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11 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
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Is energy released to the environment during condensation/evaporation?
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Energy is absorbed during the evaporation process. Hence why when you get out of the bath or shower you feel cool. water molecules are absorbing energy from skin. The opposite is true about condensation. Which makes sense as it is a reverse process. during condensation, water molecules release energy. |
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How does the relative humidity change over the course of the day even if the absolute amount of moisture in the air remains unchanged?
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relative humidity is the ratio of actual water vapor content compared to the amount of water vapor required for saturation at that temperature (and pressure). absolute is the amount of water vapor in a given volume of air. relative humidity depends on temperature, so if moisture remains the same, but temperature changes, relative humidity would change but absolute would remain the same |
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What is the dew point?
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Dew point is the temperature in which air needs to be cooled to reach saturation. online relative humidity which is which is a measure of how near the air s to being saturated, dew point is the measure of actual moisture content in a parcel of air.What is the relative humidity when temperature and dew-point temperature are the same?If the dew point and temperature re the same it would have a relative humidity of 100%.What is adiabatic warming/cooling?Adiabatic warming is compression of air resulting in warming, while adiabatic cooling is the depending of air cooling. Remember example of bike pump heating and hair spray coolingWhy does the temperature of an air parcel change as it moves up or down in the atmosphere?as a parcel of air moves upward, it passes through regions of successively lower pressure. as a result air expands and cools adiabatically. the ascending air cools at a rate of 10 degrees C per 1000 feet. inversely air descending comes under increasing pressure resulting in the temp going up 10 degrees (Celsius or 5.5 degrees F) per 1000 feet. Though, this only applies to unsaturated air and is known as the dry adiabatic lapse rate.What is the moist adiabatic lapse rate? Why does it differ from the dry adiabatic lapse rate?The moist adiabatic lapse rate is when a parcel of air rises high enough to reach dew point. this will trigger the condensation process. this is the start of cloud formation. this level is called lifting condensation level. as that water vapor is evaporated the energy is released as sensible heat (heat that can be measured by a thermometer) delaying the cooling processs to 5 degrees celecius with high moisture content and 9 degrees with low moisture content. How do you determine whether the atmosphere is stable or unstable?If the air parcel is cooler than surrounding air it will be more dense, if it is allowed to do it will sink back to its original position. Air of this type called stable air will resists vertical movement. If air is warmer than surrounding air, and hence less dense than it will continue to rise until it reaches a altitude that its temperature reaches that of its surroundings. this air is stable air.to sum up, stable air tends to remain in original position where unstable air tends to rise.How can a stable air mass become unstable? How can an unstable air mass become stable?Stable air masses can become unstable by being warmed more than surrounding air (less dense). this can be done through: 1)intense solar heating of the lowest most layer of the atmosphere 2)the heating of a air mass from below as it passes over a warm surface 3)general upward movement of air caused by processes such as orographic lifting, frontal wedging and convergence 4) radiation cooling from cloud tops. Unstable air becoming stable air is the exact opposite, if air parcel becomes cooler than surrounding air it will sink (be more dense). this can happen in the following ways 1) radiation cooling of earth's surface after sunset 2)cooling of a air surface that traverses a cold surface 3)general subsidence within an air column.What is a conditionally unstable atmosphere?Conditionally stable atmosphere is most common type of instability. this situation takes place when moist air has a environmental lapse rate between wet and dry (5 degrees and 10 degrees per 200 meters) basically it is unstable when compared to saturated air but stable when compared to unsaturated air.What are the lifting mechanisms by which air is forced upward in the atmosphere? and Where on the globe are what lifting mechanisms most prevalent? four air lifting mechanisms are 1) orographic lifting in which air is forced to lift over a mountainous barrier. This is usually found in areas with slanted slopes and elevated terrains. places that rain alot often have windward facing slopes.due to the fact that adiabatic cooling often generates clouds. this leads to dessert on the other side of the mountain ranges. 2) frontal wedging in which warmer less dense air is forced over cooler, denser air. takes plave in north central america (plains)3) convergence which is a pile up of horizontal air flow that results in upward movement. happens in florida. 4)localized convective lifting in which unequal surface heating causes localized pockets of air to rise because of their buoyancy. |
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What is the relative humidity when temperature and dew-point temperature are the same?
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If the dew point and temperature re the same it would have a relative humidity of 100%. |
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What is adiabatic warming/cooling?
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Adiabatic warming is compression of air resulting in warming, while adiabatic cooling is the depending of air cooling. Remember example of bike pump heating and hair spray cooling |
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Why does the temperature of an air parcel change as it moves up or down in the atmosphere?
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as a parcel of air moves upward, it passes through regions of successively lower pressure. as a result air expands and cools adiabatically. the ascending air cools at a rate of 10 degrees C per 1000 feet. inversely air descending comes under increasing pressure resulting in the temp going up 10 degrees (Celsius or 5.5 degrees F) per 1000 feet. Though, this only applies to unsaturated air and is known as the dry adiabatic lapse rate. |
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What is the moist adiabatic lapse rate?
