosphere

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8
Q

Where in the atmosphere does most weather occur?

A

In the troposphere

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9
Q

How do you know when you exit the troposphere?

A

The temperature stays constant, and sometimes increases due to the chemical activity of the ozone

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10
Q

What is the average height of the tropopause?

A

11km

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11
Q

Where is the tropopause higher?

A

Over the equator (up to 18km)

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12
Q

Where is the tropopause lower?

A

Over the poles

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13
Q

What factor affects the height of the tropopause?

A

Temperature

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14
Q

What are the four conditions of the ICAO standards?

A
  • Air is perfectly dry (0% humidity)
  • The mean sea level pressure is 29.92 inches of mercury
  • The temperature at sea level is 15 degrees Celsius
  • Temperature lapse of 1.98 degrees Celsius for every 1000ft
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15
Q

MSL

A

Mean sea level

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16
Q

Both radar altimeter and pressure altimeter are the same when…

A

The four conditions of ICAO are met

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17
Q

Is there more or less distance between pressure levels in warm weather than the ICAO standard?

A

More; altimeter indicator shows a lower altitude than he ACs actual altitude

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18
Q

Is there more or less distance between pressure levels in cold weather than ICAO standard?

A

Less; the altimeter indicator reads a higher altitude than the ACs actual altitude.

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19
Q

List the properties of the atmosphere

A

Mobility
Capacity for compression
Capacity for expansion

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20
Q

What are the two basic cloud forms?

A

Stratiform and cumuliform

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21
Q

Cumuliform are formed as the result of…

A

Rising air currents

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22
Q

Four basic types of cumulus clouds

A
  • cumulus
  • towering cumulus
  • cumulonimbus
  • altocumulus castellanus
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23
Q

Cu

A

Cumulus abbreviation

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24
Q

TCU

A

Towering cumulus abbreviation

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25
Q

CB

A

Cumulonimbus abbreviation

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26
Q

ACC

A

Altocumulus castellanus abbreviation

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27
Q

What is the maximum height of a cumulonimbus cloud?

A

60,000 to 70,000 feet in height

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28
Q

What is the average height of a cumulonimbus cloud?

A

35,000 feet

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29
Q

Another name for a towering cumulus

A

Cumulus congestus

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30
Q

Cumulus impact on aviation

A
  • Bumpy flight underneath

- updrafts below and in cloud

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31
Q

Towering cumulus impact on aviation

A
  • Turbulence
  • icing
  • strong updrafts
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32
Q

Cumulonimbus impact on aviation

A
  • thunderstorm
  • precipitation
  • winds
  • violent vertical currents
  • hail
  • extreme turbulence
  • extreme icing
  • lightning
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33
Q

Altocumulus castellanus impact on aviation

A
  • turbulence
  • precipitation
  • icing
  • updrafts below and in cloud
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34
Q

What is sky coverage expressed in?

A

Oktas

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35
Q

METAR

A

Meteorological aerodrome report

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36
Q

Sky coverage clear

A

No clouds are present

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37
Q

SKC

A

Clear sky coverage abbreviation

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38
Q

Few sky coverage

A

1/8 or 2/8 covered by cloud

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39
Q

Scattered sky coverage

A

3/8 or 4/8 of sky covered

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40
Q

SCT

A

Scattered coverage abbreviation

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41
Q

Broken Sky coverage

A

5/8, 6/8 or 7/8 of sky covered

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42
Q

BKN

A

Broken coverage abbreviation

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43
Q

Overcast sky coverage

A

8/8 sky covered

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44
Q

OVC

A

Overcast coverage abbreviation

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45
Q

Stratiform

A

Horizontal cloud formation

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46
Q

Cumuliform

A

Vertical cloud formation

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47
Q

Atmospheric pressure

A

Pressure due to the weight of overlying air

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48
Q

How can atmospheric pressure be measured?

