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183 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
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Midterm 1 |
Test 1 review |
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What is force |
A push or pull on an object that causes it to change speed or direction (measured in Newtons) F=MxA |
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What is energy |
The capacity of something to do work (ability to do something) -moves matter or changes it's condition in some way Work= FxD |
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What is power |
Rate that energy flows or work is done P=E/T (walts) |
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What is pressure |
The push made by molecules bumping into each other (less pressure with hight) P= F/area |
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What are scientific laws |
Give descriptions of how nature works (Words, mathematical equations) |
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What are scientific theories |
Give explanations of how nature works (not an equation) |
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What are models |
Representation of a purpose -represent something in the real world and the use of it -all are wrong but how wrong do they need to be till they are useless |
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3 types of models |
Conceptual (present our ideas on how something works, shows relationships) Physical (copies of a natural mechanism) Mathematical (expresses physical process with math equations) |
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The change of pressure and density in atmosphere |
-density decreases with hight because air is compressible -pressure decreases with hight the weight of overlaying atmosphere (Molecules are closer together at surface) |
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What are earths layers (1) |
Troposphere -earth to 11km -tropopause -clouds -warmed from below from earth |
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What are earths layers (2) |
Stratosphere -tropopause to 50km -stratopause -temp increases with hight (inversion) -warmed from above by uv radiation from ozone |
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What are earths layers (3) |
Mesophere -50km to 85km -mesopause -warmed from below from stratosphere |
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What are earths layers (4) |
Thermosphere - no boundary -Temp increases with hight (inversion) -heated from above by short wavelengths of solar radiation -0.01% of atmosphere |
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What is earths composition |
N2 and O2 = 99% H2O, Ar and CO2 = 1% |
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What are constant gases |
Concentrations remain the same in century time scales (Large residence times) -nitrogen= 14,000,000 years -oxygen = 4,500 years |
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What are variable gases |
Concentrations vary over time and space (small resistance time) -water= 9.5 days -carbon = 5 to 200 years |
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What are the sources and sinks of nitrogen |
Sources -denitrification (baterica changing N to N2 or N2O) Sink -nitrogen fixation (changing N into forms that organjsimis use for protein) |
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What are the sources and sinks of oxygen |
Source -photosynthesis Sinks -respiration -oxidation (oxygen reacting to earths crust) |
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The sources and sinks of Carbon dioxide |
Sources -respiration -decomposition -combustion -volcanics Sinks -photosynthesis -atmosphere ocean exchange -burial of organic carbon -weathering of silicate minerals |
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Sources and sinks of water |
Source -evaporation Sinks -condensation |
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Sources and sinks of ozone |
Source and sinks -photochemical reactions involving sunlight |
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2 ways the earths atmosphere formed |
1) outgassing (gases dissolved in rocks) 2) comets and asteroids (Was made of water vapour, carbon and nitrogen sulphur/ other gases) |
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What is sensible heat |
The heat we can feel and measure with thermometers (leads to a change in temp) SH = MxCx◇T |
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What is latent heat |
Energy needed to change a substance from one phase to another (no change in temp) LH = MxL (L is evaporation) |
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What is conduction |
Transfers hear from molecule to molecule (From warmer to colder regions) |
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What is convection |
Transfers hear through the modern of liquids and gases -thermal (free) density differences from temp differences (warm air is less dense then cold) -turbulence (forced) by mechanical forces |
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What is advection |
Lateral or horizontal transfer of mass, heat -horizontal transfer of any atmospheric property by wind |
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What is visible, infrared and ultraviolet radiation |
Visible (radiant energy that reaches the eye) 0.4-0.7 um Infrared- 0.1 to 0.4 um Ultraviolet- 0.4 to 100 um |
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What is Stefan boltzmann law |
All objects with temp above absolute 0 emit radiation at a rate proportional to the 4th power of their absolute temp (Area under the graph) |
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What is Wiens law |
High temps emit a short wavelengths and low temps emit long wavelengths -maximum emission (highest point) |
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What is Plancks law |
Determines the rate of emission of radiation at a single wavelength at a given temp (For the shape of the curve) |
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What is Kirchhoffs law |
The absorptivity of a dub at a wavelength is equal to it's emissivity |
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Earths and suns radiation |
