Texas A&M Weather and Climate Quiz 1

Difference between Climate and Weather

Climate what you expect - Weather is what you get.

Vertical Structure of the Atmosphere

- Most of the air is near the ground
- At an altitude of 5.5 km (about 18,000 ft), you are above 50% of the air in atmosphere
- At 50,000 ft, you are above 90% of the air!

Atmosphere Layers

- Troposphere: Where weather happens & where we is
- Stratosphere: Temperature increases with height & contains lots of ozone
- Mesosphere: Coldest Layer
- Thermosphere: Hottest with little air
- Ionosphere: Electrified region of upper atmosphere

At the top of each layer is a "pause": the tropopause is at the top of the troposphere, etc

Hottest/Coldest Atmospheric Layer

Thermosphere: Hottest
Mesosphere: Coldest

What gases make up the atmosphere?

Nitrogen, oxygen. carbon dioxide

What are pressure & density & how do they change with height?

- Density
Amount of molecules in a given space
Less molecules as height increases; always decreases with height

- Pressure
Amount of force pressing down on you
Always decreases with height

High pressure is less clouds; less molecules

What is the average temperature for Earth?

59F (15C)

Ozone & Ozone Hole

Thin part of atmosphere at absorbs sun's harmful ultraviolet light

Ozone Hole is biggest above Antarctica, down low causes smog and bad air quality

Atmospheric CO2: Sinks and Sources

Sources:
- Fuel Combustion
- Volcanic Activity
- Respiration
- Burning of Plants
- Dissolving of CO2

Sinks:
- Photosynthesis
- Chemical Weathering
- Dissolving of CO2

Weather Map Elements

- Wind: horizontal movement of air
- Wind direction: direction the wind is blowing
- Wind Speed: the rate at which the air is moving past a stationary observer
- Fronts: boundary that separates warm and cold air,