Why does it differ from the dry adiabatic lapse rate? |
The moist adiabatic lapse rate is when a parcel of air rises high enough to reach dew point. this will trigger the condensation process. this is the start of cloud formation. this level is called lifting condensation level. as that water vapor is evaporated the energy is released as sensible heat (heat that can be measured by a thermometer) delaying the cooling processs to 5 degrees celecius with high moisture content and 9 degrees with low moisture content. How do you determine whether the atmosphere is stable or unstable?If the air parcel is cooler than surrounding air it will be more dense, if it is allowed to do it will sink back to its original position. Air of this type called stable air will resists vertical movement. If air is warmer than surrounding air, and hence less dense than it will continue to rise until it reaches a altitude that its temperature reaches that of its surroundings. this air is stable air.to sum up, stable air tends to remain in original position where unstable air tends to rise.How can a stable air mass become unstable? How can an unstable air mass become stable?Stable air masses can become unstable by being warmed more than surrounding air (less dense). this can be done through: 1)intense solar heating of the lowest most layer of the atmosphere 2)the heating of a air mass from below as it passes over a warm surface 3)general upward movement of air caused by processes such as orographic lifting, frontal wedging and convergence 4) radiation cooling from cloud tops. Unstable air becoming stable air is the exact opposite, if air parcel becomes cooler than surrounding air it will sink (be more dense). this can happen in the following ways 1) radiation cooling of earth's surface after sunset 2)cooling of a air surface that traverses a cold surface 3)general subsidence within an air column.What is a conditionally unstable atmosphere?Conditionally stable atmosphere is most common type of instability. this situation takes place when moist air has a environmental lapse rate between wet and dry (5 degrees and 10 degrees per 200 meters) basically it is unstable when compared to saturated air but stable when compared to unsaturated air.What are the lifting mechanisms by which air is forced upward in the atmosphere? and Where on the globe are what lifting mechanisms most prevalent? four air lifting mechanisms are 1) orographic lifting in which air is forced to lift over a mountainous barrier. This is usually found in areas with slanted slopes and elevated terrains. places that rain alot often have windward facing slopes.due to the fact that adiabatic cooling often generates clouds. this leads to dessert on the other side of the mountain ranges. 2) frontal wedging in which warmer less dense air is forced over cooler, denser air. takes plave in north central america (plains)3) convergence which is a pile up of horizontal air flow that results in upward movement. happens in florida. 4)localized convective lifting in which unequal surface heating causes localized pockets of air to rise because of their buoyancy. |
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How do you determine whether the atmosphere is stable or unstable?
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If the air parcel is cooler than surrounding air it will be more dense, if it is allowed to do it will sink back to its original position. Air of this type called stable air will resists vertical movement. If air is warmer than surrounding air, and hence less dense than it will continue to rise until it reaches a altitude that its temperature reaches that of its surroundings. this air is stable air.to sum up, stable air tends to remain in original position where unstable air tends to rise. |
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How can a stable air mass become unstable? How can an unstable air mass become stable?
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Stable air masses can become unstable by being warmed more than surrounding air (less dense). this can be done through: 1)intense solar heating of the lowest most layer of the atmosphere 2)the heating of a air mass from below as it passes over a warm surface 3)general upward movement of air caused by processes such as orographic lifting, frontal wedging and convergence 4) radiation cooling from cloud tops. Unstable air becoming stable air is the exact opposite, if air parcel becomes cooler than surrounding air it will sink (be more dense). this can happen in the following ways 1) radiation cooling of earth's surface after sunset 2)cooling of a air surface that traverses a cold surface 3)general subsidence within an air column. |
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What is a conditionally unstable atmosphere?
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Conditionally stable atmosphere is most common type of instability. this situation takes place when moist air has a environmental lapse rate between wet and dry (5 degrees and 10 degrees per 200 meters) basically it is unstable when compared to saturated air but stable when compared to unsaturated air.What are the lifting mechanisms by which air is forced upward in the atmosphere? and Where on the globe are what lifting mechanisms most prevalent? four air lifting mechanisms are 1) orographic lifting in which air is forced to lift over a mountainous barrier. This is usually found in areas with slanted slopes and elevated terrains. places that rain alot often have windward facing slopes.due to the fact that adiabatic cooling often generates clouds. this leads to dessert on the other side of the mountain ranges. 2) frontal wedging in which warmer less dense air is forced over cooler, denser air. takes plave in north central america (plains)3) convergence which is a pile up of horizontal air flow that results in upward movement. happens in florida. 4)localized convective lifting in which unequal surface heating causes localized pockets of air to rise because of their buoyancy.
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What are the lifting mechanisms by which air is forced upward in the atmosphere?
Where on the globe are what lifting mechanisms most prevalent? |
What are the lifting mechanisms by which air is forced upward in the atmosphere? and Where on the globe are what lifting mechanisms most prevalent? four air lifting mechanisms are 1) orographic lifting in which air is forced to lift over a mountainous barrier. This is usually found in areas with slanted slopes and elevated terrains. places that rain alot often have windward facing slopes.due to the fact that adiabatic cooling often generates clouds. this leads to dessert on the other side of the mountain ranges. 2) frontal wedging in which warmer less dense air is forced over cooler, denser air. takes plave in north central america (plains)3) convergence which is a pile up of horizontal air flow that results in upward movement. happens in florida. 4)localized convective lifting in which unequal surface heating causes localized pockets of air to rise because of their buoyancy.
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