Earths radiation = longwave radiation Suns radiation = shortwave radiation |
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What is scattering |
Sending radiation into many different directions |
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What is rayleigh scattering |
Particles doing the scattering are smaller than wavelengths of light (Shortwaves are more scattered) (Blue and violets are showered and more scattered so blue sky) |
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What is Mie scattering |
Particles doing the scattering are about the same size of wavelengths (Smaller particles dominate = Blue haze) (Large particles dominate = red skies and blue moon) |
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What is nonselective scattering |
Particles doing the scattering are larger than the wavelengths (scatter all wavelengths) |
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What is selective absorption |
Substances only absorb certain wavelengths of radiation - oxygen and ozone (absorb short) -water vapour, carbon, ozone, methane and nitrous oxide (longwave) (Longwave are more strongly absorbed in the atmosphere) |
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What is the greenhouse effect |
-water vapour, CO2 are similar to the glass of a greenhouse -let visible radiation in but denies outgoing infrared radiation The absorption of infrared radiation from earth by water vapour and CO2 |
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What are radiative fluxes in energy balances |
1) shortwave (sunlight) 2)longwave (infrared) 3) net radiation |
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What are turbulent fluxes in energy balances |
Latent heat Sensible heat |
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What are daily balances |
Determines the climate at each location - how air temp/humidity changes over a day |
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What are annual balances |
Each year earths surface must return the same amount of energy it absorbes to the atmosphere (If not earths average temp would change) |
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What is temperature |
Average speed of kenetic energy of the atoms and molecules in a substance (Higher temps = faster speeds) |
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How do we have seasons |
Tilt of earth (closest to the sun causes seasons) In summer (sun is high, long days with lots of energy coming in) In winter (sun is lower, more angled, more scattering and more reflection from snow) |
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What are equinoxes |
When day and night are equal in length |
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What are solstices |
Summer (longest day) Winter (shortest day) |
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How can crops be protected from frost |
Convers Orchard heaters (oil or gas fired burners that set up convection current close to the ground and emit infrared radiation as they burn) Wind machines (propeller fans on poles to mix cold air at ground with warm air above) Sprinklers ( latent heat as water is turned from water to ice) |
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What is kinetic and potential energy |
Kenetic (energy from the movement of matter) Potential (any kind of stored energy) |
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What are the physical controls of temperature |
-net radiation - sun angle, elevation -ground and latent heat flux -soil/ ground conditions -sensible heat flux -difference in temp, atmospheric stability -ocean content advection -weather systems |
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What are the geographic controls of temperature |
-latitude -land and water distribution -ocean currents -wind -altitude |
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What are heating degree days, cooling degree days and growing degree days |
Heating (Assumed people will use their fernaces when temp drops below 18°c) Cooling (people cool their indoor environments when temp above 18°c) Growing (guides planting schedule and determines when a crop should be ready form harvest) |
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How do clouds affect daily temp |
Lots of clouds prevent sums radiation (short waves) from reaching the ground/ heating it |
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Ways of measuring temp (thermometer types) |
Liquid in glass (either max or min) Electrical -resistance (resistance of a wire) -themistors (ceramic material whose resistances increases as temp decreases) -thermocouple (temp difference between the junction of 2 dissimilar metal creates an electric current |
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Ways of measuring temp |
Sensors - infrared radiometer (measure infrared radiation emitted by objects) Resistance thermometer Bimitotic (as temp changes brass expands more than iron causing it to bend) Shelters |
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What are the 3 phases of water |
Gas (Molecules move freely) Liquid (Molecules closer together, always bumping into each other) Ice (orderly patter, each molecule locked in position) |
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What 3 process water goes through |
Evaporation (Liquid into a gas, needs heat) Condensation (gas to a liquid, releases heat) Saturation (rate of evaporation = condensation) |
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What is absolute humididty |
Represents the water vapour density = mass of water vapour/ volume of air |
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What is specific humidity |
When a mass of water vapour in an air parcel is compared with the mass of all the air = mass of water vapour/ total mass of air |
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What is mixing ratio |
Indicates the airs water vapour content Daltons law (every gas exerts a partial pressure that contributes to the total atmopherice pressure |
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What is relative humidity |
How close the air is to saturation = actual vapour pressure= saturation vapour pressure x 100 |
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What is dew point |
