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146 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
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What are the trade winds and where on Earth would we expect to find them?Where do westerly winds dominate the weather patterns? What is the drivingforce behind westerly winds?
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a wind blowing steadily toward the equator from the northeast/southeast, air traveling poleward from the subtropical high from southwest, wind blows from high pressure areas to low pressure areas |
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What is atmospheric circulation like in the polar regions? From which directiondo the polar winds predominantly blow?
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cold, subsiding air blows from the east and collide with westerlies along polar front |
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What is a monsoon? Why are they important?
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a seasonal prevailing wind; warm months blow onto land, cold months blows off land; shows the location of ICTZ |
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If we have an area of high pressure and an area of low pressure, in which waywould we expect the winds to flow (e.g. from low to high or from high to low?) |
high->low |
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Do winds blow clockwise or counterclockwise around a low? Around a high?
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low:counterclockwise high:clockwise |
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What three forces influence the direction and speed of the wind at the surface ofthe earth? Is the same true at high altitude (i.e. geostrophic winds)?
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1. pressure gradient force 2. Coriolis effect 3. friction |
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What is the jet stream? How many of them are there and what do they represent?
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"river" of air, high altitude/velocity; 2 jet streams at 30 degrees N and S; it is where the troposphere meets the stratosphere |
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What is a cyclone (general definition)? Which way to winds blow around acyclone in the northern and southern hemispheres? Within a cyclone, is the airrising or falling?
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a center of low pressure; Northern Hemisphere-blow inward/counterclockwise Southern Hemisphere- blow inward/clockwise; air is rising |
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What about an anticyclone? What weather conditions do we associate with cyclones and anticyclones? With respect to latitude, where do cyclones and anticyclones dominate the weather patterns?
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a center of high pressure; pressure increases toward center, brings fair weather; Cyclones: clouds,rainy,stormy,hurricanesAnticyclones: dry, clear, (fair weather) |
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What is the fundamental driving force behind all atmospheric circulation?
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Unequal surface heating.
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What is a Hadley cell? What portions of the earth are directly influenced by thiscirculation (what latitude to what latitude)? What is the climate like where thiscirculation is going upwards? What is the climate like where this circulationdescends?
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A large scale atmospheric convection cell in which air rises at the equator and sinks at medium latitude.;
On either side of the equator from 30 degrees N to 30 degrees S; The air in a Hadley cell will be Warm and Moist when going upwards and Cool and Dry going down. |
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What is a sea breeze? A land breeze? Why do these occur?
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Sea Breeze: A local wind blowing from the sea during the afternoon in coastal areas. -Develops because cooler air over the water (higher pressure) moves toward the warmer land (lower pressure).
Land Breeze:A local wind blowing from land toward the water during the night in coastal areas.-Develops because land cools more rapidly then the sea. |
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What are the weather patterns El Niño and La Niña? How are they formed? Howwould an El Niño impact the coastal waters of Peru? How would an El Niñoimpact California? How would a La Niña impact Oregon? Would thesoutheastern U.S. expect to have more or fewer hurricanes during an El Niñoyear?
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El Nino: Related to large scale atmospheric circulationCauses heavy rains in Ecuador and Peru, Ferocious storms in California
-Changes in trade winds creates a major change in the equatorial current system, with warm water flowing eastward. -Pressure change between the eastern and western Pacific called Southern Oscillation La Nina: Blows colder than normal air over the Pacific Northwest and northern Great Plains while warming much of the rest of the United States/ Great precipitation is expected in the Northwest |
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What is an air mass? What are the general characteristics of an air mass? Whatwould we expect a continental polar air mass to be like? Maritime polar?Continental Tropical? Maritime tropical?
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A large body of air that is characterized by a sameness of temperature and humidity.
