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Atmospheric > Midterm > Flashcards

Midterm Flashcards

1
Q

Define Meteorology

A

The study of the atmosphere and its phenomena

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2
Q

Define Weather

A

the current state of the atmosphere (e.g. cloudy, sunny etc..)

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3
Q

Define Climate

A

Long-term average of weather, normally 30 years (e.g. tropical, desert etc..)

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4
Q

Define Wind

A

Movement of air (speed and direction)
1 knots = 1.85 km/h = 0.51 m/s
westerly wind: wind blowing from west

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5
Q

Define Pressure

A

Force/area

Sea level pressure = 1013.25 mb (millibars) = 1013.25 hPa (hectoPascals)

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6
Q

Define Density

A

Mass of air molecules/volume

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7
Q

Define Temperature

A

Degree of hotness or coldness (ºC, ºF)

ºC + 273 = ºK (Kelvin: absolute scale)

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8
Q

How much of the air is in the bottom 30km

A

99% of air is the lowest 30 km

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9
Q

What are the permanent gases and their percentages?

A

-Nitrogen (N2): 78% (by volume)

Oxygen (O2): 21%

Argon<1%, Neon, Helium, Krypton, Hydrogen

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10
Q

How is Nitrogen in the atmosphere added and removed?

A 
decaying biological (plant and animal) matter
Removal: biological process (soil bacteria, plankton)
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11
Q

Hows Oxygen in the atmosphere added and removed?

A

Creation: photosynthesis
Removal: oxides (O2 combines with other substance), decaying bio matter, respiration

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12
Q

What are variable gases in the atmosphere and what are some examples?

A

The concentration changes over time and space

  • CO2 - 0.04%
  • Methane (CH4),
  • Ozone (O3),
  • CFC’s,
  • Aerosols (dust, soot, etc).
  • Water Vapour (H2O)
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13
Q

How is carbon dioxide added and removed from atmosphere?

A

Creation: vegetation decay, exhalation, combustion, volcanos, deforestation
Removal: photosynthesis (land and ocean), chemical weathering (rain and snow can react with silicate minerals in rocks), dissolves in oceans

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14
Q

Define Aerosols

A

Tiny particles, solid or liquid suspended in the air

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15
Q

Anthropogenic and natural sources of aerosols?

A

Natural: volcanoes, fires, windblown dust, biogenic
Human: fossil fuel combustion

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16
Q

Can water be in all 3 states in the atmosphere?

A

yes

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17
Q

Is water a powerful green house gas?

A

yes

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18
Q

Which layer of the atmosphere has the convection current? (The thing that controls weather?

A

Troposphere (Lowest 11km)

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19
Q

What caps the troposphere?

A

The Tropopause ( a transitional layer, higher in equator and lower in pole also higher in summer and lower in winter.)

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20
Q

Which layer of the atmosphere is a temperature inversion?

A

stratosphere (11 - 50 km above sea level) and thermosphere (>90km)

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21
Q

What creates the temperature inversion?

A

O3 : absorbs Ultra Violet (UV) radiation from Sun - warms stratosphere

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22
Q

What is the stratosphere capped by?

A

Stratopause

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23
Q

Does temperature increase or decease with height in the thermosphere? ( on of the highest level of atmosphere)

A

increase (Temp inversion)

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24
Q

If density of water is 1000 kg/m3, then calculate how many kilogram of water in a tank with a volume of 3 m3?

A 
Density (ծ) = 1000 kg/m3
Volume (V) =  3 m3
Mass (M) = ?
ծ = M / V
M = V * ծ
M = 1000 kg/m3 * 3 m3

Answer: M = 3,000 kg

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25
Q

Calculate pressure exerted by a box on a floor which has length and width of 2.0 m and 1.0 m, respectively and the box exerts 1000 N force on the floor.

A 
Force (F) = 1000 N 
Area (A) =  2.0 m x 1.0 m = 2.0 m2
Pressure  (P) = ?
P = F / A
P = 1000 N / 2.0 m2
Answer: P = 500 N/m2
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26
Q

Define Energy

A

Energy is defined as an ability or capacity to do work

Kinetic Energy = energy of motion.
E = ½*mv2
m = mass of the object, v = velocity
Kinetic energy is directly proportional to the velocity.

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27
Q

What is temperature proportional to?

A

Temperature of air is proportional to the kinetic energy of air molecules

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28
Q

What is potential energy?

A

Potential to conduct work, energy possessed by an object because of its position

PE = mgh
m = mass, g = acceleration due to gravity (9.8 m/s2), 
h = height   above ground
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29
Q

What is radiation energy caused by?

A

Due to solar radiation (short-wave) which warms the earth and emits energy (long-wave) back to space.

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30
Q

Is some portions of the solar radiation reflected/absorbed in the atmosphere before reaching the Earth?

A

Yes

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31
Q

Does incoming energy must balance outgoing energy?.

A

Yes

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32
Q

Define Conduction

A

Heat transfer through direct contact (molecule to molecule).

