Meteorology Test 1

Meteorology

Study of weather variables and processes that cause weather

Climatology

Study of climate in the past, present, and future

Weather

condition of the atmosphere at a given time and place

Climate

Weather conditions over many years

What are the percentages of the big 3 components of the atmosphere

1% Argon

21% Oxygen

78% Nitrogen

What are the changing components of the atmosphere

water vapor

ozone

carbon dioxide

Percent range of water vapor in atmosphere

0-4%

Latent Heat

Heat released during phase change (Latin for hidden heat.)

Percent of CO2 in atmosphere

.038%

How does CO2 get into atmosphere

Decay, volcanic eruptions, exhalation of animal life, burning of fossil fuels

Percent of ozone in atmosphere

0.01% by volume

Benefits of (natural occuring) ozone

absorbs incoming radiation, provides natural shield

Cons of (man made) ozone

eye and throat irritation, vegitation damage

Percent of methane in atmosphere

0.0001% of atmopshere by volume

Benefits of methane in atmosphere

absorber of thermal radiation emmitted by earth's surface

Sources of methane in atmosphere

coal mines, livestock, rice fields, gas pipelines

Aerosols definition

suspended solid and liquid partices in the air

Aerosols examples

dust, ash, salt

Pollutants definition

Gases and aerosols in high concentration that cause nuisance or health hazards

Pollutants sources

Auto and fuel emissions

Why is most of the atmosphere near earth's surface

gravity and compressability

Weight formula

weight = mass x gravity

Density formula

density = mass/volume

Weight definition

force acting on an object due to gravity

Density definition

amount of mass in a given space (volume)

Pressure formula

pressure = force/area

pressure definition

the force of the atmosphere acting on an area

Force formula

force = mass x acceleration

Force definition

force of the atmosphere is weight of air

True or False?

The more molecules in a column, the more pressure

true

How does atmospheric pressure change with height?

Atmospheric pressure always decreases as height increases

4 layers of the atmosphere, lowest to highest

troposphere

stratosphere

mesosphere

thermosphere

How does temperature change with height in the troposphere

temp decreases as height increases

how does temp change with height in the stratosphere

temp increases as height increases

how does temp change with height in the mesosphere

temp decreases as height increases

how does temp change with height in the thermosphere

temp increases as height increases

What is the relationship between height and temperature referred to as

zig-zag relationship

Lapse rate definition

The rate at which temp decreases as height increases

Inversion definition

where temp increases when height increases

Average tropospheric lapse rate

6.5C / 1,000m

or

3.6F / 1,000ft

How is the troposphere heated?

by earth's surface

how is the stratosphere heated?

Ozone layer (which is located here) absorbs ultraviolet light

Upper levels of the atmosphere

Ionosphere: charged with gas atoms that reflect radio waves. Auroras are found here

Exosphere: upper limit. space begins

1st law of thermodynamics

Energy can't be created or destroyed

energy lost during one process is gained during another

aka Conservation of Energy

Potential Energy formula

PE = mass x acceleration of gravity x height off ground

potential energy definition

total amount of energy stored in any object determines how much work the object is capable of doing

Kinetic energy formula

KE = 1/2 x mass x velocity^2

Kinetic energy definition

energy of motion

Internal Energy definition

total energy stored in an object

Internal energy formula

kinetic energy + potential energy

temperature definition

Measure of the average speed of the atoms and molecules (measure of kinetic energy)

What is the relationship between molecule speed and temperature

faster the molecules, higher the temperature

slower the molecules, lower the temperature

Boiling and freezing points of Farenheit

212, 32

boiling and freezing points of celsius

100, 0

Boiling and freezing points of kelvin

373, 273

absolute zero

-459 F

lowest possible temp

all movement stops

True or false

temp is the total kinetic energy of an object

heat is the average kinetic energy of an object

False

Temp is the average kinetic energy of an object

heat is the total kinetic energy of an object

Zeroth Law of Thermodynamics

Heat always flows from Hot to Cold

Heat Capacity Definition

ability of an object to store heat as it changes temp

Specific Heat Definition

amount of heat required to raise the temp of 1g of that substance 1 C

condonsation

vapor molecules become less energetic and slow, coming to rest on a cooler surface

Conduction

Molecule to molecule energy transfer

Is conduction important in the atmosphere

No, except near the surface

Convection in the atmosphere

Vertical transfer of heat

Examples of convection in the atmosphere

thunderstorms and rising air parcels

Advection

horizontal transfer of heat

Radiation

energy which travels in the form of waves, then released when the waves are absorbed by an object

Electromagnetic waves

the means of which radiation is transmitted. classified according to wavelength

Wavelength

Distance between 2 points

Amplitude

1/2 the height from the peak of the wave crest to the bottom point of the wave trough

True or false?

the shorter the wavelength, the more dangerous it is

true

Electromagnetic spectrum

amount of radiation given off by the sun, visible light

Longwave radiation

emitted by earth (Mostly IR)

terrestrial radiation

shortwave radiation

emitted by Sun (UV, visible, near IR)

Ultraviolet (UV) light is responsible for tans and skin cancer

True or false

red= shortest wavelength

violet= longest wavelength

False

red = longest wavelength

violet = shortest

Blackbody

perfectly absrobs all radiant energy and emits the max radiation possible (Ex earth, sun)

Absorbed radiation

radiant energy ceases to be and goes into energy of absorbing molecule

Reflected Radiation

radiation sent back out

transmitted radiation

radiation process passes thru

Scattering solar energy

deflection of (sun)light by small particles

Reflected solar energy

a surface redirects all or a portion of the solar radiation

Albedo

Percent of light that is reflected off an object

True or false

snow has high albedo

true

average albedo for earth

30%

True or false

earth has a perfectly circular orbit

false

earth's orbit is elliptical

true or false

earth is closest to the sun in the northern hemisphere winter and furthest in the northern hemisphere summer

true

What are the seasons regulated by

incoming solar radiation - insolation

angle of sun

length of daylight

Summer Solstice

Astronomical summer begins June 21

Suns rays are most direct, sunlight hours are longer, sun hightest in the sky

Autumnal Equinox

Astronomical fall begins sept 22

suns direct rays cross equator. daylight hours are shorter and sun is lower in the sky

Winter Solstice

Astronomical winter begins dec 21

rays most direct in southern hemisphere, daylight hours shortest and sun is lowest in the sky

Vernal Equinox

Astronomical Spring begins march 20

suns rays cross equator, daylight hours are longer and the sun is higher in the sky

Daytime Warming

Insolation, conduction and convection warms the earth. Has rising thermals. sun is highest at noon, but max temp is not reached until afternoon

why is max temp not reached until afternoon when the sun is the highest at noon

lag between max insolation and outgoing radiation

Daytime Heating on a calm, sunny day

air near the surface is warmer than air meters above. Big difference in tempreture at your feet vs your head

Daytime heating on a windy day

Mechanical mixing stirs up lowest air and distributes heat up

Nightime cooling

air closest to the ground loses heat rapidly - nocturnal radiation inversion

How to get a strong inversion

no wind

no cloud cover

low mostiure content

long nighttime hours

Effect of clouds on heating

cloud cover at night acts like a blanket = warmer temps because it keeps outgoing radiation at the surface

clear skies at night allow for lower temps because it allows outgoing radiation to escape

Controls of air temp

latitude

land and water distribution

ocean currents

elevation

latitude

temps drop over land as we move further from the equator and towards the poles

lower sun angle and shorter daylight hours