Temp of air must be cooled to for saturation to happen |
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How does humidity affect human |
We cool by evaporation -high RH means less efficient evaporation and we can't cool Wet bulb temp (the temp caused by the cooling) Humidex (how hot the weather feels) |
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What are the different types of hygrometers for measuring humidity |
Dsychrometer ( kept wet so will be cooled) Electrical hygrometer (flat plate coated in a film of Carbon) Thin- film capacitance hygrometer (sensor with 2 golf electrodes that are separated by a thin layer of material) Infrared hygrometer (amount of infrared energy absorbed by water vapour in air) |
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Midterm questiom 2 |
Review 2 question |
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What is dew and frozen dew |
Dew (forms on objects when they cool below the dew point temp Frozen dew (cools below 0 and freezes) |
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What is frost |
When does point is less of equal to freezing (0) |
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What are the 2 kinds of condensation nuclei |
Hygroscopic (have an affinity for water, condensation below 100%) Hydrophobic (water repelling, no condensation above 100%) |
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Types of fogs |
Radiation Advection Upsole Mixing Evaporation |
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How is radiation fog formed |
Radioactive cooling on clear nights -shallow layer of moist air is overlaid by drier air -shallow layer doesn't absorb outgoing radiation and ground and air above it cools causing inversion - If lower layer cools to see point fog forms |
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How does advection fog happen |
Warm air is moved horizontally over a cooler surface - surface air is cooled to dew point as warm air moves over a cool surface |
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How does upsole fog form |
Air flowing over a barrier, getting cooler as it gets higher in atmosphere |
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How does mixing fog happen |
When 2 unsaturated air masses that air at different temps are mixed. -air with high enough moisture and low temp will become saturated and condense into fog |
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How is evaporation fog happen |
Cold air comes in contact with a warmer water surface, is warmed by water and becomes saturated for evaporation |
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How are clouds classified |
Cirro = high Alto= mid Stratiform= strato or stratus Cumuliform= cumulo or cumulus |
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What are geostationary satatlies |
Moves through space at the same rate of the earths rotation, remains in a fixed stop (36,000km) |
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What are polar orbiting satellites |
Follows lines of longitude and moves farther west each time -14 revolutions a day -850km |
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What is the adiabatic process |
The changing of temp and size of an air parcel without additional or the removal of heat |
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What is dry, saturated adiabatic lapse rates and environmental lapse rate |
Dry: unsaturated (10°c for every 1000m) Saturated: saturated (reaches dew point, 6°c for every 1000m) ELR: observed decrease in aur temp with elevation |
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What is an absolutely stable environment |
Air parcel displaced upward will desend back to its original stop (ELR is less than saturated lapse rate) |
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What is an absolutely unstable atmosphere |
Air parcel displaced upward will continue to rise (air parcel warmer than it's surroundings) ELR is greater than dry lapse rate |
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What is a conditionally unstable atmosphere |
ELR is between saturated lapse rate and dry lapse rate |
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What causes instability |
Cooling of air aloft Warming the surface Mixing |
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How do clouds develop |
1) convection (air comes in contact with hot spot and a thermal bubble forms, rises, expands and cools to saturation and condenses) 2) topography (air moves over an obseclue, cooling it and if humid clouds form) 3) ascent due to horizontal convergence 4) uplift along weather front |
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Whar is equilibrium vapour pressure |
When a cloud droplet is in equilibrum with it surroundings |
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What is curvature effect |
Water molecules are less strongles attached to curved water surfaces (large droplets) |
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What us solute effect |
Dissolving of hygroscopic nuclei and lowering equilibrium vapour pressure (promotes condensation) (small droplets ) |
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The growth of condensation |
Responsible for the formation of cloud droplets (too slow for the drops to grow to precipitation size) |
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How is precipitation created in warm clouds |
Collision and coalescence - large droplet fall after than small droplets (terminal velocity) - faster droplets collide and coalesce with smaller slower drops |
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How is precipitation formed in cold clouds |
Ice crystal process - eqilobrum pressure is lower over ice than water -vapour diffuses from droplet to ice crystal -ice crystail grows to size that allows it to fall -may collide with others to form snowflakes |
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Rain |
Falling drops of liquid water Drizzle- smaller than 0.5mm Virga- drops that evaporate before reaching surface |
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Snow/ snowflakes |
Most precipitation starts as snow -snowflakes melt to drops about 300m below freezing level Fallstreaks- ice crystals that fall from cirrus clouds Snowflakes- plate, column, dendrite, needle |