-Large body of air( 1600 km) or more across, similar temperature at any given altitude, more affect a large portion of a continent • Continental Polar: High altitudes, cold,( Northern Canada and interior of Alaska) • Maritime Polar: High altitudes, cold, Form over water (western mountains) • Continental Tropical: Low latitudes, warm, form over land, likely to be dry(Southwest and Mexico) • Maritime Tropical: Form over water, Humid air( North America, east of the Rockys) |
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The big thunderstorms generated east of the Rocky Mountains are most typicallycaused by what two types of air masses colliding?
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cP and mT Continental Polar and Maritime Tropical
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What is a warm front and what are its characteristics? How do we symbolize awarm front on a map? What kind of cloud progression might we expect as a warmfront moves in?
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A front along which a warm air mass overrides a retreating mass of cooler air.
-Characteristics: replaces cooler air, light-to-moderate precipitation. -Shown on a map by a line with semicircles. |
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What is a cold front and what are its characteristics? How do we symbolize acold front on a map? What kind of clouds might we expect along the edge of acold front?
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A front along which a cold air mass thrusts beneath a warmer air mass.
-Characteristics: replaces warm air -Shown on map by a line with triangles -Twice as steep as a warm front, advances faster, associated weather is more violent that a warm front (intensity and duration). |
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What is a stationary front? An occluded front? How do these form?
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Stationary front- flow of air on both sides of the front is almost parallel to the line of the front-surface position of the front does not move
Occluded front- active cold front overtakes a warm front-cold air wedges the warm air upward-weather is often complex- Precipitation is associated with warm air being forced aloft |
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Does a cyclone require divergent or convergent air at high altitudes? What aboutan anticyclone? How do these compare to the wind flow at the surface?
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-Convergent -Divergent |
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What conditions lead to the formation of thunderstorms? What is the life cycle ofa thunderstorm? When would we expect the heaviest rain?
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• Development: Requires continuous supply of warm air and moisture
o Each surge causes air to rise higher o Updrafts and downdraft form • Eventually precipitation forms o Most active stage o Gusty winds, lightning, hail o Heavy precipitation • Cooling effect of precipitation marks the end of thunderstorm activity -Cumulous Stage: Strong updrafts act to build the storm. -Mature Stage: Marked by heavy precipitation and cool downdrafts in part of the storm. -Dissipating Stage: When the warm updrafts disappear completely, precipitation becomes light, and the cloud begins to evaporate. *Mature stage has heaviest rain. |
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What type of clouds would we expect to produce a tornado?
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Cumulonimbus
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What is a supercell? With respect to a supercell, where would we expect atornado to be generated (map directions)?
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• Isolated from the frontal thunderstorm chain, Whole thunderstorm rotation.
• Tornado typically appears on the Southwest corner |
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How fast can the winds blow in a tornado? What is the most active time of theyear for tornadoes? In what direction do tornadoes usually travel in the U.S.?
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-Maximum winds range beyond 500km (310 mph)
-April through June (Specifically the month of May has the most) -Most move toward the Northeast. |
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What is the Fujita scale? Why was it replaced by the Enhanced Fujita scale?
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•Used to measure the intensity of Tornadoes by assessing manmade structures.
• It was replaced because tended to overestimate wind speeds. Was only useful when manmade structures were damaged, different assessors saw things differently. • Enhanced Fujita scale correctly estimates wind speed allows for damage vegetation to be considered, includes path width and length in the determination, in use since Feb. 2007. |
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At what latitudes do we see hurricanes form? Which way would we expect ahurricane to rotate in the northern hemisphere? How about the southernhemisphere?
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-5 degrees and 20 degrees
-Counterclockwise -Clockwise |
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Where would we expect the strongest winds of the hurricane to be located? Whatkind of atmospheric pressure might we expect in a hurricane? (in millibars)
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-eyewall -1013 mb |
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What is the storm surge? What are its impacts?
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Large dome of water 65 to 80 kilometers (40 to 50) miles wide sweeps across the coast where eye makes landfall
o Wind damage o Inland flooding from torrential rains |
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What factors influence global climate change? How does burning fossil fuelscontribute to global climate change?
