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Elements Of Weather > Test 1 > Flashcards

Test 1 Flashcards

1
Q

What is the atmosphere mostly made up of?

A

Nitrogen, Oxygen, and Argon

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2
Q

Carbon Dioxide

A

efficient absorber of energy emitted by Earth and thus influences the heating of the atmosphere

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3
Q

Water Vapor

A

source of all clouds and precipitation

absorbs heat given off by Earth, as well as some solar energy

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4
Q

Aerosols

A

tiny solid and liquid particles suspended in the atmosphere
act as surfaces on which water vapor may condense
absorb or reflect solar radiation

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5
Q

Ozone

A

combines 3 oxygen atoms
concentrated in the stratosphere, 10-50 km
absorbs the ultraviolet radiation from the sun

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6
Q

Structure of the Atmosphere

A

Bottom: Troposphere; Stratosphere, Mesosphere, and Thermosphere: Top

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7
Q

Lapse rate

A

rate at which air temperature changes with height

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8
Q

Troposphere

A

temperature decreases with an increase in altititude, average 6.5 degrees Celsius per kilometer
“weather sphere” almost all clouds and precipitation are born here

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9
Q

Stratophere

A

temperature at first remains nearly constant to a height of 20 km before it begins a sharp increase tat continues until the stratopause is encountered at 50 km.. Ozone occurs here

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10
Q

Mesopshere

A

temperatures again decrease with height until at the mesopause 80 km above the surface
the pressure at the base of mesosphere is only about a thousandth that at the sea level

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11
Q

Thermosphere

A

no well-defined upper limit
contains only a minute fraction of the atmosphere’s mass
temperature increases due to the absorption of very shortwave, high-energy solar radiation by atoms of oxygen and nitrogen

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12
Q

Meterorology

A

scientific study of the atmosphere and the phenomena that we usually refer to as weather, it is considered one of the Earth Sciences

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13
Q

Weather

A

a term that refers to the state of the atmosphere at a given time and place; is constantly changing, sometimes from hour to hour and other times day to day

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14
Q

Climate

A

description of aggregate weather conditions based on observations that have been accumulated over many decades, is often summarized by average mean of values of the weather elements, but it also includes the extremes and variations

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15
Q

Basic Elements of Weather & Climate

A
  • air temperature
  • humidity
  • type and amount of clouds
  • type and amount of precipitation
  • air pressure
  • wind speed and direction
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16
Q

Rawinsonde

A

often used to describe radiosonde systems that measure winds, along with pressure temperature and humidity

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17
Q

Energy

A

capacity to work

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18
Q

Forms of Energy

A

Kinetic and Potential

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19
Q

Kinetic Energy

A

energy associated with an object by virtue of its motion

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20
Q

Potential Energy

A

has the capability to do work

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21
Q

Temperature

A

quantity that describes how warm or cold an object is with respect to some standard measure

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22
Q

Heat

A

transfer of energy into or out of an object because of temperature differences between that object and its surroundings. Flows from higher temperature to lower temperature.

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23
Q

Conduction

A

transfer of heat through electron and molecular collisions from one molecule to another

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24
Q

Convection

A

transfer of heat that involves the actual movement or circulation of a substance

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25
Q

Radiation

A

transfer of heat that travels through the vacuum of space

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26
Q

Reflection

A

process whereby light bounces back from an object at the same angle at it encounters a surface and with the same intensity

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27
Q

Scattering

A

produces a large number of weaker rays, traveling in different directions

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28
Q

Albedo

A

fraction of radiation that is reflected by an object

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29
Q

Why is the sky blue?

A

gas molecules more effectively scatter the shorter wavelengths (blue and violet) of visible light than the longer wave lengths (red and orange)

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30
Q

What makes a red sunset?