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33
Q

Define Convection

A

Heat transfer by mass movement of a fluid (anything that has loosely moving molecules, can move easily from one place to another, e.g. air, water).

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34
Q

Define Ratiation

A

Heat transfer by electromagnetic waves (possess magnetic and electrical properties), that release energy when the waves are absorbed by an object.

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35
Q

What are the 3 ways heat transfer in the atmosphere?

A
  1. Conduction
    2.Convection
  2. Radiation
    (Know This!)
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36
Q

What is vertical movement of air called?

A

convection

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37
Q

What is horizontal movement of air called?

A

advection

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38
Q

Is short wave radiation low or high energy?

A

High energy

39
Q

Does every objects that has a temperature

greater than 0 K emit radiation?

A

Yes

40
Q

Do hot or cold objects emit more radiation

A

Hot

41
Q

Define black body radiation

A

An object that absorbs all radiation that strikes it and emits the maximum possible radiation

42
Q

Do the sun and the earth behave as black bodies?

A

Yes,

Sun and Earth absorb and emit nearly 100% efficiency for their respective temperature, behave as blackbodies.

43
Q

What is the Stefan-Boltzman Law and what does it mean?

A
  • Law of radiation
  • States that all objects with temperature grater than absolute zero emit radiation that is proportional to the fourth power of their absolute temperature.
        E = σT4

E = total amount of radiation emitted by an object per square meter (Watts/ m2)
σ = a constant called the Stefan-Boltzman constant = 5.67 x 10-8 Watts m-2 K-4
T is the temperature of the object in K

44
Q

What is Wien’s Law and what does it mean?

A

-It states that the wavelength of maximum emitted radiation by an object is inversely proportional to the object’s absolute temperature (e.g. higher the temperature, shorter the wavelength).

        λmax = W/T

λmax = wavelength (µm)
W = 2897 µm K
T = temperature (K)

45
Q

What is protecting the earth from becoming frozen planet?

A
  • The Atmosphere (greenhouse gases)

- Power GHGs are: Methane (CH4), Carbon Dioxide (CO2), Ozone (O3), Water Vapour (H2O)

46
Q

Define the greenhouse effect

A
  • The warming of an atmosphere by absorbing and emitting thermal radiations.
  • The gases mainly responsible for Earth’s atmosphere greenhouse effect are water vapour, Carbon dioxide and Methane, acting as a blanket for the radiation.
47
Q

Are different gases selective in the wavelengths of radiation they absorb?

A

Yes,

48
Q

Does water vapor and CO2 absorb mostly incoming(shortwave) or outgoing (long wave) radiation

A

Long wave

49
Q

Does O3 absorb mostly incoming(shortwave) or outgoing (long wave) radiation

A

Shortwave

50
Q

What Happens to the Incoming (Shortwave) Radiation?

A
  1. Absorbed: ground, clouds, atmosphere (warms)
  2. Scattered (Diffuse): clouds, air: in all directions
  3. Reflected: clouds, ground, air: back to where it came from.
  4. Albedo: reflectivity of surface for short wave radiation (mirror 100%, snow 75-80%, thick clouds 60-90%) depends on surface characteristics (see Table 2.2 in Text) (climate change implications?)
  5. Transmitted (Direct): passes through to ground
51
Q

Do clouds reflect shortwave or long wave radiation?

A

Shortwave

52
Q

Are Clouds good absorbers of IR radiation ?

A

Yes (they can close the atmospheric window)

53
Q

During daytime, why are cloudy days cooler?

A

Shortwave radiation cannot make it to the ground to heat earths surface due to clouds absorbing and emitting radiation.

54
Q

During night (esp. during winter), why are cloudy, calm nights warmer than clear nights?

A

Clouds act as a greenhouse, they keep heat low to the ground which slows the drop in temperature.

55
Q

What is positive feedback?

A

Something that reinforce effects of initial signal

56
Q

What is negative feedback?

A

Something that suppress effects of initial signal

57
Q

Are low and high altitudes in a net energy surplus or deficit?

A
  • High = deficit = cold climate

- Low = surplus = Hot climate

58
Q

What is heat capacity

A

The ratio of the amount of energy absorbed compared to the associated temperature change.

Example: If 10 calories of energy increases 2°C water temperature, then heat capacity of water is:
10 calories / 2 °C = 5 cal per °C

59
Q

What is specific heat

A

The heat capacity of substance per unit mass.

Example: if 1 cal energy is required to raise 1 gram of water temperature by 1 °C then specific heat of water is 1 cal/gram.

60
Q

What is latent heat?

A

The amount of heat required to change the state of a substance at constant temperature.

->When a substance changes from one state to another latent heat is absorbed or released during the changing process.

61
Q

Describe the hydrologic cycle?