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•Water vapor and carbon dioxide absorb heat and are largely responsible for the greenhouse effect of the atmosphere
•Burning fossil fuels has added great quantities of carbon dioxide to the atmosphere |
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Other than CO2, what are some other atmospheric gases that may contribute toglobal climate change?
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•Methane,
•Nitrous oxide •Chlorofluorocarbons |
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How does natural CO2 from volcanoes compare to human CO2 output? Is thereany way to tell these two different forms of CO2 apart?
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human output is 130 times greater |
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What is a positive feedback mechanism? What is an example? How about anegative feedback mechanism?
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•Positive-feedback mechanisms reinforce the initial change: the polar albedo problem
•Negative-feedback mechanisms produce results that are just the opposite of the initial change and tend to offset it: More water vapor=more clouds=more reflection back to space |
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What is the primary source of the climate information that scientists use todetermine past climates on Earth? How far back does that record go in time?What is the source of climate information for very old periods in Earth history?
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ice coring, more aerosols during warm periods, only half of quaternary period,
oxygen in calcite of ancient shells |
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What isotopic relationship do scientists primarily use to help determine pasttemperatures on Earth? How would we expect this isotopic relationship to changebetween warm and cold climates?
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more aerosols during warm periods, high CO2 and methane also |
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What natural mechanism(s) do scientists think are primarily responsible for theshifts from ice ages to inter-glacial periods?
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changes in earth's rotation and tilt |
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What is the Little Ice Age? Why did it happen?
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•Colder period between 1560-1850( shorter growing season with different crops)
temps were one degree colder than average |
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What are some possible impacts that global climate change may bring to Worldand to Oregon?
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more rain, less snowpack, warming rivers |
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What is salinity? What is the average salinity of seawater? What are the major components ofthese salts?
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-Salinity is the total amount of solid dissolved in water. -The average salinity of seawater is 35 per thousand. -Components of NaCl: 55% Cl, 30.6% Na |
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How do we increase and decrease the salinity of seawater and what are some examples of this?
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Increase: remove fresh water via evaporation or formation of sea ice Decrease: add fresh water via precipitation, runoff from land , or sea ice melting |
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What controls the temperature of seawater?
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Solar Radiation |
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What is a thermocline and where do we expect to see them? Where would we not expect to seethis? Why?
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Thermocline is the rapid decrease in temperature with depth, It is usually seen in low latitudes, It is usually not seen in high latitudes due to low surface temperatures. |
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What is density? What two factors affect the density of seawater?
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Density is the mass per volume/weight for size Two factors: salinity and temperature (greatest affect) |
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What is the pycnocline? Where would we expect to see this? Where would we not expect to seethis? Why?
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Pycnocline is density increasing rapidly with depth because of colder water, It usually occurs in the low latitudes, It does no occur in the high altitudes because of low surface temperatures |
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How is the ocean layered by density?
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1. Surface Mixed Zone 2. Transition Zone 3. Deep Zone |
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What is plankton? Nekton? Benthos? What are some examples of these? What is the differencebetween phytoplankton and zooplankton?
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plankton: floaters/algae/zooplankton/bacteria neckton: animals capable of moving independently (fish) benthos: bottom dwellers (crabs) |
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What is the photic zone? Euphotic zone? Aphotic zone? Where do they occur and why is thisclassification system important?
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photic zone: light/top layer/upper ocean euphotic zone: in-between/some visible light aphotic zone: without light/deep ocean |
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What is the intertidal zone, neritic zone, and oceanic zone. How do these relate to the terrain onthe ocean floor?
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intertidal zone: area where land and ocean meet neritic zone: continental shelf to shelf break oceanic zone: beyond the continental shelf |
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What is the pelagic zone? What is the benthic zone? Abyssal zone?
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pelagic zone: open ocean of any depth benthic zone: sea bottom surface abyssal zone: subdivision of benthic zone/deep-high pressure |
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What are the two major factors that control the productivity in the ocean? What limitsproductivity in tropical oceans? What limits productivity in polar oceans?