A

the great distance solar radiation must travel through the atmosphere, most of the blue and violet wavelengths will be scattered out leaving light that consists most of reds and oranges

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31
Q

Greenhouse

A

house made of glass; stays warm inside even during winter; sunlight shines in and warms the plants and air inside; heat is trapped and can’t escape

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32
Q

Greenhouse effect

A

role the atmosphere plays in heating earths surface

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33
Q

Daily mean temperature

A

averaging the 24 hour readings or adding the maximum and minimum temperatures for a 24 hour period and dividing by 2

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34
Q

Daily temperature range

A

difference between max and min

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35
Q

Isotherm

A

used to examine the distribution of air temperatures over large areas; a line that connects points on a map that have the same temperature

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36
Q

Temperature gradient

A

the amount of temperature change per unit of distance

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37
Q

The controls of temperature

A

factors that cause temperatures to vary from place to place and from time to time
1- latitude
2- Differential heating of land and water
3- ocean currents
4-Altitude
5- geographical positioning
6-cloud cover and albedo

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38
Q

Why do land and water heat and cool differently?

A

-water is highly mobile, convection, moderate temperature
-water is more transparent, allows some solar radiation to penetrate to a depth of several meters
specific heat is more than three times greater for water than for land
-evaporation from water bodies is greater than from land

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39
Q

Foehn

A

type of dry,w arm, down-slope wind that occurs in the leeward side of a mountain range

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40
Q

Thermisotr

A

type of resistor that resists the flow of electrical current

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41
Q

Traditional standard instrument shelter

A

instrument shelter, permit the free movement of air through it, while shielding the instrument from direct sunshine, heat from ground, and precipitation

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42
Q

Latent Heat

A

heat relesed or absorbed by a substance without accompanying a temperature change

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43
Q

Humidity

A

amount of water vapor in the air

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44
Q

Absolute Humidity

A

mass of water vapor in a given volume of air

=mass of water vapor(grams)/volume of air(cubic meters)

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45
Q

Mixing Ratio

A

mass of water vapor in a unit of air compared to the remaining mass of dry air
=mass of water vapor (grams)/mass of dry air(kg)

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46
Q

Vapor Pressure

A

that part of the total atmospheric pressure attributable to its water vapor content

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47
Q

Saturation

A

number of water molecules returning to the surface balances the number leaving

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48
Q

Saturation Vapor Pressure

A

when air is saturated, the pressure exerted by the motion of the water-vapor molecules

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49
Q

Relative humidity

A

ratio of the air’s actual water vapor content compared with the amount of water vapor required for saturation at the temperature (and pressure) it is measured of how near the air is to being saturated
=actual water vapor/saturation water vapor x 100

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50
Q

How relative humidity Change?

A
  • adding or subtracting moisture

- change with temperature

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51
Q

Dew Point temperature

A

temperature to which air needs to be cooled to reach saturation; directly related tot he amount of water vapor in the air; high–moist; low–dry

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52
Q

Adiabatic Process

A

process that occurs without the transfer of heat or matter between a system and its surroundings

53
Q

Dry adiabatic rate

A

the rate of temperature decrease with height for a parcel of dry or unsaturated air rising under adiabatic conditions

54
Q

Lifting Condensation elvel

A

altitude at which a parcel reaches saturation and cloud formation begins

55
Q

Wet adiabatic rate

A

the rate of temperature decreases with height for a parcel of saturated air rising under adiabatic conditions

56
Q

Orographic lifting

A

air is forced to rise over a mountainous barrier; occurs when elevated terrains act as barriers to the flow of air

57
Q

Frontal wedging

A

warmer, less dense air, is forced over cooler, denser air

58
Q

Convergence

A

pile-up of horizontal air flow results in upward movement; air flows from more than one direction

59
Q

Localized convective lifting

A

unequal surface heating causes localized pockets of air to rise because of their buoyancy

60
Q

Front

A

the interface or transition zone between two air masses of different density

61
Q

Thermals

A

rising parcels of warmer air

62
Q

Absolute Stability

A

environmental lapse rate is less than the wet adiabatic rate

63
Q

Absolute Instability

A

the environmental lapse rate is greater than the dry adiabatic rate

64
Q

Conditional instability

A

moist air has an environmental lapse rate between the dry and wet adiabatic rates

