MIDTERM 2

Question 1

shortwave radiation from earth is sen back as what?

Answer 1

longwave

Question 2

what does surplus energy at low latitudes and deficit at high latitudes result in? what is this process called?

Answer 2

energy transfer from the equator to the poles

meridional transport of energy

Question 3

Redistribution of energy is accomplished through what 3 processes?

Answer 3

sensible heat flux
latent heat flux
surface heat flux into oceans

Question 4

sensible heat flux

Answer 4

heat energy transferred from earth’s surface to atmosphere by conduction/convection

Question 5

latent heat flux

Answer 5

moves energy globally when solid and liquid water is converted into vapour

Question 6

surface heat flux into oceans

Answer 6

large quantities of energy moved into earth’s tropical oceans

Question 7

Actual amount of net radiation is a function of what 4 things?

Answer 7

-presence /absence of water in liquid and solid forms at the surface

-Specific heat of the surface

-convective/conductive characteristics of receiving surface

-Diffusion characteristics of the surfaces overlying atmosphere

Question 8

temperature

Answer 8

measure of the intensity of hotness in something

speed of moving molecules

Question 9

Heat

Answer 9

measure of quantity of heat energy present in a body

Heat depends on its mass

Question 10

the 3 temp scales

Answer 10

Celsius
Fahrenheit
Kelvin

Question 11

how does wind develop?

Answer 11

difference in air pressures

Question 12

what are the 2 characteristics of wind?

Answer 12

Speed
Direction

Question 13

where do wind blow horizontally and vertically?

Answer 13

Horizontally - high to low pressure
Vertically - low pressure to high pressure

Question 14

pressure gradient force

Answer 14

pressure change over a unit distance

Question 15

Coriolis force

Answer 15

Created by rotation of the earth

Question 16

Centripetal force

Answer 16

Centripetal acceleration can act on moving air

Question 17

Frictional force

Answer 17

Exerts influence after air is in motion

Frictional drag acts in a direction opposite to the path of motion causing deceleration of moving air

Question 18

geostrophic winds

Answer 18

Air influenced by pressure gradient and coriolis forces tend to move parallel to isobars

Question 19

what is/creates a gradient wind?

Answer 19

consists of pressure gradient force and centripetal force acting toward the centre of rotation, while coriolis force acts away from the lows centre

Question 20

which way to surface winds blow in the northern hemisphere?

Answer 20

counterclockwise and inward into a surface low

Clockwise and out of a surface high

Question 21

Air mass

Answer 21

a large body of air relatively similar temp and humidity characteristics

Question 22

how is air mass classified?

Answer 22

according to source region, moisture

Question 23

The 5 air masses

Answer 23

Maritime polar (wet cold)
Continental polar (dry cold)
Maritime tropical (wet warm)
Continental tropical (dry warm)
Continental arctic (cold cold)

Question 24

mid-latitude/frontal cyclones

Answer 24

large travelling cyclonic storms up to 2000 km in diameter with centres of low atmospheric pressure

Question 25

front

Answer 25

Where 2 air masses meet and they develop a sharp boundary where intensified temps occur

Question 26

how do thunderstorms form?

Answer 26

when moist unstable air is lifted vertically into the atmosphere

Question 27

what does the lifting of unstable air create?

Answer 27

condensation and release of latent heat

Question 28

the most common thunderstorm

Answer 28

Air Mass storms

Question 29

what forms at dew point elevation?

Answer 29

Cumulonimbus Clouds

Question 30

life cycle of the storm: 3 stages

Answer 30

Cumulus stage

Mature stage: precip forms through downdrafts collision and coalescence; most intense stage; rising of warm air and sinking of cool air causes electricity through passing back and forth

Dissipating stage

Question 31

Subtropical high pressure zones

Answer 31

air primarily descends and creates clear skies

Question 32

Hurricanes

Answer 32

cyclonic storms that develop over warm oceans of the tropics

india/australia = cyclones
Western north pacific = typhoons
Philippines = baguio

Question 33

Atmospheric pressure in centre of hurricane is usually what?

Answer 33

very low

Question 34

Lowest pressure reading ever recorded for hurricane

Answer 34

870 mb

(typhoon tip 1979)

Question 35

Hurricanes are powered by what?

Answer 35

the latent heat energy released from condensation

Question 36

5 types of major climatic types

Answer 36

Tropical moist climates: on the equator, warm temperatures; annual precip = 1500mm

Dry and semiarid climates: potential evaporation and transpiration exceed precipitation

Moist subtropical mid latitude climates: warm and humid summers, mild winters

Moist continental mid-latitude climates: warm/cool summers, cold winters

Polar climates: cold temperatures; warmest month = less than 10 celsius

Question 37

Urban climatology

Answer 37

applied use of atmospheric science theory to understand phenomena in urban systems

Question 38

Urban heat island

Answer 38

urban areas tend to be warmer than surrounding countryside; like a dome surrounding the city

Question 39

little climatic optimum

Answer 39

warmer period occurring during 900-1200 AD

Question 40

little ice age

Answer 40

From 1550-1850 AD global temps were cold

Question 41

the 4 driving factors for past climate change

Answer 41

Variations in earth’s orbital characteristics

Atmospheric CO2 variations

Volcanic Eruptions

Variations in solar output