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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
Q

Air is warm and low in density at the _____

A

Equator

26
Q

Air is cold and more dense at the _____

A

Poles

27
Q

Pressure gradient?

A

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
Q

Atmospheric stability?

A

The tendency of a parcel of air to remain in place or to change its vertical position

29
Q

An air mass is stable if ____

A

It’s parcels resist vertical movement or return to their original position after they move

30
Q

An air mass is unstable if ______

A

it’s parcels rise until they reach air of similar temperauter and density

31
Q

Cold front?

A

When cool air moves into a mass of warm air

32
Q

Warm front?

A

When warm air moves into a mass of cold air

33
Q

Stationary front?

A

Has a boundary that shows little movement (between hot and cold)

34
Q

Occluded front?

A

When cold air moves into a mass of warm air with another mass of cold air behind it

35
Q

Where do thunderstorms mostly occur?

A

Equatorial regions

36
Q

What are the three conditions required for thunderstorms?

A
  • Water vapour in the troposphere
  • Updraft
  • Temperature gradient in the troposphere
37
Q

How is a thunderstorm formed?

A

Moist hot air is forced upwards, cools, and water vapour condenses to form a cumulus cloud

38
Q

What are the three stages of a thunderstorm?

A
  • 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
Q

How long do most thunderstorms last?

A

an hour

40
Q

How does precipitation start in a thunderstorm?

A
  • Cold air: ice crystals and snowflakes fall until they melt

- Warm air: larger and smaller droplets collide and combine

41
Q

What classifies a thunderstorm as severe?

A

One of the following:

  • Wind speeds in excess of 90km/h
  • Hair bigger than 1.5 cm
  • It generates a tornado
42
Q

Hail?

A

Hard pieces of ice coming from thunderstorms, formed when a hailstone moves up and down in the lower part of the storm

43
Q

Tornados

A

A vortex extending downward from a cloud and touching the ground

44
Q

Funnel cloud?

A

When the vortex doesn’t touch the ground

45
Q

What is required to form a tornado?

A
  • Wind shear

- Updrafts

46
Q

What occurs in the organizational state of a tornado?

A

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
Q

What occurs in the mature state of a tornado?

A

Visible condensation funnel extends from the clud to the ground, moist air drawn upwards, suction vortices (intense whirls) may form

48
Q

What occurs in the shrinking and rope stages of a tornado?

A

Suppoy of warm moist air is reduced, funnel tilts, downdrafts cause the funnel to dissipate

49
Q

EXAM Q: what scale number and windspeed is classified as “considerable damage” for a tornado

A

EF2 - 178km-218km

50
Q

Blizzard?

A

Severe winter

51
Q

What is the threshold for blizzard conditions in Canada?

A

40km winds, visibility is 400m, for 4 hours

52
Q

Alberta Clippers?

A

Fast moving drier storms (blizzards), cold temperatures

53
Q

Nor’easters?

A

Heavy snow storms with hurricane force winds, high snowfall, and high waves, found only on the east coast of North America

54
Q

Wind chill?

A

Moving air rapidly cools exposed skin by evaporing moisture and removing warm air next to the body

55
Q

Extreme cold?

A

Varies depending on the climate average/community preparedness

56
Q

Ice Storms?

A

Prolonged periods of freezing rain, the rain freezes upon impact

57
Q

What does an ice storm require?

A
  • 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
Q

Fog?

A

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
Q

Drought?

A

An extended period of unusually low precipitation

- over a billion people live in semi-arid regions where drought is more common

60
Q

Dust/Sand storms?

A

Strong windstorms that transport sediment, req. wind velocity to exceed 48 km/hr, visibility to be less than 800m

61
Q

Heat Waves?

A

Periods of heat that are longer and hotter than normal, can be humid or dry

62
Q

Humidex/Heat Index?

A

Measures the body’s perception of air temperature

Earthsci 2GG3 (12 decks)

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