A
  • inches of mercury
  • hectopascals
  • millibars
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49
Q

With height, does atmospheric pressure increase or decrease

A

It decreases with height

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50
Q

Isobars

A

Curved lines that join locations of equal MSL

There are 4 hectopascals of pressure differences between each isobar

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51
Q

The difference between two isobars

A

4 hectopascals

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52
Q

Another term for a LOW

A

Cyclone or depression

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53
Q

Another term for a HIGH

A

Anticyclone

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54
Q

A bulge in a low pressure area

A

Trough

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55
Q

A bulge in an area of high pressure

A

Ridge

56
Q

Buy’s ballot law

A

In the northern hemisphere, if you stand with your back to the wind, the area of LOW pressure is always to your left.

57
Q

In which direction does air flow around a LOW?

A

Counter-clockwise

58
Q

In which direction does air flow around a HIGH?

A

Clockwise

59
Q

Does air around a LOW tend to be cloudy or clear?

A

Cloudy because air rises, cools and condenses forming cloud

60
Q

Does air around a HIGH tend to be cloudy or clear?

A

Clear because the air flows out towards a low and sinks, heating and evaporating

61
Q

Characteristics of a low pressure system

A
  • cloudy

- covers from 10km to hundreds of km

62
Q

Characteristics of high pressure systems

A

Clear, good weather

Can cover hundreds to thousands of km

63
Q

Pressure gradient

A

The rate of change of pressure horizontally measured in km.

64
Q

How does the pressure gradient relate to the speed of winds?

A

The greater the pressure gradient (faster the change in pressure), the stronger the winds.

65
Q

Wind

A

Air moving from an area of high pressure to an area of low pressure

66
Q

VRB

A

Abbreviation for variable

67
Q

Under which circumstances is variation in wind expressed in a report?

A

If the wind direction has varied 60 degrees or more in the last ten minutes

(140V230)

68
Q

Coriolis force

A

The deflection of air to the right (in the northern hemisphere) because of the rotation of the earth

69
Q

Veering

A

When the wind makes a clockwise change in direction

This usually occurs when climbing

70
Q

Backing

A

When the wind makes a counter-clockwise change in direction

This usually occurs when descending

71
Q

What do the hooks on an arrow depicting wind represent?

A

Each hook represents a speed of 10 knots

72
Q

How does height affect wind speed?

A

Wind speed increases with height due to loss of friction

73
Q

Directional shear

A

Wind shear caused by the meeting of two winds in opposite directions

74
Q

Speed shear

A

Wind shear caused by the meeting of wind at different speeds

75
Q

Jet stream characteristics

A
  • found from 20,000 to 40,000 feet
  • higher in the summer
  • higher in the tropics than over the poles
  • minimum speed of 60KTS
  • thousands of miles long
  • few hundred miles wide
  • few thousand feet thick
76
Q

True or false: wind flows perpendicular to the isobars?

A

False

77
Q

If the earth were not rotating, how would the wind flow in relation to the isobars.

A

If the earth did not rotate, the wind would flow perpendicular to the isobars.

78
Q

Water vapour

A

Water in its gaseous form

79
Q

Condensation

A

The process by which water vapour turns to water

80
Q

Sublimation

A

When a gas turns to a solid

81
Q

Evaporation

A

When a liquid changes to a gas

82
Q

Water vapour content

A

The quantity of water vapour present in the air

83
Q

Absolute humidity

A

The actual amount of water vapour in a unit of air

84
Q

Relative humidity

A

The ratio of the amount of water vapour in a unit of air compared to the amount the air at that temperature can hold.

85
Q

Saturation

A

When the amount of water vapour is at the maximum possible for the unit of air at a given temperature

86
Q

How does temperature affect how much water vapour a unit or air can hold?

A

The warmer the air, the more water vapour it can hold.

87
Q

Dew point

A

The temperature to which air has to cool to achieve saturation.

88
Q

What does it mean if the relative humidity is 100%?

A

The air is saturated

89
Q

What does it mean if the relative humidity is 0%?

A

There is no moisture content in the air.

90
Q

Stable air

A

Air that will resist upward or downward displacement, and returns to its original place

91
Q

Unstable air

A

Air which tends to move further away without additional lift

92
Q

What kind of cloud will appear in stable air?

