43 Cards in this Set
| Front | Back |
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Weather
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Atmospheric conditions at a particular time and place
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Climate
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The average weather over a long period of time
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Doppler Radar
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Determines velocity of falling precipitation
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How is wind direction defined
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By the direction from which the wind is blowing
ex: a north wind blows from the north
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How to winds blow around high and low pressures
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Low Pressure: Counter-clockwise
High Pressure: Clockwise
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Pressure & How does it change with height?
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The force per unit area
**Pressure always decreases with height
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Density & How does it change with height
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The ratio of the mass of a substance to the volume occupied by it
**Density (like pressure) always decreases with height
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Lapse Rate
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The rate at which the temperature decreases with height
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Inversion
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Layer in which the temperature increases with height.
(I for inversion and for Increase)
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Troposphere
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Lowest layer of the atmosphere
(Usually decreases with height)
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Stratosphere
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Temperature increases with height
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Mesosphere
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Middle layer
(Temperature decreases with height)
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Thermosphere
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Temperature increases with height. Air is very thin.
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Temperature
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Measure of the average speed of the molecules of a substance
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How does temperature affect air density?
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Warm air is less dense (prone to rise)
Cold air is more dense (prone to sink)
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Sensible heat
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Heat that can be sensed or measured with a thermometer
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Latent Heat
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The energy absorbed or released during a phase change
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Phase Changes of Water
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Solid, Liquid, Gas
Deposition
Sublimation
Freezing
Melting
Condensation
Evaporation
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Deposition
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Warming process
Gas --> Solid
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Sublimation
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Cooling process
Solid --> Gas
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Freezing
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Warming process
Liquid --> Solid
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Melting
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Cooling process
Solid --> Liquid
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Condensation
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Warming process
Gas --> Liquid
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Evaporation
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Cooling process
Liquid --> Gas
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Conduction
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Direct transfer of heat within a substance
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Convection
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Transfer of heat through fluid flow
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Advection
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Transfer of heat through horizontal movements of air
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How does the sun heat the lower atmosphere
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Sun heats the surface. This hot air expands, becomes less dense, and begins to rise. The troposphere is heated from the bottom up.
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What objects emit radiation?
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All objects emit radiation
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How is the wavelength of electromagnetic radiation related to energy?
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Shorter wavelength --> Greater energy
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Albedo
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Measure of reflectivity
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Why is the sky blue
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Air molecules scatter blue light four times more than red
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Why are clouds white?
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Because they reflect all colors of light equally well
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Which gas is important to daily weather?
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Water vapor
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Saturation
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The water vapor concentration in the air which evaporation and condensation rates are equal.
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Relative humidity and the ways to increase it and decrease it
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Ratio of water vapor in the air to that required for saturation
Increase:
Add moisture to the air
Cool the air
Decrease:
Remove moisture from air
Warm the air
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Dewpoint
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How much moisture is in the atmosphere
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Frost
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Forms if surface cools below freezing
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What are clouds made up of
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Clouds are made of billions of microscopic water droplets or ice crystals
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Collision
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Two droplets collide
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Coalescence
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Two droplets stick together
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Supercooled water
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Water can remain liquid below freezing
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Virga
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Precipitation that evaporates before reaching the ground
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ATMS 100: Midterm 2