A
  1. Evaporation 2. Condensation 3.Precipitation 4.Run off
62
Q

If: Evaporation > Condensation
Then: solution will be ___________saturated

A

sub saturated

63
Q

Cooling promotes _____

A

Condensation

64
Q

Heating promotes ________

A

Evaporation

65
Q

Define saturation with regards to moisture in air

A

the level of water vapour in the air is at the maximum possible at a given T and Pressure.

66
Q

What does an RH of 50% mean? how would you calculate it?

A
  • air contains ½ of water vapour required to saturate it

- RH = (actual water vapour pressure) / (saturation vapour pressure) * 100%

67
Q

IF: T increases, saturation vapour pressure increases, then RH will _________

A

Decrease

68
Q

Define Dew Point

A

A temperature to which unsaturated air would have to be cooled down (with no change in pressure or water vapour content) for saturation to occur

69
Q

High Dew Point, _______ amount of water vapour

A

High

70
Q

Can dry air (low Dew Point) can have high RH?

A

yes, (example: cold polar air)

71
Q

Define Dew

A

Temp of air cools to Temp Dew Pt (saturation),

if Temp surface < T Dew Pt : condensation on surfaces,
tiny water droplets: “dew”

Occurs on clear, calm nights when surface is cold relative to air

72
Q

Define frozen dew

A

Dew forms then freezes (Tair cools to < 0 C)

73
Q

When does frost occur

A

Temp of Dew Pt ≤ 0 C, and

Temp of air cools to Temp Dew Pt and further cooling occurs, water vapour directly to ice (deposition): Frost Point

74
Q

Define Condensation Nuclei

A

tiny particles (natural: sea salt, or human caused: air pollution, smoke) :

->More nuclei, more condensation

75
Q

What is haze?

A

When condensation occurs at an RH less then 100 due to hygroscopic (water attracting) nuclei.

76
Q

Can there be no condensation at a RH of 100

A

Yes if hydrophobic nuclei are present `

77
Q

What is fog

A

Clouds on the surface of the earth

78
Q

How does fog form

A
  • Cooling: Tair cooled below its saturation point (TDew Pt)

- Evaporation and Mixing: adding water vapour by evaporating into air and mixing to distribute (raise TDew Pt to Tair )

79
Q

How does continuous fog formation occur?

A

As water vapour is removed through condensation during fog formation (T Dew Pt lowers), air must continue to be saturated either by continual cooling or by evaporation and mixing.

80
Q

What is radiation fog?

A

IR emitted at night from surface->surface cools, air near surface cools to TDew Pt and becomes saturated

  • Occurs at night when: clear sky: surface temp colder than air, light winds (< 5 knots - mix moist air to cold surface: more fog)
  • Thickest at sunrise (why?), dissipates (“burns off”) from surface upwards as sunlight warms ground (evap of droplets near ground, more warming, more evap)
  • In valleys, Radiation Fog called Valley Fog: cold, dense air drains to low areas (valleys)
81
Q

What is advection fog

A
  • Warm, moist air moves over cool surface (example: cool ocean, air cooled to (TDew Pt ) and becomes saturated
  • Occurs night or day
82
Q

What is up slope fog

A
  • Moist air pushed up slope: expands and cools to TDew Pt and becomes saturated
  • Occurs night or day
  • Common at seaside (moist air moving on shore and rising over land)
  • Upper side of valley sidewalls following rainstorms, moist air lifted and cooled by upslope winds.
83
Q

What is Evaporation and Mixing Fog? What is steam fog?

A
  • water vapor added by evaporation, then mixes with dry air
  • T Dew Pt increases when T Dew Pt = T air : saturation

Steam Fog – a type of evapo and mixing fog.
-cool air over warm water (lake, heated pool)
warm moist air rises, mixes and evaporates into cooler, drier air above raising T Dew Pt to Tair : saturation
condensing vapour appears as rising “Steam”
common in late fall: warm water relative to land

84
Q

Dew and frost: form on _____ nights when temperature of objects drop below TDew

A

Clear

85
Q

What is a cloud and when does it form?

A
  • Visible aggregate of water droplets or ice crystals suspended in air
  • Formed when moist air is lifted and cooled
86
Q

What are the four major cloud groups

A

High, medium, low and ones with vertical development.

87
Q 
What are the shapes of 
Cirrus -
Stratus -  
Cumulus  - 
Nimbus -
A

Cirrus - curl
Stratus - layer
Cumulus - heap
Nimbus - violent rain

88
Q

Clouds that start with the suffix cir are where in the atmosphere?

A

High

89
Q

Clouds that start with the suffix alto are where in the atmosphere?

A

middle

90
Q

Clouds that start with the word stratus in their name are where in the atmosphere?

A

low

91
Q

Clouds that start with the suffix cum are where in the atmosphere?

A

vertically developed

92
Q

How would you identify a cirrus cloud

A
  • Thin, fibrous, layered cloud.

- Mainly composed of ice crystals

93
Q

What does stability and instability mean in regards to out atmosphere?

A

Stable: vertical motion suppressed
Unstable: vertical motion enhanced

Atmospheric (3 decks)

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