The Atmosphere

Question 1

What is the lowest portion of the earth’s surface?

Answer 1

Troposphere

Question 2

What happens to temperature in the troposphere?

Answer 2

Decreases with altitude

Question 3

Where is the majority of water vapour, clouds and weather found?

Answer 3

Troposphere

Question 4

What is the tropopause?

Answer 4

Boundary where the temperature no longer decreases with height

Question 5

The altitude and temperature of tropopause?

Answer 5

Approximately 26,500ft (8km) and a temperature of -40 degrees over the poles
AND
59,500ft (18km) and a temperature of -70 degrees over the equator

Question 6

Is the temperature constant in the lower levels of the stratosphere?

Answer 6

Yes, it is called the isothermal layer

Question 7

In the upper stratosphere what occurs with increasing height?

Answer 7

The temperature rises due to the presence of ozone

Question 8

What is an inversion?

Answer 8

When temperature increases with height instead of decreases

Question 9

What does ISA stand for?

Answer 9

International Standard Atmosphere

Question 10

What is the standard environmental lapse rate?

Answer 10

0ft- 36,090ft is 1.98 (Rounded to 2)

Question 11

Height of ISA tropopause?

Answer 11

36.090ft AMSL

Question 12

What is the ISA temp for mean sea level?

Answer 12

15 degrees

Question 13

What is the ISA tropopause temperature?

Answer 13

-56 degrees

Question 14

What are the three ways in which heat can be transferred?

Answer 14

• Radiation
• Conduction
• Convection

Question 15

What is radiation?

Answer 15

Transfer of heat by electromagnetic waves

Question 16

The hotter the body, the ….. the wavelength

Answer 16

Shorter

Question 17

The sun is extremely hot and emits very short wave radiation also known as….

Answer 17

Insolation

Question 18

The earth’s surface is much cooler and emits longwave radiation also known as…

Answer 18

Terrestrial

Question 19

What is conduction?

Answer 19

Transfer of heat through contact

Question 20

What is convection?

Answer 20

Transfer of heat through the movement of a body, usually vertically

Question 21

What is the horizontal movement of air called?

Answer 21

advection

Question 22

What is the greenhouse effect?

Answer 22

Due to the longer wavelength of terrestrial radiation; it is more easily absorbed by water vapour and carbon dioxide. Their molecules then radiate heat back to the earth.

Question 23

What does the temperature of the surface depend on?

Answer 23

• Reflectivity of the surface
• Conductivity of the surface
• Specific heat of the surface
• Cloud cover

Question 24

What does diurnal mean?

Answer 24

24 hour or daily variation

Question 25

What are isotherms?

Answer 25

Lines on a weather map joining places having the same temperature

Question 26

When is peak temperature reached?

Answer 26

2pm-3pm

Question 27

When is the lowest temperature?

Answer 27

Around Dawn

Question 28

Do inland or coastal locations have greater diurnal variation?

Answer 28

Inland

Question 29

Why do inland locations have greater diurnal variation?

Answer 29

The high specific heat of the ocean keeps coastal temperatures cooler during the day and warmer at night. Inland the atmosphere heats up more during the day and cools off more during the night.

Question 30

Will wind reduce or increase diurnal variation?

Answer 30

Reduce

Question 31

Does cloud cover increase or decrease diurnal variation?

Answer 31

Reduce