Test 2 Flashcards
Hydrogen bonding
- Bonding between water molecules. like when water sticks to you or when water climbs up a paper towel.
- The polarity of water molecules makes it possible.
- It is the basis for capillary action of water.
- It is the basis for the phenomenon of surface tension associated with water.
Covalent bond
Bonding of atoms through the sharing of electrons.
Polarity
Electric charge causing the attraction and repulsion of atoms/molecules.
Origins of water
- Planetesimals
- Outgassing
- Hydrosphere in steady-state equilibrium
Distribution of water (uneven)
- Oceans (~97%)
- Fresh water (~3%), most in glaciers
- Fresh water lakes largest reservoirs of easily accessible water (major lakes & locations)
Surface tension
The contractive tendency of the surface of a liquid that allows it to resist an external force. Like how water bubbles and floats over certain surfaces, rather that spreading out and absorbing to the material.
Capilary action
When a liquid is drawn up, against gravity. Like how the water pulls up around the edges of a cup, or how when you dip a paper towel in water and the water soaks up the towel.
Sublimation
Solid to gas. Like dry ice.
Latent (hidden) heat
Energy stored in phase change from lower energy states to higher energy states
A “phase change” requires the absorption or release of heat energy through…
- Sublimation
- Melting/freezing
- Condensation/evaporation (vaporization)
Is water “compressible” or “non-compressible?”
Non-compressible
Is water VAPOR “compressible” or “non-compressible?”
Compressible
Does “warm air” or “cold air” have a greater capacity to hold moisture?
Warm air
RH
Relative humidity
Does “DRY air” have a “low RH” or “high RH?”
Low RH
Does “WET air” have a “low RH” or “high RH?”
High RH
Saturation means?
“100% RH.” The point at which a substance has reached it’s mass capacity of water absorption.
Dew point
Temperature at which the air will become saturated.
Properties of “Relative Humidity”
As temperature increase - moisture capacity increases, but relative humidity decreases.
Relative density
If a substance’s relative density is less than one then it is less dense than the reference. If it’s greater than 1 then it is denser than the reference. If it is exactly 1 then the densities are equal.
Air parcel
Body of air with a specific temperature and humidity.
Stability
Tendency of an air parcel to remain in place.
- Stable if parcel is colder than environment.
- Stable air resists displacement.
- Unstable if parcel is warmer than environment.
- Unstable air rises until it reaches a similar air pressure.
- Conditionally unstable if it is a mix of warm and cold.
Why does a balloon rise?
Unstable air.
*How do you measure “Stable and unstable atmospheric conditions?”
Measure the parcel air temperature and compare it to the surrounding air temperature.
Adiabatic processes
- Cooling by expansion.
- Heating by compression.
Dry adiabatic rate
When air is not at saturation.
10 C / 1000 m 5.5 F / 1000 ft
Moist adiabatic rate
When air is at saturation and is cooling.
6 C / 1000 m 3.3 F / 1000 ft
Cooling by expansion
Heating by Compression
Why is the moist adiabatic lapse rate less than the dry adiabatic lapse rate?
LATENT HEAT, the parcel is saturated, what happens when you try to saturate it more? Condensation happens! So it releases energy, 4 degrees of heat.
Types of clouds
- Stratus – flat
- Cumulus – puffy
- Cirro - wispy
Cumulonimbus clouds
Form during very unstable conditions. They are Cumulous clouds that develop vertically.
Advection fog
Air in one place migrates to where it can condense. (Moist air over cool ground, like San francisco).
Evaporation fog
Cold air over a warm surface. (Fog over like a lake).
Upslope fog
Clouds form as air is pushed up. (Fog forming up sides of mountains).
Valley fog
Cool air in valleys chills air to saturation. (Fog in valleys bro… duh).
Radiation fog
When cooling of a surface chills the air above, forming fog. (Moist ground over night, fog near a river).
Air masses
Distinctive bodies of air, with characteristics of their source region.
What are “air masses” classified by?
- Moisture (m – maritime , c – continental)
- Temperature (P – Polar, T – Tropical)
Air Masses Affecting North America
cP cT
mP mT
*Air Mass Modification
As air masses move from their source region, their temperature and moisture characteristic change with the regions they come in contact with.
Atmospheric Lifting Mechanisms
- Convergent Lifting - Low pressure
- Convectional Lifting - Local heating
- Orographic Lifting - Forced over a barrier
- Frontal Lifting (Cold and Warm Fronts) - Lifting caused by the collision of two air masses
“Convergent Lifting”
“Convectional Lifting”
“Orographic Lifting”
“Frontal Lifting”
Air is always warmer and drier on leeward side of mountain. True or False?
True. Because of mountain barrier.
Cold Fronts
- Cold dense air forces lighter warm air aloft (up)
- 400 km wide (250 mi) (A temperature Inversion)
Warm Fronts
- Warm air moves up and over dense cold air
- 1000 km wide (600 mi) (Sweeping that cold air away)
Life Cycle of a Midlatitude Cyclone
- Cyclogenesis - L pressure develops along a polar front.
*2. Open stage - Beginning of rotation of cold/warm fronts. - Occluded stage - Cold and warm fronts merge Occluded front or Stationary front.
- Dissolving stage - Cyclone cut off from its lifting mechanism, warm continent.