65
Q

Stability

A
  • air temperature drops less rapidly with height
  • air aloft warms
  • surface air cools
66
Q

Instability

A
  • air temperature drops more rapidly with height
  • cooling air aloft
  • warming surface air
67
Q

Air Pressure

A

force per unit area exerted against a surface by the weight of the air above the surface

68
Q

inches of mercury

A

the height of a column of mercury measured in hundredths of inches

69
Q

Aneroid Barometer

A

measuring air pressure (without liquid)

makes continuous record of pressure changes

70
Q

Isobars

A

lines connecting places of equal air pressure; the spacing of the isobars indicates the amount of pressure change occurring over a given distance and is expressed as the pressure gradient

71
Q

Wind

A

air in motion relative to the surface of the earth; result of horizontal differences in air pressure

72
Q

What causes air to move horizontally?

A

air flows from areas of higher pressure to areas of lower pressure; because unequal heating of earth’s surface continually generates these pressure differences, solar radiation is the ultimate driving force of wind

73
Q

Wind is controlled by these forces

A

1) pressure gradient force
2) Coriolis Force
3) friction

74
Q

Pressure Gradient force

A

always directed at right angles to the isobars

75
Q

Northern hemisphere

A

all free-moving objects, including wind, are deflected to the right of their path of motion

76
Q

Southern Hemisphere

A

all free-moving objects, including wind, are deflected to the left of their path of motion

77
Q

Coriolis Force

A

directed at right angles to the direction of air flow; this is why low pressure systems like hurricanes and extra tropical cyclones circulate counterclockwise in the northern hemisphere

78
Q

Flow aloft

A

where the effect of friction is small

79
Q

Surface winds

A

where friction significantly influences airflow

80
Q

Geostrophic Balance

A

when the Coriolis force is exactly equal and opposite to the pressure-gradient force

81
Q

Buys Ballot

A

relationship between wind direction and pressure distribution was first formulated by them

82
Q

Buys Ballot’s law

A

in the northern hemisphere if you stand with your back to the wind, low pressure will be found to your left and high pressure to your right. In the southern hemisphere the situation is reversed

83
Q

Anticyclones

A

centers of high pressure

84
Q

Friction

A

acts to slow the movement of air; also reduces Coriolis force which makes the movement of wind at an angle

85
Q

Wind Speed

A

ratio of the distance coverd by the air to the time taken to cover it

86
Q

Wind Rose

A

graphic tool used by meteorologists to give a succinct view of how wind speed and direction are typically distributed at a particular location

87
Q

Prevailing wind

A

where the wind consistently blows more often from one direction than from another

88
Q

Weather Vanes

A

the arrow will point to the direction the wind is blowing from so if it is pointing to the east it means the wind is coming from the east

89
Q

Wind Socks

A

conical textile tube designed to indicate wind direction and relative wind speed

90
Q

Anemometere

A

device for measuring wind speed

91
Q

Cup Anemometer

A

mainly used by meteorological station. the rate of rotation is directly proportional to the wind speed and thus the wind speed can be measured

92
Q

aerovane

A

propeller rotates to a parallel axis

93
Q

Rawinsonde

A

upper air; used to describe radiosonde systems that measure winds, along with pressure, temperature, and humidity

94
Q

Beaufort scale

A

developed in 1805 by Sir Francis Beaufort; force from 0 to 12

95
Q

Clouds

A

visible aggregate of minute droplets of water, or tiny crystals of ice, or a mixture of both

96
Q

adiabatic cooling

A

rising air expands and cools, at the height of the lifting condensation level, the parcel cools to its dew point

97
Q

Two conditions for condensation to occur

A

1) the air must be saturated
2) a surface on which the water vapor can condense. when condensation occurs aloft, tiny particles, such as microscopic dust, smoke, and salt particles, serve as surfaces on which water vapor condenses

98
Q

The Cloud forms

A

1) cirrus
2) cumulus
3) stratus

99
Q

Cirrus

A

detached clouds composed of white delicate icey filaments; high white and thin

100
Q

Cumulus

A

principal cloud type in the form of the individual, detached elements that are generally dense and posses sharp non microfibrous outlines; normally they exhibit a flat base and appear as rising domes or towers

