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43 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
Meterorology
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study of the atmosphere & its phenomena.
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Weather
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the specific conditions of the atmosphere at a particular place and time.
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Climate
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average weather of the atmosphere over an extended period of time
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Temperature
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the degree of hotness or coldness
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Moisture
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a measure of water content. (dewpoint, humidity)
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Clouds
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visible mass of suspended water droplets and/or ice crystals
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Precipitation
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an form of water falling to the surface
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Pressure
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the weight of air above an area
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Wind
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movement of the air (speed, direction)
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Measurements of these six major elements are collected at:
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Automated surface observing system. (ASOS)
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Measurements of four of these elements are collected by balloon-borne instrument called:
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Radiosones
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Number one weather related killer:
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heat waves
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How much of the atmosphere lies within 30 km of the earths surface?
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99%
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Hydrological Cycle
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Evaporation, Sublimation, Transpiration, Condensation, Deposition, Precipitation
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Three gases that make up the volume of the dry atmosphere
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Nitrogen, Oxygen, Argon
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Greenhouse gas:
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a gas that absorbs earth's long wave radiation, like a greenhouse or blanket, keeps the earth warm.
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Two human-made actives that has made CO2 levels rise:
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Burning of fossil fuels & Deforestation
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The most meteorologically important gas
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water vapor
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Air pressure
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weight of the atmosphere above a given point
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Troposphere
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air is very well mixed & most of the "weather" occurs here
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Stratosphere
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air is not well mixed & within the stratosphere the temp. generally increases with height.
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Temperature Inversion
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vertical mixing of air
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The seasons regulated by the amount of solar radiation received by the surface which is dictated by:
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1. angle at which the radiation strikes the surface.
2. Length of the day |
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Northern Hemisphere is:
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titled towards the sun in the summer and tilted away from the sun in winter
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Summer Solstice
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June 21. sun at its highest point in the sky. radiation is more direct then another other time of year & longest day of the year.
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Winter solstice
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December 21. less direct sunlight. shortest day.
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Autmunal Equinox
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Sept. 23--12 hours of sunlight & 12 hours of night
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Vernal Equinox
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March 20. noon sun is directly overhead (90 degrees) a equator.
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Kinetic energy
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energy associated with an object by virtue of its motion
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Potential energy
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energy associated with an object by virtue of its position with respect to gravity.
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Temperature is a form of
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kinetic energy
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Heat
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is the energy in the process of being transferred between substances. (always hott to cold)
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Conduction
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transfer of heat by molecular activity from one substance to another
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Convection
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vertical transfer of heat by the mass movement or circulation of a fluid.
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Advection
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horizontal transfer of heat by the mass movement or circulation of a fluid.
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Solar radiation
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transfer occurs at the speed of light & does not need a medium, can occur in the vacuum of space.
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uv-C
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most harmful (absorbed by ozone)
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uv-B
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produces sun burning, skin cancer
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uv-A
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produces sun burning
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Stefan-Boltzmann Law
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calculate the amount of energy emitted by the sun and the earth.
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Wien's displacement law
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calculate the wavelength at which the sun and the earth emit the radiation
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Atmospheric window
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allows the earth to cool at night through radiation cooling.
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Greenhouse effect
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absorb longwave radiation, gain kinetic energy, causing them to warm and in turn re-radiate some energy back to the earth.
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