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two factors: availability of nutrients/solar radiation productivity is limited in tropical oceans due to thermocline eliminating supply of nutrients from deeper waters, productivity is limited in polar regions due to limited light energy |
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What are the most productive oceans? When are these oceans the most productive? Why?
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temperate oceans, fall, the thermocline breaks down and nutrients return to the surface |
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What are trophic levels and what do they allow us to understand?
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food chain, show the transfer of energy in ecosystems |
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What percentage of Earth’s surface is covered by water? Land?
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71% water 29% land |
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Which hemisphere of the earth contains more water? Which has most of the land?
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Northern Hemisphere: "land hemisphere" Southern Hemisphere: "water hemisphere" |
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How many ocean basins are there and what are their names?
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Four ocean basins, Pacific, Atlantic, Indian, Arctic |
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What was the HMS Challenger and why was it important?
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1872-1876, first major oceanographic study |
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When did ocean coring start and how was it done?
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1960, drilling into Earth's surface to get rock samples |
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What is a passive continental margin, what are their characteristics, and what is an example?
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an in-active plate, have few earthquakes and a larger continental shelf, East Coast USA |
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What is an active continental margin, what are their characteristics, and what is an example?
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an active ocean plate, often have earthquakes and a steep slope, West Coast USA |
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What are the following terms and how to they relate to one another? Continental margin,continental shelf, continental slope, continental rise, abyssal plain, deep sea fan, submarinecanyon, deep-ocean trench.
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continental margin: zone of ocean floor that separates thin oceanic crust from thick continental crust, this includes -continental shelf: a flooded extension of continent -continental slope: steep sloping, seaward edge of continental shelf -abyssal plain: most level; thick accum. of sediment -deep sea fan: underwater geological structures associated with large scale sediment deposits -submarine canyon: deep, steep sided valleys in continental slope -deep ocean trench: deepest part of the ocean |
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What is the continental shelf? Is it part of the continental crust or oceanic crust? Why is thecontinental shelf important?
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a flooded extension of the continent, considered part of the continental crust, contains oil and important mineral deposits |
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What is a turbidity current and what kind of deposits do they create?
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a downslope movement of dense, sediment laden water, current deposits turbidities which are fine particles |
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What is a seamount? A guyot?
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an underwater mountain, a seamount with a flat top |
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What is an atoll and how do they form?
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a ring shaped reef, island, or chain of islands formed of coral, as coral grows around an island that remains after the island wears away |
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Lithosphere, asthenosphere, divergentboundary, convergent boundary, transform boundary, hotspot, mid-ocean ridge, continental crust,oceanic crust.
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lithosphere: rigid shell/cold (butter in fridge) asthenosphere: warmer, plastic layer/like softened butter lower mantle: solid outer core: liquid inner core: solid |
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What are each of the major layers made of and what are their physical states (solid/liquid,strong/weak)?
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lithosphere: rigid shell/cold (butter in fridge)
asthenosphere: warmer, plastic layer/like softened butter lower mantle: solid outer core: liquid inner core: solid |
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What is isostasy? How are the oceanic and continental crusts different?
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different densities/thickness will be buyout on top of the asthenosphere, oceanic crust is less dense than continental crust |
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What is continental drift, and how is it related to plate tectonics?
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the idea of continents have shifted from their original locations, this shows how plate tectonics move/recycle things |
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What is Pangea?
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the supercontinent idea of Alfred Wegner 1912 |
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What observations led to the theory of continental drift? What were its problems?
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1. fit of continents 2. crust appears to "float" on the mantle 3. continuation of geological features 4. distribution of fossils problem: lacked mechanism for continental drift |
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What is seafloor spreading?
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idea that plates diverge and magma fills the gap |
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How did past flips in Earth’s magnetic field end up providing proof of seafloor spreading?
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cooled lava follows magnetic flips |
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How does the age of the seafloor change as you move away from a seafloor spreading center?
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as you move away from the spreading center, the seafloor gets older |
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What is the lithosphere? What is the asthenosphere? How do they differ?
