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ATMS 100: Exam 1
Weather |
Atmospheric conditions at a particular time and place
|
Climate |
The average weather over a long period of time
|
Doppler Radar |
Determines velocity of falling precipitation
|
How is wind direction defined |
By the direction from which the wind is blowing
ex: a north wind blows from the north |
How to winds blow around high and low pressures |
Low Pressure: Counter-clockwise
High Pressure: Clockwise |
Pressure & How does it change with height? |
The force per unit area
**Pressure always decreases with height |
Density & How does it change with height |
The ratio of the mass of a substance to the volume occupied by it
**Density (like pressure) always decreases with height |
Lapse Rate |
The rate at which the temperature decreases with height
|
Inversion |
Layer in which the temperature increases with height.
(I for inversion and for Increase) |
Troposphere |
Lowest layer of the atmosphere
(Usually decreases with height) |
Stratosphere |
Temperature increases with height
|
Mesosphere |
Middle layer
(Temperature decreases with height) |
Thermosphere |
Temperature increases with height. Air is very thin.
|
Temperature |
Measure of the average speed of the molecules of a substance |
How does temperature affect air density? |
Warm air is less dense (prone to rise)
Cold air is more dense (prone to sink) |
Sensible heat |
Heat that can be sensed or measured with a thermometer
|
Latent Heat |
The energy absorbed or released during a phase change
|
Phase Changes of Water |
Solid, Liquid, Gas
Deposition
Sublimation
Freezing
Melting
Condensation
Evaporation |
Deposition |
Warming process
Gas --> Solid |
Sublimation |
Cooling process
Solid --> Gas |
Freezing |
Warming process
Liquid --> Solid |
Melting |
Cooling process
Solid --> Liquid |
Condensation |
Warming process
Gas --> Liquid |
Evaporation |
Cooling process
Liquid --> Gas |
Conduction |
Direct transfer of heat within a substance
|
Convection |
Transfer of heat through fluid flow
|
Advection |
Transfer of heat through horizontal movements of air
|
How does the sun heat the lower atmosphere |
Sun heats the surface. This hot air expands, becomes less dense, and begins to rise. The troposphere is heated from the bottom up. |
What objects emit radiation? |
All objects emit radiation
|
How is the wavelength of electromagnetic radiation related to energy? |
Shorter wavelength --> Greater energy
|
Albedo |
Measure of reflectivity
|
Why is the sky blue |
Air molecules scatter blue light four times more than red
|
Why are clouds white? |
Because they reflect all colors of light equally well
|
Which gas is important to daily weather? |
Water vapor
|
Saturation |
The water vapor concentration in the air which evaporation and condensation rates are equal.
|
Relative humidity and the ways to increase it and decrease it |
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 |
Dewpoint |
How much moisture is in the atmosphere
|
Frost |
Forms if surface cools below freezing
|
What are clouds made up of |
Clouds are made of billions of microscopic water droplets or ice crystals
|
Collision |
Two droplets collide
|
Coalescence |
Two droplets stick together
|
Supercooled water |
Water can remain liquid below freezing
|
Virga |
Precipitation that evaporates before reaching the ground
|