Weather Dynamics and Climate Science Flashcards

Flashcards reviewing key concepts, definitions, processes, and quantitative data from Unit 1: Weather Dynamics.

What is the definition of weather dynamics?

The study of how the movement of water and air causes weather patterns.

According to the Kinetic Molecular Theory, why are particles in matter in constant random motion?

Because they possess kinetic energy (energy of motion).

What are the four major subsystems or spheres into which everything on Earth falls?

The lithosphere (solid earth), atmosphere (gases/air), hydrosphere (all water), and biosphere (all life).

In which layer of Earth's atmosphere does all weather take place?

The troposphere, which consists of the first $12\,km$ of the atmosphere.

How does solar energy travel from the Sun through space to reach Earth?

Via radiation as electromagnetic waves.

What percentage of total incoming solar radiation is reflected back into space without warming Earth?

$30\%$ ($25\%$ reflected by clouds and particles, and $5\%$ reflected by land and sea surfaces).

What percentage of incoming solar radiation reaches and is absorbed directly by Earth's surface?

$$50\%$$

What is albedo?

A measure of the percentage of light an object reflects.

What distinguishes high-albedo objects from low-albedo objects?

High-albedo objects reflect a large percentage of light (e.g., fresh snow at $80\%-95\%$), whereas low-albedo objects absorb more light than they reflect (e.g., asphalt at $5\%-10\%$).

What is specific heat capacity?

The amount of heat energy that must be added to increase the temperature of $1\,g$ (or $1\,kg$) of a substance by $1^\circ C$.

Why is water considered Earth's major heat sink?

Because water has a high specific heat capacity, allowing it to hold a lot of heat energy without experiencing a high temperature change.

What is average atmospheric pressure at sea level?

Approximately $101.3\,kPa$.

Why does atmospheric pressure and density decrease as altitude increases?

At higher altitudes, there is less air pushing down from above and gravity is weaker, allowing air molecules to spread out.

What are the three main greenhouse gases in Earth's atmosphere?

Water vapour ($H_2O$), carbon dioxide ($CO_2$), and methane ($CH_4$).

How is heat distinguished from thermal energy?

Thermal energy is the total kinetic energy of particles in a substance, whereas heat is the flow of thermal energy between two objects of different temperatures.

What are the three primary methods of thermal energy transfer?

Conduction, convection, and radiation.

How does thermal energy transfer occur through conduction?

Particles in a solid vibrate as they are heated, colliding with neighbouring particles and passing on kinetic energy.

How does thermal energy transfer occur through convection in fluids?

As particles in a fluid (liquid or gas) are heated, the area expands, becomes less dense, and rises. As it cools, it contracts, becomes denser, and descends, creating a convection current.

What proportion of Earth's total water is salt water versus fresh water?

$97.5\%$ is salt water and $2.5\%$ is fresh water.

What occurs during the phase change of sublimation?

Frozen water (ice) changes directly into water vapour, skipping the liquid phase, requiring energy to be absorbed.

What occurs during the phase change of deposition?

Water vapour changes directly into frozen water (ice), skipping the liquid phase, releasing energy.

What is latent heat?

A measure of the energy absorbed or released during a change in physical state without a change in temperature.

What atmospheric movements and weather characteristics define a high pressure system?

Air cools, condenses, and sinks, causing surface winds to move outward clockwise (in the Northern Hemisphere), resulting in clear, dry, and calm weather.

What atmospheric movements and weather characteristics define a low pressure system?

Air warms, expands, and rises, pulling winds inward counterclockwise (in the Northern Hemisphere), resulting in cloudy, windy, and unsettled weather.

What are isobars, and what does their proximity on a weather map indicate?

Isobars are lines connecting points having the same atmospheric pressure; winds are strongest where the isobars are closest together.

What is the angle of tilt of Earth's rotation axis relative to its orbital plane?

$23.5^\circ$ (or $23.45^\circ$).

What is the Coriolis effect, and how does it deflect wind in each hemisphere?

The apparent curving path of long-distance moving objects caused by Earth's rotation; moving air deflects to the right in the Northern Hemisphere and to the left in the Southern Hemisphere.

What are the location ranges and directions of the three main global wind systems?

Trade winds ($0^\circ$ to $30^\circ$ latitude, deflected west), prevailing westerlies ($30^\circ$ to $60^\circ$ latitude, blow west to east), and polar easterlies ($60^\circ$ to poles, blow east to west).

What are jet streams?

High-altitude, fast-moving winds in the troposphere that flow from west to east over mid-latitudes, created by large regional temperature differences.

What forces drive surface ocean currents versus deep ocean currents?

Surface currents are driven by wind, continental landmasses, and the Coriolis effect; deep ocean currents are driven by density differences from temperature and salinity.

What interaction causes the Grand Banks off Newfoundland to be one of the foggiest places on Earth?

The meeting of the cold, dry air over the Labrador Current with the warm, moist air over the Gulf Stream.

Which meteorological instruments measure atmospheric pressure, humidity, and wind speed?

Barometer measures atmospheric pressure; hygrometer (or sling psychrometer) measures relative humidity; anemometer measures wind speed.

How do GOES and POES weather satellites differ in orbit and coverage?

GOES (Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellites) hovers over a fixed spot on Earth, while POES (Polar Operational Environmental Satellites) orbits pole-to-pole roughly 10–14 times a day to monitor the entire globe.

What weather conditions are produced by a cold front?

Sharp temperature drops, gusty winds, and brief heavy precipitation (such as thunderstorms) or rain showers.

What weather conditions are produced by a warm front?

Gradual temperature increases, steady light to moderate precipitation, and a lower cloud ceiling.

How does an occluded front form?

When a fast-moving cold air mass overtakes a warm air mass, pushing the warm air upward as two cold air masses meet underneath.

How do land and sea breezes differ between day and night?

Sea breezes occur during the day when warm air over land rises and cool air blows from the sea to land; land breezes occur at night when warm air over the sea rises and cool air blows from land to sea.

What three proxy sources are used by scientists to monitor historical climate change?

Tree rings (annual growth records), fossils (past regional climate indicators), and ice cores (trapped gas bubbles and ice layers).

What is the Anthropogenic Greenhouse Effect?

The enhanced greenhouse effect caused by human activities (such as burning fossil fuels and agricultural practices) releasing additional natural and synthetic greenhouse gases into the atmosphere.