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lithosphere: rigid outer shell/crust and upper mantle/brittle asthenosphere: warmer plastic layer/mantle/squishy |
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What drives the tectonic plates?
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not precisely known, thought to be through Earth's convection |
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Which plate boundaries have volcanoes? earthquakes? both?
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convergent and hot spots, transform |
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What are terrigenous sediments? Biogenic sediments? Hydrogenous sediments? How do theseform and what are some examples?
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terrigenous: deep sea sediments from rivers/wind biogenic: calcite and opal from shells hydrogenous: chemical reaction in original sediments |
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What are gyres? How do they form and what influences them? Do they behave the same way inthe northern and southern hemispheres?
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huge, slowly moving ocean water, from friction between the ocean and win that blows across gyres, always circulate towards the equator |
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What is the Coriolis effect? Why is it important?
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as the Earth rotates, different latitudes rotate at different speeds, important in explaining Earth rotation |
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How do currents relate to gyres?
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gyres are the patterns of currents |
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What is the current that goes along the eastern seaboard of the United States? Why is itimportant?
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the north atlantic current , it is what brings in hurricanes |
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What is upwelling? What causes it to happen? Why is it important?
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the rise of cold water from deep layers, caused by the "conveyor belt" that is the ocean, it is key in bringing nutrients to the surface |
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What is thermohaline circulation? What factors cause it to happen? What are its implications forglobal oceans?
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a large scale ocean circulation, created by global density gradients |
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How do we subdivide the coastal zone? In this classification scheme, where does the oceanbottom begin to be affected by wave activity?
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continental margins->ocean basin floor->mid ocean ridge |
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What do the following terms mean with regard to waves: wavelength, wave height, crest, trough,period, fetch
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length: horizontal distance between crests height: distance crest to trough period: time interval for one wave to pass a fixed point fetch: ocean/lake surface in which wind blows waves |
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What causes breakers to form near the shore?
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as the wave is coming in another is going in causing a break |
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What is wave refraction and where does it occur? What landforms are created by it?
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bending of the path of waves; spit, baymouth bar, tombolo |
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What is beach drift and why is it important?
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when sediment moves in a zig zag pattern along beach face, it is important in moving sediment |
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What is longshore drift? Why is it important? What landforms are created by it?
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the transportation of sediments along the coast, very important in moving sediments, can create a spit, bay mouth bar, or tombolo |
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What influences coastal erosion?
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the proximity to rivers, tectonic activity, topography, wind, and the coastline |
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What are the tides and what causes them to happen?
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) |
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What is a Spring tide? What arrangement of the Sun, Earth, and moon causes it to happen?
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spring tides are extreme,
they occur during the new and full moons (in line with sun) |
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What is a Neap tide? What arrangement of the Sun, Earth, and moon causes it to happen?
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the least extreme, occur during 1/4 and 3/4 moons |
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What is the Bay of Fundy? Why is it significant?
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in Nova Scotia, it features the most extreme tides |
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What is a diurnal tidal pattern? What is a semidiurnal tidal pattern? What is a mixed tidalpattern? Why do we get different tidal patterns around the world?
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diurnal: a single high/low tide semidiurnal: two high/low tides mixed: two high/low tides of mixed heights we get different tidal patterns because of gravitational pulls and Earth's tilt |
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What is the difference between a physical and a chemical property?
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Physical: describes look/feel Chemical: describes the tendency of a substance to transform into a new substance |
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What is the difference between a physical and chemical change? What are some examples? How can we tellthe difference between the two?
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physical: a change that does not involve a chemical reaction; ex ice, water, and water vapor chemical: the transformation of one or more substance into others; ex oxygen and methane to carbon dioxide |
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What are good indicators that a chemical change has occurred?
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-transfer of energy -production of a gas -change in color -formation of a precipitate |
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Some terms to know: proton, neutron, electron, atom, molecule, element, compound. How do these relate toone another?
