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64 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
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Why study meteorology? |
To understand physical, chemical and biological processes in soil-plant-atmosphere |
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Meteorology should guide management of what 3 practices? |
Cultural Practices Disease management Future planning |
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What is meteorology? |
The study of atmospheric processes that lead to specific weather conditions |
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What is climatology? |
Using historical weather patterns to analyze and forecast long-term weather patterns or climate changes |
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What are 5 latitudinal climate categories? |
Tropical Subtropical Mid-attitudinal Sub-arctic Arctic |
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What are 2 non-latitudinal factors that climates are sometimes classified by? |
Wetness and dryness |
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What 2 things characterize regional climates? |
Soil and vegetation |
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Name 3 soil characteristics related to meteorology |
1. Formation 2. Physical, chemical and mechanical properties 3. Organisms |
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Name 3 plant characteristics related to meteorology |
1. Health 2. Life cycle 3. Geographic distribution |
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Name 3 pest related factors influenced by climate |
1. Susceptibility 2. Nature, number and activity of insects and diseases 3. Control measures |
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What are 4 artificial modifications of meteorology and hydrology? |
1. Irrigation 2. Mulching 3. Wind breaks/shelter belts 4. Microclimates |
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What is phonology? |
The relationship between weather/climate and biological events |
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What are 5 environmental conditions that affect life cycle changes? |
1. Light 2. Temperature 3. Water 4. Carbon dioxide and oxygen concentrations 5. Wind |
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What do long-term climate averages result from? |
Annual climate variability |
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What are 3 things looked at when studying long-term climate averages and climate variability? |
1. Trends over time 2. What is normal climate change 3. Long term term averages |
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What is climate change? |
A fairly smooth, continuous increase or decrease if the average value |
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Describe what is meant by "extreme events" with regards to climate change. Give 3 examples. |
Specific climate events departing from average in a significant way. 1. Precipitation 2. High temperature 3. Storms |
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What is the different in lower latitudes regarding the sunlight it receives? |
It is stronger and more direct |
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What is responsible for seasons? |
The Earth's axis is tilted 23.5° from it's orbit around the sun |
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Explain degrees of latitude |
0° latitude = equator 90° upward to the north pole 90° downward to the south pole |
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What shape is the Earth's orbit? |
Elliptical |
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How long is 1 full orbit of the Earth? |
1 year |
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What are 2 things that happen when we are tilted away from the sun? |
1. We get weaker, less direct sunlight 2. Less energy is absorbed by the Earth and the atmosphere |
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What is an equinox? What are the 2 equinoxes called? |
When the equator passes the center of the sun and night and day are approximately the same length all over the planet 1. Vernal equinox (Spring - March) 2. Autumnal equinox (Fall - Sept.) |
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Which months represent which seasons in climatology? |
Winter = December - February Spring = March - May Summer = June - August Autumn = September - November |
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Which direction does Earth rotate? What does this cause? |
Counterclockwise Day and night |
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What is temperature? |
A measure of internal energy (fast moving molecules) |
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Which direction does the temperature gradient move in? Explain. |
Warm to cold. When sitting on a cold seat, heat flows from your body into the seat, the cold does not move into your body. |
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What type of energy causes what type of temperature? |
High energy = warmth, low energy = coldness |
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What 3 forces are temperature related to and what type of relationship does it have with each? |
1. Volume (direct) 2. Pressure (direct) 3. Density (inverse) |
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What are the three temperature scales? |
Celsius, Fahrenheit, Kelvin |
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What are 2 types of temperature measurement and how does each work? |
1. Direct - uses an expandable liquid 2. Remote - uses electronic sensors, which often measure light radiation |
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What is density and how does temperature affect the density of the air? |
Mass per unit volume Warm air is less dense than cool air (varies with relative humidity) |
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How does altitude affect the density of the air? |
It increases closer to the surface of the earth |
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How does dry air relate to the density? |
Dry air is more dense due to the molecular weight of gasses |
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What force is the formation of clouds related to? |
Density: Nitrogen takes up more more volume in dry air than H and is heavier. It takes up less volume in wet air due to water. |
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1. What is pressure? 2. What is air pressure? |
Force exerted over a given area Mass of air over a given area |
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How is air pressure created? |
The molecules in the air exert force on everything |
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Which direction do high pressure and low pressure air move in? |
High pressure sinks, low pressure rises |
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Explain air transfer in columns |
Cold air is denser than warm air. Air is transferred to reach equilibrium by an initial rise in air pressure in the cold column and a drop in pressure in the warm system. |
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What is humidity? |
The moisture content of the atmosphere |
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What is required to produce clouds and precipitation? |
High water vapor content |
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How is relative humidity represented? What type of relationship does it have to temperature? |
As a percentage Inverse |
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What is dewpoint? |
The temperature to which the air would have to be cooled to become saturated |
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Is dew point dependent on temperature? Explain |
No, because it doesn't fluctuate throughout the day |
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What happens at the dewpoint? |
Water condenses out of the air onto surfaces |
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How does the dew point compare to the air temperature with high humidity? |
It is only a few degrees below, or equal to air temperature |
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What is conduction? |
Transfer of heat by direct contact |
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What is heat caused by? |
increased vibration and movement of molecules |
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What type of objects conduct heat better and why? |
Solids, due to particle touching |
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1. What three properties of soil affect its ability to conduct heat? 2. How does the temperature change in soil compared to the temperature change in the ambient environment? |
1. Texture, pore spaces and water content 2. It changes more slowly than the ambient environment |
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What type of heat is the wind chill factor related to? Explain. |
Conduction. Heat is removed through the movement of air. |
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What is convection? |
transfer of heat through movement of liquids and gases |
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What three things in meteorology are associated with convection? |
Rising air, clouds and fog layers |
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What is radiation? What are three common examples of sources? |
The transfer of energy through air and space by visible, ultraviolet and infrared light waves. Sun, light bulbs, fire. |
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what are latent and sensible heat? |
Types of energy released or absorbed in the atmosphere. |
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what is latent heat? |
changes in phase between liquid solid and gas. |
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what is sensible heat? |
changes in temperature with no change in phase. |
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what does latent heat do when it is released into the atmosphere? |
it warms the air and causes instability. |
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how to Dr, saturated and warm air affect clouds? |
dry air equals no clouds. saturated air causes vapor to condense into clouds. warm air rises and condenses, increasing cloud height. |
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what do thunderstorms release? |
large amount of latent heat. |
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where does 15% of atmospheric water come from? |
evapotranspiration |
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what is evapotranspiration? |
a combination of evaporation from surfaces and transpiration from plants |
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what three environmental factors affect evapotranspiration and how? |
1. Temperature - warmer air equals more room for moisture to escape from the plant 2. relative humidity - movement of energy 3. wind - removal of boundary layers |
