weather theory

Question 1

The atmosphere

Answer 1

Blanket of air, reaches from 350 miles upward

Question 2

what is the gas composition of the atmosphere

Answer 2

78 percent nitrogen, 21 percent oxygen and 1 percent other trace gases.

Question 3

what are the layers of the atmosphere that you fly in?

Answer 3

troposphere and stratosphere (only in jets)

Question 4

what is the troposphere?

Answer 4

extends roughly up to 36,000. it’s shallower at the poles and higher at the equator

Question 5

the tempurature increases how much every 1000 feet?

Answer 5

2 degrees celcius.

Question 6

Where does most of the weather take place in the atmosphere?

Answer 6

the troposphere.

Question 7

how much does pressure decrease every 1000’?

Answer 7

pressure decreases roughly 1 in in mercury for every 1000 feet.

Question 8

what is the tropopause?

Answer 8

the boundary between the stratosphere and the troposphere

Question 9

the tempurature in the tropopause….

Answer 9

remains the same

Question 10

in the tropopause

Answer 10

no weather or turbulence

Question 11

air flows from high to low? t or f?

Answer 11

True

Question 12

unequal heating on the earths surface

Answer 12

results in the change of air pressure and density

Question 13

unequal heating affects aircraft performance, rate of climb and landings

Answer 13

how so?

Question 14

what is coriolis force?

Answer 14

low pressure around the equator and higher pressure at the poles. the earths rotation causes air to flow to the right in the northern hemisphere.

Question 15

within 2000 feet of the surface what happens to the air and wind?

Answer 15

the air has friction with the earths surface, thus winds are diverted and blow in many different directions.

Question 16

What is standard atmospheric pressure and tempurature?

Answer 16

29.92 inches mercury. Standard temperature is 15 degrees c. this is the starting point for our instruments

Question 17

As altitude increases, what happens to atmospheric pressure?

Answer 17

atmospheric pressure decreases

Question 18

coriolis force, pressure differences, temperature, and friction result in what?

Answer 18

convective currents and wind

Question 19

What is a convective current?

Answer 19

air moving up and down

Question 20

What is wind?

Answer 20

air moving horizontally

Question 21

how does the air move in a high pressure system?

Answer 21

in a high pressure system, the air moves clockwise or anticyclonic, in low pressure in moves counter clockwise and cyclonic

Question 22

high pressure air moves how?

Answer 22

downard, outward, clockwise

Question 23

low pressure moves how?

Answer 23

up, inward and counterclockwise

Question 24

terrain affects the heating of the earth? how so?

Answer 24

sand absorbs solar energy quickly, where as densely vegetated earth does not. uneven heating creates convective currents.

Question 25

terrain affects the heating of the earth? how so?

Answer 25

sand absorbs solar energy quickly, where as densely vegetated earth does not. uneven heating creates convective currents which result in turbulence.

Question 26

sea and land breezes during the day and night.

Answer 26

lands air is hotter so it rises goes over the ocean air so it moves to the cooler air over the ocean and then the cooler air over the ocean moves into the hotter air over land. the exact opposite in the day time.

Question 27

how might unequal heating of the earth affect your landing?

Answer 27

say you fly over a supermarket with asphalt right before you land. now prior to that there is a forest. thus the convectice current over the asphalt will be a lot stronger pushing you upward

Question 28

can manmade structure affect wind?

Answer 28

yes a hangar can affect windflow and turbulence on the airfield

Question 29

mountainous areas and convective currents

Answer 29

while wind flows smoothly up the mountain (windward side) it follows the contour of the downslope terrain (leeward side) and is turbulent and unpredictable.

Question 30

What is windshear?

Answer 30

sudden drastic changes of the winds flow and speed in a small area. abrupt updrafts or downdrafts as well as gust from horizontal components.

Question 31

what is low level windshear?

Answer 31

windshear at low altitudes. risk getting severally injured.