Station model
Bottom left. More filled in, more cloud cover. Stick coming out shows the direction the wind is coming from. Feathers at the end of stick tell wind speed, more feathers, more speed. Numbers are pressure in upper right, temp in upper left, dew point lower left. Learn coding and decoding pressure.
Tornado
F1 is weakest, F5 is highest. Most tornados are in the US. Nevada only has F1s.
Water
- It is a renewable resource; constantly being replaced at a rate that is useful to humans.
- Its distribution around the world is unequal.
- 80 countries have water shortages.
- 1 billion people lack safe water.
The Soil-Water Balance Equation
- PRECIP - Precipitation
- ACTET - Actual Evapotranspiration
- POTET - Potential Evapotranspiration
- DEFIC - Deficit
- SURPL - Surplus
- ∆ STRGE - Change in Storage
“PRECIP”
- Any form of moisture supply to the Earth.
- 78% falls on oceans, leaving only 22% to reach the land surface.
- Measured with a rain gauges which are devices that capture precipitation and allow it to be measured by depth, weight or volume.
“ACTET”
- Evaporation – loss of moisture from a wet surface
- Transpiration – loss of moisture from vegetation.
- Both respond to air temperature.
- Measured by a lysimeter.
“POTET”
Difficult to measure directly but can be estimated using methods developed by Thornthwaite’s based off of monthly mean air temperature and day length.
“DEFIC”
- Unsatisfied POTET
- Demand of POTET exceeds the moisture from. PRECIP, irrigation, and that stored as soil moisture.
- Deficits result in the formation of droughts.
“SURPL”
- Additional water beyond POTET demands
- Creates and sustains sources of surface water and replaces lost soil and ground water
∆ STRGE
- Differences in the ability of soil to capture and store moisture defines the type of soil
- Storage is defined by the balance between:
+ recharge- soil moisture loss
Types of water moisture
- Hygroscopic water
- Capillary water
- Gravitational water
The Hydrologic Cycle
The circulation and transformation of water through the Earth’s atmosphere, hydrosphere, lithosphere and biosphere.
-Oceans (largest reservoirs of water) account for most of the evaporation and precipitation.
Surface water
“Hygroscopic water”
Plant can’t get to the water.
“Capillary water”
Water that can be held in the capillary.
“Gravitational water”
Water that cannot be held within the capillary spaces and over flows.
“Wilting point”
Point where the soil isn’t getting enough water.
“Field capacity”
Point where the soil can hold no more water.
Sample Water Budget
Blue it taking in more water than water being taken out. When lines cross, the same amount of water coming in is being taken out. Green is more being taken out than in. Light blue it replacing that lost moisture. Red is deficit, find out what that is.
Unconfined Aquifer
Unconfined Aquifer is a saturated layer of rock and dirt sitting above impermeable rock. Cone of depression is where water level dips because it’s being sucked up by the well.
Confined aquifer
Effluent conditions
Water flows into the stream from ground.
Influent conditions
Water comes from rain and seeps into the ground and eventually drains the stream.
Groundwater
Water below the surface moisture level of the root zone of plants. (more reliable and uniformly available source of safe water).
Cone of depression (problem)
Depression of water table immediately surrounding an active well.
Drawdown (problem)
Lowering of water table.
Groundwater mining (problem)
Over pumping of an aquifer beyond its capacity.
Collapsing aquifer (problem)
Settling of the ground with the removal of groundwater that helped to bear the weight.
Land subsidence (problem)
Sudden sinking or gradual downward settling of the Earth’s surface.
Earth Fissures (problem)
A crack, break or fracture in the rocks associated with land subsidence.
Saltwater encroachment (problem)
The intrusion of saltwater into the ground with the removal of fresh groundwater.
Principal climate components
Insolation
Temperature
Pressure
Air masses
Precipitation
Climate
The trend of weather over a long period of time.
Climate classification
Genetic - based on causative factors (interaction of air masses).
Empirical - based on statistical weather data (PRECIP, temperature, POTET).
Major Köppen Classification Categories
Tropical (A) – Equatorial regions.
Mesothermal (C) – Humid subtropical, Mediterranean, marine west coast regions.
Microthermal (D) – Humid continental, subarctic regions.
Polar (E) – Polar regions Highland (H) – Special case areas.
Desert (B) – Deserts (arid) and steppes (semi arid) regions.
Global climate change
Unforced fluctuations (natural) Forced fluctuations (human)
Radiatively Active Gases
Gases that absorb and radiate infrared energy
-CO2 – carbon dioxide, burning of fossil fuels
- Responsible for 64% of warming
- ~100 year lifespan in atmosphere
-CH4 – methane, organic processes
- Responsible for 19% of warming
- Less but 23x > GWP than CO2 over 100 years
- 10 year lifespan in atmosphere
-N2O – nitrous oxide, chemicals and fertilizers
 - Increased 17% since 1750
-CFCs – early propellants and refrigerants
-H2O vapor
Palioclimatic variations
Geologic variations in Earth’s temp, CO2
Explanations for Change in Climate Trend
- Natural dynamic variability (El Niño-La Ninã cycle)
- Solar irradiance
- Volcanic and other aerosols
- Greenhouse gases
TEMP ANOMOLY GAIN
1.8 C to 4.0 C