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Ice pellets |
Raindrop that travels through subfreezing layer, freezes before hitting surface |
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Freezing rain |
Supercooled liquid drops that freeze on contact with cold surfaces |
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What is rime |
Supercooled liquid drops that freeze onto objects |
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Snow grains and snow pellets |
Grains (Fall from stratus clouds, neither bounce or shatter) Pellets (brittle and easy to break in hard surfaces, from cumulus clouds) |
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hail |
-Hail embryo -Updrafts -Ice particles collide with supercooled droplets -Freeze -Fall when to heavy |
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Classifications of a blizzard |
Duration Wind Visability |
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How is rain measured |
Standard rain gauge Tipping bucket rain gauge Weighing type rain gauge (mm) |
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How is snow measured |
Ruler Sonic technology (Average depth at greater than or equal to 3 representative locations |
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Doppler radars |
Transmits microwaves toward target, returned echo measured -brightness of echo= snow or rain intensity -measures horizontal speed of rain and snow moving towards or always from radar |
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Polar orbiting satellites |
(Asses clouds and rain fall) TRMM(precipitation rate in tropics and subtropics) GPM (same as TRMM but 65° north or south) Cloud sat (looks at cloud droplets and ice particles) |
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What is air pressure |
Pressure exerted by gravity action on the mass of air above a given point |
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What is a mercury barometer |
Measures pressure - hight of mercury in glass tube -in mm or inches |
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What is a ameroid barometer |
Measures pressure -contain small flexible metal box that expands and contracts |
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Why do we correct air pressure |
To correct for temp, gravity and surface tension (10hpa for every 100m above sea level) 1 constant hight |
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What causes horizontal pressure variations |
-Warm air aloft is associated with high pressure -Cold air aloft is associated with low pressure -heating and cooling of air columns (Air slowly sinks above a surface high and slowly rises above a surface low) Air moves from high to low pressure |
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What are constant height chats |
Represent the atmospheric pressure at a constant altitude (Sea level pressure chat) |
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What is a constant pressure chart |
Show height variation along an equal pressure (Isobaric chart) |
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What is pressure gradient force |
Net force acting on air due to differences in horizontal air pressure -causes winds to blow |
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What is coriolis force |
Force due to the earths roatation Wind deflects -right in North hemisphere -left in South hemisphere (Stinger winds= greater deflection) |
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What us centripetal force |
The inward directed force so winds keep moving in a circular path In North (low pressure move counterclockwise) In South (low pressure move clockwise) |
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What us hydrostatics |
Study of stationary fluids PGF pushes inward from high pressure at surface and gravity pulls it back down |
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How does friction affect surface winds |
Reduces wind speed, decreasing the coriolis force The weakened coriolis force no longer balances the PGF |
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What are geostophic winds |
Winds that flow in a straight path parallel to the isobars at a constant speed |
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What are gradient winds |
Winds that blow at a constant speed parallel to curved isobars above the level of frictional influence |
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Midterm 3 questions |
Review 3 questions |
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What is the planetary boundary layer |
Atmospheric layer near the surface that is influenced by friction and turbulence |
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What are urban-rural breezes |
Form because urban heat Island effect -urban areas are a few degrees warmer than surrounding country side (winds from cool rural area blow toward the warmer urban areas) |
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What are sea and land breezes |
The uneven heating rates of land and water Sea breezes (during the day land heats faster than water, cooler air over water so winds move from sea to land) Land breezes (at night land cools faster than water, wind moves from land to sea |
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What are mountian and valley breezes |
Valley (during day, sun warms valley wall and air pulling air towards the slope) Mountain (at night, mountain slope and air cools, increases pressure near the slope and wind goes down the slope into valley) |
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What are katabatic winds |
Download winds - winds downsloped that are generated on the slope by surface cooling making dense air that flows down the slope cause gravity |
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What are Chinook winds |
Warm, dry downslope winds -when string westerly winds aloft flow over a north- South oriented mountain range |
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What are sand storms |
High winds enhanced by surface heating carrying sand particles close to the ground |
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What are dust storms |
Stone winds are able to lift and fill the air with particles of fine dust |