101
Q

Stratus

A

uniform layer that frequently covers much of the sky and on occasion, may produce light precipitation

102
Q

Cirrocumulus

A

high clouds; appear as white patches composed of very small cells or ripples

103
Q

Cirrostratus

A

high clouds; transparent, whiteish cloud veil of fibrous that may cover much or all of sky; produces a halo around the sun or moon

104
Q

altocumulus

A

middle clouds; tend to form in large patches composed of rounded masses or rolls that may or may not merge;

105
Q

Altostratus

A

middle clouds; formless layer of grayish clouds covering all or a large portion of the sky; the sun is visible as a bright spot; do not produce halos

106
Q

Stratocumulus

A

low clouds; gray or whitish patch, sheet, or layered clouds which have rounded masses or rolls

107
Q

Nimbostratus

A

low clouds; continuous rain cloud; in association with stable conditions, air is forced to rise

108
Q

Cumulus

A

exhibit a flat base and appear as rising domes or towers; form on clear days with unequal surface heating

109
Q

Cumulonimbus

A

Dark, dense, billowy clouds of considerable vertical extent in the form of huge towers, upward to 12 km; thunderstorm clouds

110
Q

Fog

A

cloud with its base at or very near the ground; result from cooling or by the addition of enough watervapor to cause saturation

111
Q

Clouds

A

result when air rises and cools adiabatically

112
Q

Fog formed by cooling

A

radiation fog; advection fog; upslope fog

113
Q

Fog formed by evaporation

A

steam fog; frontal fog

114
Q

Radiation fog

A

results from radiation cooling of the ground and adjacent air; clear sky, light winds, thin fog layer over land, forms before dawn

115
Q

Advection fog

A

refers to air moving horizontally; when warm and moist air is blown over a cold surface, it becomes chilled by contact and by mixing with the cold air below 300-600 m deep and persistent; moderate winds, thick fog bank, thins inland

116
Q

Upslope fog

A

created when relatively humid air moves up a gradual sloping plain or the steep slopes of a mountain; air expands and cools adiabatically;

117
Q

Steam fog

A

cool air moves over warm water, enough moisture may evaporate from the water surface to saturate the air immediately above

118
Q

frontal fog

A

warm air is lifted over colder air; if the resulting clouds yield rain, and the cold air below is near the dew point, enough rain can evaporate to produce fog

119
Q

Dew

A

water condensed onto grass and other objects near the ground, the temperatures of which have fallen below the dew point of the surface air due to radiational cooling during the night, but are still above freezing

120
Q

Frost

A

forms when the dew point of the air is below freezing, water vapor changes directly from a gas into a solid (deposition), without entering the liquid state

121
Q

Rain

A

drops of water that fall from a cloud and have a diameter of at least 0.5 mm

122
Q

Snow

A

precipitation in the form of ice crystals or more often aggregates of ice crystals; the shape size and concentration depend to a great extent on the temperature at which they form

123
Q

Sleet

A

ice pellets; formed when raindrops or melted snow flakes freeze as they pass through a subfreezing layer of air near earths surface

124
Q

Glaze

A

freezing rain; coating of ice, generally clear and smooth, formed on exposed objects by the freezing of a film of super cooled water deposited by rain, drizzle, fog, or possibly condensed from super cooled water vapor

125
Q

Hail

A

precipitation in the form of balls or irregular lumps of ice, always produced by convective clouds, nearly always cumulonimbus

126
Q

Hailstones

A

begin as small ice pellets that grow adding super cooled water droplets as they move through a cloud

127
Q

Rime

A

white or milk and opaque granular deposit of ice formed by the rapid freezing of super cooled water drops as they impinge upon an exposed object

128
Q

Superooled water

A

liquid water at a temperature below the freezing point

129
Q

RADAR

A

radio detection and ranging; detects rain in the atmosphere by emitting pulses of microwave and measuring the reflected signals from the rain drops

Elements Of Weather (6 decks)

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