Meteorology Study Guide

Gases in the Atmosphere

Nitrogen, Oxygen, and Argon have uniform distribution, while methane, ozone, water vapor, and carbon dioxide vary.

Temperature Variation

As altitude increases, temperature decreases in the atmosphere.

Weather Instruments:

Thermometer

Measures air temperature.

Hygrometer

Measures moisture content/humidity in the air.

Barometer

Measures air pressure.

Radiosonde

Measures altitude, air pressure, relative humidity, wind, and cosmic rays at higher altitudes.

Heat

Form of energy transferred between systems by their temperature.

Temperature

Average speed of molecules and atoms.

Absolute Zero

The lowest theoretically possible temperature.

Boiling Points

212°F, 100°C

Freezing Points

32°F, 0°C

Conductor vs

Conductor allows heat transfer, while an insulator traps heat.

Heat Transfer

Heat travels through conduction from hotter to colder areas.

Stefan Boltzman’s Law

Radiant energy emitted is proportional to the fourth power of the object's absolute temperature.

Wein’s Law

Wavelength of maximum emitted radiation is inversely proportional to the object’s absolute temperature.

Wavelength and Frequency

Absorption of light at a given wavelength indicates the object's likelihood to emit that wavelength.

Perihelion

Closest point in orbit to the sun.

Aphelion

Farthest point in orbit from the sun.

Reflection, Transmission, Absorption

Albedo is the fraction of solar energy reflected, transmission is light penetration, and absorption is energy uptake.

Raleigh and Mie Scattering

Raleigh scatters light without wavelength change, while Mie scatters light elastically based on particle size.

Seasons and Day Length

Dates and influence on day length in the northern and southern hemispheres.

Continental vs

Influences of landmass and ocean on climate.

Radiation in the Atmosphere

Some reflected off clouds, some absorbed, and the rest reaches Earth.

Phase Changes of Water

Evaporation, condensation, precipitation, and sublimation.

Saturation

Air's capacity to hold all possible water vapor.

Dewpoint and Wet-bulb Temperature

Dewpoint is the temperature for saturation, wet-bulb temp is lower than air temp at 100% humidity.

Water Vapor Measurements

Hygrometers measure water vapor in the atmosphere.

Relative Humidity Calculation

RH = (specific humidity) / (saturation point) x 100.

Water Vapor Effects

Water vapor affects air density by occupying space.

Temperature and Humidity Changes

Vary during the day with temperature fluctuations.

Saturation Vapor Pressure

Increases with temperature rise.

Cloud Types and Heights

Low, middle, and high clouds composed of water droplets or ice crystals at different altitudes.

Cloud Prefixes

Definitions of cirro, alto, strato, cumulo, and nimbo clouds.

Unusual Clouds

Lenticular, pileus, mammatus, and noctilucent clouds.