A

Stratus

93
Q

What kind of cloud will appear in unstable air?

A

Cumulus

94
Q

What are the five lifting agents?

A
  • convection
  • orographic lift
  • frontal lift
  • mechanical turbulence
  • convergence
95
Q

Convection

A

When air is heated from below by contact with the earth’s surface

96
Q

Orographic lift

A

Air is forced to rise up sloping terrain

97
Q

Frontal lift

A

Air is forced to rise by a wedge of colder and denser air

98
Q

Cold front

A

When an advance of cold air undercuts warmer air, causing frontal lift

99
Q

Warm front

A

When cold air is retreating and warm air overruns the dense air causing frontal lift

100
Q

Mechanical turbulence

A

A type of lift caused by friction between the air and the ground

101
Q

Convergence

A

Occurs at the centre of LOW pressure areas. Air converges and is forced to rise.

102
Q

Three requirements for condensation to occur

A
  • saturation
  • cooling process
  • condensation nuclei
103
Q

Air mass

A

A large section of the troposphere with relatively uniform properties of temperature and moisture in the horizontal

104
Q

Maritime air mass

A

Formed over large body of water

Humid

105
Q

Continental air mass

A

Formed over a large land area

Air mass is dry

106
Q

cA

A

Continental arctic abbreviation

107
Q

mA

A

Maritime arctic abbreviation

108
Q

mP

A

Maritime polar abbreviation

109
Q

mT

A

Maritime tropical abbreviation

110
Q

cP

A

Continental polar abbreviation

Not usually found in North America

111
Q

cT

A

Continental tropical abbreviation

Not usually found in North America

112
Q

Arctic air mass

A

Cold air mass

113
Q

Polar air mass

A

Temperate air mass

114
Q

Tropical air mass

A

Warm air mass

115
Q

Three main factors that determine weather

A
  • moisture content
  • the cooling process
  • the stability of the air
116
Q

Cooling processes that contribute to cloud formation

A
  • cooling by radiation (by being in contact with cold ground)
  • advection of warm air over a colder surface
  • expansion brought about by a lifting process
117
Q

How many air masses can there be over North America?

A

Four in winter (three frontal systems)

Three in summer (two frontal systems)

118
Q

Front

A

The transition zone between two air masses

119
Q

Stationary front

A

When neither air mass is advancing or retreating

120
Q

Fronts during summer

A

Maritime (M): over southern Canada

Polar (P): over the U.S.

121
Q

Fronts during winter

A

Arctic (A)
Maritime (M)
Polar (P)
Found in this order on a map

122
Q

Polar front theory

A

States that there are only two air masses (polar and tropical) and one front:

123
Q

Symbol used to identify a cold front

A

Arrow end

124
Q

Symbol used to identify a warm front

A

Half circle

125
Q

Symbol used to identify a stationary front

A

Alternating between arrow ends and half circles

126
Q

Factors that affect the severity of front weather

A
  • slope of frontal surface
  • speed of frontal movement
  • temperature of lifted air mass
  • moisture content of lifted air mass
  • stability of the lifted air mass
127
Q

In the case of a cold front, when does the temperature change usually occur?

A

When the front reaches the station

128
Q

In the case of a warm front, when does the change in temperature usually occur?

A

The change may begin before the front reaches the station

129
Q

How does a warm front affect the dew point temperature?

A

The dew point temperature will increase

130
Q

How does a cold front affect the dew point temperature?

A

The dew point temperature will decrease

131
Q

What type of slope does a cold front usually have?

A

A steep slope

132
Q

What kind of slope does a warm front usually have?

A

A shallow slope (because of the frictional drag of the retreating cold air mass)

133
Q

Average slope of a cold front

A

1:50

134
Q

Average slope of a warm front

A

1:200

135
Q

Average slope of a stationary front

A

1:100

136
Q

How does the slope of a front affect cloud formation?

A

On a shallow slope, the cloud will cover a wide area, where a steep slope will produce a narrow band of cloud

137
Q

How does the slope of a front affect its speed?

A

The steeper the slope, the faster the front moves

FSS1601 ITA (12 decks)

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