ESSC 102 Unit 1 Test

Temperature

Controls Air Pressure by controlling the particle density of gas in the atmosphere

Cold Air

High Density / High Pressure

High density

Air particles are closer together

Warm Air

Low density / low pressure

Low density

Air particles are far apart

Temperature affects

density

Humidity affects

weight

Humidity

The total amount of water vapor in the atmosphere

less than

Water vapor weighs ________________ dry components of atmosphere

lower pressure

higher humidity equals _________________.

Heavier

Dry components in the atmosphere are _______________ than wet components.

Layers in atmosphere

troposphere, stratosphere, mesosphere, thermosphere

Atmosphere layer that contains weather

Troposphere

Atmosphere layer that contains ozone

Stratosphere

Decreasing

Temperature is ______________________ in mesosphere

Increasing

The temperature is _______________________ in the Thermosphere

Thermal variations

Layers of the atmoshere are divided based on__________________.

Pressure Gradient Force

High pressure air will always move towards low pressure environment

Coriolois Force

Moving air is deflected because of the Earth's rotation. Moves to the Right in the Northern Hemisphere, moves to the left in the Southern Hemisphere

Three factors that drive wind

Pressure Gradient Force, Coriolis Effect and non-uniform surfaces / friction

Cyclonic

low pressure system

anti-cyclonic

High pressure system

Cyclonic and Anticyclonic Winds

Result of Pressure gradient Force and coriolis effect

supercell thunderstorm

multicell thunderstorm with an internal rotation

mesocyclone

Internal rotation within a supercell thunderstorm

wind shear

Internal rotation in a supercell storm develops from _____________.

mid-latitude cyclone

upper level low that develops because of temperature variations accross continent

highest altitude

Lowest pressure and highest wind speeds are at ______________ in a mid-latitude cyclone

warm air

_________________________ from the south strengthens mid-latidude cyclones

cool / dry air

weakens mid-latitude cyclone

low latitude ( 0-30 degrees)

tropical cyclones are formed at __________________________.

condensation

latent heat is released through _________________in a tropical system

Air masses based on temperature

tropical (warm), polar (cold), or arctic (very cold)

Air masses based on humidity

maritime ( over water ), continental ( over land)

Types of fronts

cold, warm, stationary, occluded

Type of cloud associated with thunderstorms

cumulonimbus

Tradewinds

between 0 to 30 N (northeasterly winds)

Westerlies

between 30 to 60N

Polar Easterlies

Prevailing winds that blow from east to west between 60 degrees-90degrees latitude in both hemisphere.

Counterclockwise

direction of cyclone in Northern Hemisphere

clockwise

direction of anticyclone in Northern Hemisphere

Vernal / Spring equinox angle

Middle Solar angle, ( ~ 60 °latitude)

Summer Solstice angle

Highset Angle, closer to 80° but not 90°.

Vernal/ Spring Equinox tem

moderate temps

Summer Solstice temps

highest temps, longest days

Autumnal Equinox angle

Middle Solar angle, ( ~ 60 °latitude)

Winter Solstice Solar Angle

Lowest angle (~40°)

Winter Solstice Temps

Lowest temps, shortest days

Beginning

These days mark the __________________ of the season b/c of the time it takes to heat / cool land and oceans

Natural mechanisms for climate change

plate tectonics, Milankovitch cycles, Volcanic activity

How does plate tectonics affect climate?

By changing the position of continents and oceans on Earth

How does Volcaninc activity affect climate?

By changing the concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere

Length of time for plate tectonics to change climate

over hundreds of millions of years

Length of time for Melankovitch cycles to change climate

ten thousand to hundreds of thousands of years

Water Vapor Greenhouse Effect

Greenhouse (GH) effect raises air temp and allows more water vapor into atmosphere. GH effect becomes stronger and air temps rise more

Positive feedback mechanism

The initial increase in temperature is reinforced by other processes

Snow-aldebo feedback

air temperatures increases, snow and ice melts, reduced albedo of the surface and warms the surface through solar energy

Aldebo

reflectivity of solar energy

Eccentricity

change in Earth's orbit around sun. Changes every 100k years

Obliquity

changes to Earth's tilt. Responsible for Ice Ages, every 41K years

Procession

Wobble of Earth's orientation and Axial tilt. Every 22k years

Milankovitch Cycle movements

Eccentricity, obliquity and procession

Sedimentary Rocks

Rocks that tell us how much water was in atmosphere at a certain time

Conduction Heat Transfer

transfer of heat from molecule to molecule w/i a substance. Always warm to cool

Convection Heat Transfer

Transfer of heat by circulation. Warm air rises, cool air sinks

Latent Heat

Heat energy required to change the state of a substance

Absolute humidity

% of atmosphere made up of water vapor

Relative Humidity

total amount of water vapor the air can hold based on temp