Water, Atmospheric Moisture

Question 1

Name 2 heat properties

Answer 1

Sensible and Latent

Question 2

What is sensible heat?

Answer 2

transfer of energy that results in a change in room temperature

Question 3

What is latent heat?

Answer 3

transfer of energy that causes a phase change w/o change in temperature

Question 4

Vaporization

Answer 4

liquid to vapour

Question 5

Condensation

Answer 5

vapour to liquid

Question 6

Freezing

Answer 6

liquid to solid (ice)

Question 7

Melting

Answer 7

solid to liquid

Question 8

Sublimation

Answer 8

solid to vapour

Question 9

Dry deposition

Answer 9

vapour to solid

Question 10

Hydrogen bonding

Answer 10

The ‘bent’ geometry of hydrogen and oxygen atoms within the water molecule cause a electronic dipole, with a net negative charge over the oxygen and a net positive change over the hydrogen
this dipole causes strong forces of attraction between water molecules

Question 11

Surface tension

Answer 11

downward force exerted by body of strider is less than the hydrogen bond forces holding the water molecules together

Question 12

Air consists of what 3 major gases?

Answer 12

N2, O2, Ar

Question 13

Where is water vapour concentration highest?

Answer 13

Tends to be highest at sea level and areas of high evaporation

Question 14

What metrics used to quantify atmospheric humidity of an air parcel?

Answer 14

specific humidity, absolute humidity, and relative humidity

Question 15

Absolute humidity

Answer 15

Mass of H2O per volume of air, typically g/m3

Question 16

Specific humidity

Answer 16

Mass of H2O per mass of air (g/kg)

Question 17

What is Vapour Pressure?

Answer 17

The partial pressure exerted by vapour in a given parcel of air

Question 18

What is Saturation Vapour Pressure?

Answer 18

The vapour pressure at which a parcel of air is ‘saturated’ and can hold no more vapour

Question 19

Where does atmosphere hold more water vapour?

Answer 19

At higher air temps

Question 20

What is relative humidity?

Answer 20

the ratio of actual vapour pressure to saturation vapour pressure, typically expressed as a percent.

Question 21

What does relative humidity depend on?

Answer 21

since saturation vapour pressure depends on temperature, so does RH

Question 22

What is Dew point?

Answer 22

The temperature at which the saturation vapour pressure equals the actual vapour pressure

Question 23

What is morning dew?

Answer 23

is caused by overnight cooling of air temperature at ground level, lowers SVP to the point where it equals actual vapour pressure, causing water vapour to condense and collect on blades of grass and other vegetation.

Question 24

What happens when air is saturated?

Answer 24

(RH = 100%), condensation happens

Question 25

What is a Hair hygrometer?

Answer 25

Instrument for Measuring Humidity | Principle: human hair changes in length with respect to changes in relative humidity

Question 26

What is a Sling psychrometer?

Answer 26

Instrument for Measuring Humidity | Principle: ‘dry bulb’ and ‘wet bulb’ temperatures

Question 27

Air parcel

Answer 27

has specific temperature and humidity

Question 28

What is Buoyancy determined by?

Answer 28

determined by air density

Question 29

buoyancy force >

Answer 29

gravitational force, air parcel rises

Question 30

buoyancy force =

Answer 30

gravitational force, air parcel rests

Question 31

buoyancy force

Answer 31

gravitational force, air parcel sinks

Question 32

Stability

Answer 32

tendency of an air parcel either to remain in place or to change vertical position by ascending or descending

Question 33

Adiabatic

Answer 33

occurring without a loss or gain of heat

Question 34

Diabatic

Answer 34

occurring with an exchange of heat.

Question 35

What is the dry adiabatic rate?

Answer 35

is the rate at which ‘dry’ air cools by expansion (if it is ascending) or heats by compression (if it is descending).

Question 36

What does 'dry' refer to in dry adiabatic rate

Answer 36

‘dry’ refers to air that is not saturated (RH is less than 100%)

Question 37

What does Moist Adiabatic Rate apply to?

Answer 37

Applies to saturated air only

Question 38

Environmental lapse rate

Answer 38

actual lapse rate at a particular time and place of surrounding air

Question 39

What is Unstable Air?

Answer 39

air parcel unstable regardless of moisture content

Question 40

What is Conditionally Stable Air?

Answer 40

When the ELR is less than DAR, but greater than MAR | the air parcel is referred to as ‘conditionally unstable

Question 41

What are 2 possible conditions of conditionally stable air?

Answer 41

Two possible conditions: •unstable if saturated •stable if unsaturated

Question 42

What is Stable Air?

Answer 42

When the ELR less than DAR and MAR | air parcel stable regardless of moisture content

Question 43

What are the Cloud formation steps?

Answer 43

1. Adiabatic cooling by vertical lift 2. Air parcel cools to the dew-point temperature 3. Air parcel becomes saturated 4. Condensation occurs

Question 44

What are the Four cloud types classes by altitude?

Answer 44

low (up to 2 km) middle(2-6 km) high(6-13 km) and vertically developed (near surface to 13000m)

Question 45

Three cloud types classified by form or shape

Answer 45

1. cirroform (hairlike, feathery) 2. stratiform (flat and layered) 3. cumuliform(dense, heavy)

Question 46

Precipitation producing clouds are what type

Answer 46

‘nimbus’ type

Question 47

Vertically Developed Clouds are called

Answer 47

Cumulonimbus