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proton: part of nucleus with positive charge neutron: part of nucleus with no charge electron: circles nucleus with negative charge atom:make up all matter around us molecule: smallest particle in a chemical element or compound, made up of atoms element: any material consisting of only one type of atom compound: a substance consisting of atoms of different elements protons, neutrons, and electrons make up an atom which make up a molecule which make up an element or compound |
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Understand the basics of electron dot structures (e.g. number of shells, electrons per shell, etc.)
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8 "spaces" for valence electrons, dots represent electrons, blanks represent space |
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What are valence electrons? How do we represent them in the electron dot structure notation?
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electrons in outermost shell of an atom, able to participate in chemical bonding they are the "dots" in the structure |
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What is an ion? How about a molecular ion
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ion: an atom that has lost/gained one or more electrons molecular ion: typically formed by the loss or gain of a hydrogen ion; abundance results in acidity |
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What is an ionic bond and how do they form? What are some examples of ionic bonds?
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ionic bond: the electrical force of attraction between oppositely charged ions "opposites attract" ex: NA+ and F- "giving" |
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What is a covalent bond and how do they form? What are some examples of covalent bonds?
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covalent bond:the electrical attraction in which atoms are held together by their mutual attraction for shared electrons; the number of covalent bondsman atom can form equals its number of unpaired valence electrons ex: F- and F- to get F2 "sharing" |
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What is the relationship between valence electrons and the number of covalent bonds that a single atom canmake?
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each atom can make 8 bonds, each valence electron takes away one available bond |
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What is a polar covalent bond and how do they form? What are some examples of this? How about nonpolarcovalent bonds?
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polar:electrons within a covalent bond are shared evenly when the two atoms are the same, greater electronegativity gives more "pulling power" ex. hydrogen fluoride, water non polar: have very little attraction between other neighboring molecules; has low boiling point ex: CO2, oxygen |
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What is molecular polarity? How and why does it happen? What are some examples of molecular polarity?How does polarity influence the melting & boiling points of a substance?
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polarity: CO2, oxygens pull equally on |
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How does molecular polarity affect water?
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water is polar, this makes its boiling point much higher than if it were non polar |
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Understand the following terms, the conditions of their formation, and some examples of each. Ion-dipole,dipole-dipole, dipole-induced dipole.
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ion-dipole: attraction between an ion and a dipole ex. Na Cl in water dipole-dipole: attraction between two dipoles dipole-induced dipole: only there for a moment; attraction between a dipole and an induce dipole |
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What is an acid? What is a base? What does the pneumonic device BAAD tell us?
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acid: dissociate in water to increase the concentration H+, have many H+ ions, and sour taste base: combine with H+ ions when dissolved in water, decreasing H+ concentration, have many OH- ions, and bitter taste Bases Accept Acids Donate (H+ Ions) |
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When consider hot and cold bodies, in which direction will the energy flow?
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high->low |
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What is conduction? In what substance(s) does this method of heat transfer work best. What do we callthings that are poor conductors?
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heat transferred by direct contact, works best in solids, especially metals, insulators are poor conductors |
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What is convection? In what substance(s) does this method of heat transfer work best?
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heat energy transferred by moving fluids, works best in liquids and gases |
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What is radiation? How does radiation transport energy? What are some examples of transferring energy byradiation?
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heat energy traveling through electromagnetic waves, suns heat through waves through space towards earth |
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What are the different states of matter?
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solid, liquid, gas |
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When going from a solid to a liquid to a gas, is energy absorbed or released? How about the oppositedirection?
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solid->liquid: energy absorbed liquid to solid-> released |
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What is the term for when we go from a liquid to a gas? What about from a gas to a liquid?
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evaporation condensation |
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What is the term for when we go directly from a solid to a gas? What are some examples?
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sublimation; dry ice, moth balls, frozen water |
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What are Chinook or Santa Ana Winds? What is their effect?
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Chinook-A wind blowing down the leeward side of a mountain and warming by compression. -These warm dry winds often cause a drastic change and are known to melt snow cover in short order.
Santa Ana-The local name given a chinook wind in southern California. -Increase the threat of fire in this dry area. |
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Is it possible to go directly from a gas to a solid? If so, what is this called and can you cite an example?