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What are thermal circulations |
Develop by horizontal changes in air temp were warmer air rises and cooler air sinks and circulation forms (Hight to low pressure gradient force) |
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What are microscales |
Small chaotic motions causing turning, eddies of a few meters (Swing branches, swirl dust and paper) |
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What are mesoscales |
Few km to a few hundred km Last longer (Local Winds, tornadoes, small tropical storms) |
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Synoptic scale |
Circulations around high and low pressure areas (Responsible for weather and precipitation patterns) |
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What are planetary or global scale |
Winds patterns ranging over the entire world |
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What is molecular viscosity (laminar flow) |
When air slows down because of the random motion of it's molecules (To slow down the moving air) |
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What us eddy viscosity (turbulent flow) |
When laminar flow gives way to irregular turbulent motion, The internal friction produced by turbulent whirling eddies |
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What is mechanical turbulence |
Eddy motions created by obstructions on the wind -created drag on the air flow that decreases as you move farther from earth (wind speeds increase with hight( |
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What is thermal turbulence |
Forms from surface heating and instability that results in convection -causing turbulence to extend to great nights |
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What are eddies |
Form when wind encounters a solid object (a whirl of wind) - Forms on objects leeward side (Light winds= small eddies) (Right surface= many eddies) |
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What are mountian waves |
Eddies that firm downwind of mountains - wind speeds greater than 70kmh Rotors (eddies form beneath each wave crest) |
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How do winds impact land |
Wind erosion Desert pavement (sand is located and gravel is left) Sand dunes (sand piles) Snow drifts (snow fences- wind speed is reduced as it breaks into so eddies so snow can settle) Snow rollers (snow picked up by wind and sent rolling and collecting) Damages vegetation Fires |
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How does wind affect water |
Wind waves -created by functional drag of wind transforming energy to the water as it blows over (more energy= bigger waves) Affected by - wind speed, length of time, fetch, depth of water |
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How does water affect local winds |
Speed and direction change -over land speed and coriolis force are less -over land there is less friction so faster speeds and stronger coriolis force |
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Know |
Force of wind is proportional to wind speed squared |
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What us a summer monsoon and winter monsoon |
Summer (Warm, moist air flows from sea to land) Winter (cold, dry air flows from land to sea) |
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What is a monsoon wind system |
Changes direction seasonally -blows one way in summer and opposite in winter |
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Ways to measure horizontal wind movement at surface |
Wind vane (measures wind direction) arrow point into wind Anemometer (measures wind speed) 3 cups more at wind speed Propeller anemometer (measures speed and direction) propeller moves at wind speed, blades face into wind Sonic anemometer (replace mechanical anemometers) transmits sounds pulses |
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Measuring horizontal wind movement solar |
Radiosende observation (observation made from a balloon radiosende) Satellites (used to infer wind speed and direction from cloud mocemrns and seas roughness) |
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What is a Hadley cell |
Upper level winds converging and sinking at 30° latitude Hours latitudes (calm weather) Trade winds (steady winds) Intertropical convergence zone (equator) |
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What is the Ferrell cell |
30 to 60° latitude Westerlies (surface air movie to poles, deflected east) Polar front (westerlies encounter polar air) |
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What is a polar cell |
Surface air moving towards equator -polar easterlies -polar front (in winter can move into middle and subtropical latitudes) |
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What are semiperment highs and lows |
Regions where pressure systems appear to persist throughout the year(only slightly moving) |
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What are seasonal highs and lows |
Seasonal and not semipermanant |
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What are jet streams |
Swiftly flowing current of air that moves in a wavy west to east direction 185 to 370 kmh Elevations of 10 to 15km -caused by energy imbalances between high and low latitudes |
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What are Ekman spiral |
Winds move water and coriolis force deflects it to the right (north hemisphere) -each layer of water moves slowly and deflected to the right of the above layer |
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Conditions of a non EL Nino year |
High pressure over southeastern Pacific and low near Idonesia -produce trade winds and cooler ocean water |
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Conditions of a EL Nino year |
Pressure decreases over Easter pafici and rises over western Pacific -trades winds weaken and reverse direction -atmosphere is hotter and more moist (Affects sea plants and animals) |
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What are the different air masses |
Continental arctic (very cold, dry temp and stable) Continental polar (cold, dry and stable) Continental tropical ( hot, dry and stable) Maritime arctic (cold, moist and unstable) Maritime polar (cold, moist and unstable) Maritime tropical (Warm, moist) |
