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Earthsci 2GG3 > Lecture 7 - Weather > Flashcards

Lecture 7 - Weather Flashcards

1
Q

What are the three main types of energy?

A

Potential - stored energy
Kinetic - energy of motion
Heat - energy of random motion of particles

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2
Q

What are the two important types of heat?

A

Sensible - able to detect it

Latent - heat released or absorbed when a substance changes state

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3
Q

What are the three types of heat transfer?

A

Conduction - through a materal
Convection - through the movement of a fluid
Radiation - through electromagnetic waves

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4
Q

Nearly all the energy on earth comes from the ____

A

Sun

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5
Q

Redirection?

A

When energy reflects off of a surface (ex. off of clouds, water, land)

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6
Q

Transmission?

A

When energy goes through the atmosphere

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7
Q

Absorption?

A

Alters the structure of molecules (causes them to vibrate and emite energy in the form of heat or electromagnetic waves)

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8
Q

Albedo?

A

The reflectivity of a surface

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9
Q

What type of surface has the highest albedo?

A

Light coloured surface - best at reflecting

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10
Q

EXAM Q: what percent reflectivity is old snow?

A

50-60%

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11
Q

Selective absorber?

A

Absorb some wavelengths but emit others

- Co2 and water vapour selectively absorb infrared waves

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12
Q

What type of wavelength does the sun radiate?

A

Short - hot, high energy

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13
Q

What type of wavelength does the earth radiate?

A

Long - cool, low energy

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14
Q

Atmosphere?

A

Thin envelope of gases the surrounds the Earth

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15
Q

What makes up the atmosphere?

A

Nitrogen, oxygen, smaller amounts of argon, water vapour, and carbon dioxide

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16
Q

Humidity

A

The amount of water vapour in the atmosphere ata specific temperature

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17
Q

What are the 4 layers of the atmosphere?

A
  1. Troposphere (8-16km above the surface, we interact with this one the most)
  2. Stratosphere
  3. Mesosphere
  4. Thermosphere
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18
Q

What is the name for the boundary at the upper limit of the troposphere?

A

Tropopause

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19
Q

Cumulus?

A

Fluffy good weather cloud

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20
Q

Cumulonimbus?

A

Dark, towering thunderstorm cloud

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21
Q

Another name for atmospheric pressure?

A

Barometric pressure

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22
Q

Atmospheric pressure?

A

The weight of a column of air above a point on or above earth’s surface

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23
Q

Where is atmospheric pressure the higher/lower?

A

Higher at sea level and lower at the top of a mountain

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24
Q

What causes wind to blow?

A

Variations in temperature, air movement, and water vapor

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25
Air is warm and low in density at the _____
Equator
26
Air is cold and more dense at the _____
Poles
27
Pressure gradient?
Difference in pressure between the poles and the equator - Flows from high P to low P (poles to eq) - Temp diff causes pressure diff causes wind
28
Atmospheric stability?
The tendency of a parcel of air to remain in place or to change its vertical position
29
An air mass is stable if ____
It's parcels resist vertical movement or return to their original position after they move
30
An air mass is unstable if ______
it's parcels rise until they reach air of similar temperauter and density
31
Cold front?
When cool air moves into a mass of warm air
32
Warm front?
When warm air moves into a mass of cold air
33
Stationary front?
Has a boundary that shows little movement (between hot and cold)
34
Occluded front?
When cold air moves into a mass of warm air with another mass of cold air behind it
35
Where do thunderstorms mostly occur?
Equatorial regions
36
What are the three conditions required for thunderstorms?
- Water vapour in the troposphere - Updraft - Temperature gradient in the troposphere
37
How is a thunderstorm formed?
Moist hot air is forced upwards, cools, and water vapour condenses to form a cumulus cloud
38
What are the three stages of a thunderstorm?
- Cumulus stage: cloud grows upwards, continuous release of latent heat from condensation warms surrounding air - Mature stage: downdrafts and falling precipitation leave the base of the cloud, grows until it hits the tropopause, intense precipitation, thunder and lighting - Dissipative stage: upward supply of moist air is blocked by downdrafts, thunderstorm weakens and dissapates
39
How long do most thunderstorms last?
an hour
40
How does precipitation start in a thunderstorm?
- Cold air: ice crystals and snowflakes fall until they melt | - Warm air: larger and smaller droplets collide and combine
41
What classifies a thunderstorm as severe?
One of the following: - Wind speeds in excess of 90km/h - Hair bigger than 1.5 cm - It generates a tornado
42
Hail?
Hard pieces of ice coming from thunderstorms, formed when a hailstone moves up and down in the lower part of the storm
43
Tornados
A vortex extending downward from a cloud and touching the ground
44
Funnel cloud?
When the vortex doesn't touch the ground
45
What is required to form a tornado?
- Wind shear | - Updrafts
46
What occurs in the organizational state of a tornado?
Wind shear makes the air rotate, updrafts tilt the rotating air, and if they are strong enough they will form a mesocyclone and eventually a wall cloud forms, from which a funnel cloud may descend
47
What occurs in the mature state of a tornado?
Visible condensation funnel extends from the clud to the ground, moist air drawn upwards, suction vortices (intense whirls) may form
48
What occurs in the shrinking and rope stages of a tornado?
Suppoy of warm moist air is reduced, funnel tilts, downdrafts cause the funnel to dissipate
49
EXAM Q: what scale number and windspeed is classified as "considerable damage" for a tornado
EF2 - 178km-218km
50
Blizzard?
Severe winter
51
What is the threshold for blizzard conditions in Canada?
40km winds, visibility is 400m, for 4 hours
52
Alberta Clippers?
Fast moving drier storms (blizzards), cold temperatures
53
Nor'easters?
Heavy snow storms with hurricane force winds, high snowfall, and high waves, found only on the east coast of North America
54
Wind chill?
Moving air rapidly cools exposed skin by evaporing moisture and removing warm air next to the body
55
Extreme cold?
Varies depending on the climate average/community preparedness
56
Ice Storms?
Prolonged periods of freezing rain, the rain freezes upon impact
57
What does an ice storm require?
- North side of a warm/stationary front - Moisture on the south of the front - Warm air overlies a shallow layer of cold air - Objects on ground are at or below freezing temp
58
Fog?
A cloud in contact with the ground, forms by air cooling to condensation or by the evaporative addition of water vapour in already cool air
59
Drought?
An extended period of unusually low precipitation | - over a billion people live in semi-arid regions where drought is more common
60
Dust/Sand storms?
Strong windstorms that transport sediment, req. wind velocity to exceed 48 km/hr, visibility to be less than 800m
61
Heat Waves?
Periods of heat that are longer and hotter than normal, can be humid or dry
62
Humidex/Heat Index?
Measures the body's perception of air temperature

Earthsci 2GG3 (12 decks)

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