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deposition; formation of frost |
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What is the difference between weather and climate?
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weather: over a short period of time/constantly changing climate: over a long period of time/ generalized composite of weather |
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What do we measure to determine weather and climate?
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-temperature -humidity -cloudiness -precipitation -air pressure -wind speed/direction |
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What is the most abundant gas in the atmosphere? Approximately how much of our atmosphereis oxygen? Though an important greenhouse gas, carbon dioxide only comprises how much ofour atmosphere?
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1. Nitrogen (78%) 2. Oxygen (21%) 3. Carbon Dioxide (.036%) |
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How much of the atmosphere is composed of water vapor? Why is it important?
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up to 4% water vapor, important because it absorbs heat energy from Earth |
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What are aerosols and why are they important? What are some examples of these?
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tiny solid/liquid particles in the air, they reflect sunlight and water vapor can condense on them |
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What is ozone? Why is it important? In what subdivision of the atmosphere is the majority ofthe ozone concentrated?
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three atoms of oxygen, it absorbs harmful UV radiation, located in the stratosphere |
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What is air pressure? How does it change with altitude? What are typical values for air pressureat sea level (both in millibars and inches of mercury).
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the weight of the air above, decreases with altitude, at sea level: ~1013 millibars or 14.7 pounds per square inch |
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What are the major subdivisions of the atmosphere? What subdivision do we live in? In whichsubdivision does the majority of our weather occur? What naming convention is used to describethe boundaries between these layers? Can airplanes or jets reach the stratosphere?
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1. Thermosphere (TOP) 2. Mesosphere 3. Stratosphere 4. Troposphere -We live in the troposphere -Our weather occurs in the troposphere -Area in between layers: the lower layer + "pause" -Airplanes and jets can reach the stratosphere |
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Why do we have seasons? What name do we give to the longest and shortest days of the year?What name do we give to the days when daytime and nighttime hours are equal?
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because of the change in the sun's angle, due to Earth's orientation, longest: summer solstice shortest: winter solstice day/night are equal: autumnal/spring equinox |
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What are the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn? Why are they important?
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Cancer: 23.5 degrees N, when the Sun's vertical rays are located here, summer solstice occurs Capricorn: 23.5 degrees S when Sun's vertical rays are located here, winter solstice occurs |
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Do polar regions receive the same amount of solar energy as equatorial regions? Why?
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No, due to the sun's angle and their location |
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What are the three ways in which heat can be transferred? Which one is most important for solidsubstances? Which ones are important in the atmosphere? Which way do we receive energyfrom the sun?
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-conduction
-convection -radiation -convection is most important for solid substances -radiation is most important in the atmosphere -we receive energy from the sun via solar radiation |
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What are the basic classifications of electromagnetic radiation? Do hot radiating bodies tend toemit more long or short wavelength radiation? How is the “greenhouse” effect related to thetransmission and re-emission of electromagnetic radiation?
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-gamma -x-rays -UV -visible -infrared -microwaves -hot radiating bodies tend to emit shorter wavelengths -greenhouse gases trap electromagnetic radiation on earth, and radiate them, warming earth |
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What are the three main ways that incoming solar radiation is interfered with by the atmosphere?What is albedo? How much energy is typically absorbed by the Earth’s surface? How muchenergy is lost back to space?
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-reflection -scattering -absorption -albedo is something's reflectivity -50% of energy is absorbed by Earth's surface -~50% goes back to space |
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How would we expect yearly temperatures to differ between a town along the seashore and one inthe middle of the continent? If we were to look for the coldest and warmest temperaturesexperienced on Earth, would we look in the Oceans or the Continents?
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yearly temperatures vary much less in towns along sea shore than one in the middle of the continent, to find coldest/warmest temps on Earth we look in the continents |
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How do clouds influence the daily temperature range (both lows and highs)? Why?
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clouds reduce the daily temperature range, during day: reflect some of sun's energy, at night: trap heat being radiated by Earth |
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What is latent heat? Why is it important to our understanding of weather?