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What are the stages of an ordinary cell thunderstorm |
1) cumulus stage (Warm air rises, cools to form cloud, stong updrafts) 2) mature stage (lightning and thunder, stong up and down drafts) 3) dissipating stage (weak downdrafts removing warm air supply) 4) microburst ( less than 4 km wide) |
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What are spiral line thunderstorms |
Multicellular thunderstorms that form as a line -cumulus cloud along a cold front causes air aloft waves -rising of waves triggers cumulus clouds to develop as a spiral line |
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What is a mesoscale convective complexes |
Multiple individual multicell thunderstorms occasionally growing in size and organizing into a large circular convective weather system |
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What are multicell thunderstorms |
Contain a number if cells at different stages of developments |
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What are supercell thunderstorms |
-large, long lasting thunderstorms -single rotating updraft -strong vertical wind shear -outflow never underacts undraft - Forms when surface has an open wave mid latitude cyclone with cold air moving behind a cold front and warm pushing northward |
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How does thunder form |
Heating from lightning causes the air to expand, emitting a shock wave that becomes a booming sound |
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How does lighting form |
Negative change at cloud bottom Positive changes move up conducting objects Meet andnanstrongnelectric current caries positive change into cloud (Only 20%) (Heats are to 30, 000k) |
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What is the fajita scale |
Classification of tornados winds based on the damage they do -new one has a set of 28 damage indicators |
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What is the importance of wind shear in tornados |
Causes air near the surface to rotate about a horizontal axis -creates vortex tubes |
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What are non supercell tornados |
At surface converging winds along boundary great a region of counterclockwise spin. - as cloud moves over it updrafts draws the spinning air up into cloud |
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Where are the strongest tornado winds |
When approaching southwest side, strongest winds on the southeast side |
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What isbthe steps of development of mid latitude cyclone using polar from theory |
1) stationary front (separated cold and warm air) 2) frontal wave (wavelike kink along front) 3) open wave (between cold and warm parts) 4)Mature (cold front about to overtake warm front) 5) triple point (where occlusion happens) 6) dissipation and cut off |
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Difference between long waves and short waves |
Long waves( wavelength is on the order of many of thousands of km, circle world 3 to 5 times) Short waves (small disturbances or ripples that move with the wind flow) |
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Barorlinic regions on mid latitude cyclone |
Horizontal and vertical air motions began to enhance the formation of a cyclonic storm (Cold air sinks and warm air rises) |
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Jet streams affect on mid latitude cyclones |
Enhance divergence Jet streak (region with highest winds) |
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What are the 3 parts of the conveyor belt model |
Warm(rises along warm front, over cold air causing clouds and precipitation) Cold (slowly rises and carried cold moist air westward ahead of warm front, turns counterclockwise around surface low) Dry (brings dry, cold air down from troposphere) |
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What us vorticity |
Measure the spin of small air parcel (Psotive= counterclockwise) (Negative = clockwise) |
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What is absolute vorticity |
Earth vorticity + relative vorticity (Increase= upper level convergence) (Decrease= upper level divergence) |
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What is relative vorticity |
Curvature (troughs tend to spin cyclonically) + shear (result of wind blowing after at 1 side) |
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How does upper level convergence affect cyclones |
Causes air mass and density to increase directly above the surface low -causing surface pressure to rise and surface low to dissipate |
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How does upper level divergrnce affect cyclones |
Removes air from the column above the high -causing surface pressure to fall and surface hight pressure area to weaken (Allow for then to die out soon after formation) |
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Stationary front |
Limited movements, winds parallel in opposite directions, variable weather Maps (alternating red and blue lines with blue triangles and red semicurcles) |
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Cold fronts |
Cold air mass replacing Warm, clouds with vertical developments move toward southeast of East Maps (blue line with blue triangles) Weather is behind front |
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Warm front |
Warm air mass replacing cold, horizontal cloud development with steady rain Maps (red line with red semicurcles) Weather in front of front |
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Drylines |
Separates dry air from moist air Maps (brown line with hallow semicurcles) |
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Accluded fronts |
Cold front catches and overtakes warm front Maps (purple lines with purple triangles and semiecircules) |
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TROWAL |
Trough of warm air Maps (dashed blue line with red hooks) |
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Cold and warm occulusions |
Cold (Warm trough is behind cold front) Warm (Warm trough is in front of cold front) |