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the energy released/absorbed by a body/thermodynamic system, important in the creation of thunderstorms/hurricanes |
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When going between states of matter, in what ways is energy released? In what ways is energyabsorbed? What is sublimation? What is deposition?
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solid->gas "absorbed" gas->solid "released" sublimation: phase change directly from a solid to a gas deposition: phase change directly from a gas to a solid |
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What is humidity? What is relative humidity? What influences the relative humidity?
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the amount of water vapor in there air; ratio of the airs actual water vapor content compared with the amount of water vapor required for saturation at that temperature; influenced by moisture in the air and the air temperature |
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What is the dew point? How are clouds and fog formed?
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when relative humidity is at 100%, they are made of millions of minute water droplets, they form when air is cooled below the dew point |
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At what time of day is it typically the coldest? The warmest? How would we expect relativehumidity to change in response to these temperature changes?
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it is typically coldest before dawn, warmest between 4 and 6 pm, when water vapor content does not change, by temperature does, the cooler temperature will have higher relative humidity |
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What is adiabatic heating and cooling? How does it work? Under what conditions can we expectit to influence weather (i.e. what processes lift air)? Is the adiabatic cooling rate faster in dry airor wet air? Why?
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occurs when air is compressed causing air to warm due to increasing air pressure OR air expands causing air to cool due to decreasing air pressure, dry/unsaturated air: rising/expands, cool at 1 degree C per 100 meters wet/saturated air/dew point: heat released by condensing decreases rate of cooling, .5 degrees C and .9 degrees C per 100 meters, orographic lifting: elevated terrain barrier/ frontal wedging; cool air barrier/ convergence; air flows together and rises |
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What is stable air? Under what conditions do we experience absolute stability? Absoluteinstability? Conditional instability? Which one of these is characterized by an air inversion andwhy are they important? Which one of these conditions is likely to generate a strongthunderstorm?
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cooler/denser than surrounding air and wants to sink, occurs when environmental lapse rate is less that wet adiabatic rate, occurs when rising air warmer than surrounding air and continues to rise until it reaches air of the same temperature, occurs when the atmosphere is stable for an unsaturated parcel of air but is unstable for saturated stability, air inversions are extreme cases of stable air, unstable air causes thunderstorms |
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In what ways does water condense to form water vapor? What are some possible condensationsurfaces for water vapor? Are clouds typically composed of water vapor the size of a raindrop?
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? grass, car window, dust smoke, etc no, composed of millions of minute water droplets |
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What are the three basic forms of clouds? What is the classification scheme we use for clouds ofdifferent heights in the atmosphere? What kinds of clouds are typically responsible for strongthunderstorms? What kinds of clouds are typically responsible for the long, soaking rains we getin the Willamette valley?
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cirrus-thin cumulus-fluffy stratus-sheets high clouds- >6000 miles "cirro" middle clouds- 2000-6000 miles "alto" low clouds- <2000 miles "stratus" clouds of vertical disposition- all heights/rain~thunderstorms rain- nimbostratus thunderstorms- cumulonimbus |
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How and why does fog form? What are some examples of different types of fog
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because of radiation cooling or movement of air over a cold surface, advection- warm air, cool surface radiation- cooling surface, cool calm nights upslope- humid air, upslope steam fog- cool air over warm water |
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How and why does precipitation occur? What process is responsible for precipitation at themiddle latitudes? What process is responsible for precipitation in the tropics?
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precipitation in mid latitudes: Bergeron process (freezing then melting) precipitation in tropics: collision-coalescence process (colliding condensation nuclei) |
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Are rain and drizzle the same thing? What is sleet? What is glaze? What atmospheric conditionsare needed for sleet and glaze to occur? What is hail and in what kinds of clouds can we typicallyexpect it to form?
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rain droplets are > .5mm in diameter, drizzle is less than that, sleet: small particles of ice glaze/freezing rain: when rain hits, it freezes, hail formed in large cumulonimbus clouds, hard round pellets |
