METR 1014: EXAM 1
107 Cards in this Set
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Hurricane Patricia
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strongest hurricane ever recorded in the western hemisphere
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El Nino
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warmer than normal waters spread over the tropical pacific ocean
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weather
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can vary minute to minute
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climate
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the average conditions over a period of time
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surface weather maps
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shows winds, temperatures, location of storms
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radiosondes
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measures the atmosphere above
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satellite
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shows visible, infrared, water vapor
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radar
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shows track participation and thunderstorms
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weather models
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show predictions out to 10-15 days
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climate models
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projections for the next 5,10,50,100+ years
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dwarf planets
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the 8 planets
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72
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what % is dark energy in our universe
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23
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what % is dark matter in our universe
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4.6
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what % is atoms in our universe
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hydrogen
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most common element in our universe
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inner core, core, mantle, crust
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earth inside to out:
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atmosphere
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the shell of gas surrounding the solid planet providing life as we know it
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nitrogen and oxygen
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atmosphere mostly composed of 2 things:
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atmosphere- early years
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lots of hydrogen, helium, and hydrogen compounds; light gases, earth has little gravity
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atmosphere-teenage years
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volcanic activity caused outgassing; 80% water vapor, 10% carbon dioxide; formed oceans; stored limestone
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atmosphere-today
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78% nitrogen, 21% oxygen, 1% argon, .04% CO2
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outgassing
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the outpouring of gasses from the earths interior, into the atmosphere
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Greenhouse effect
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CO2 and other gases trap heat in atmosphere
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CO2
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main greenhouse gas
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trace gas
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a gas which makes up less than 1% by volume of the Earth's atmosphere; most abundant is argon
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trace gas: water vapor
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big contributor to greenhouse effect; dependent on temp
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trace gas: ozone
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protects us from UV rays high above; is a pollutant near surface
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aerosols
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liquid or solid particles held aloft in the atmosphere; able to change property of clouds
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pollutants
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human made impurities that are not only a nuisance, but also a health-and environmental- hazard
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lapse rate
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atmosphere divided into layers determined by:
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lapse rate
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change of temperature with height
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troposphere, stratosphere, mesosphere, thermosphere
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vertical structure of atmosphere bottom to top:
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troposphere
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atmosphere layer where the weather happens; extends from the surface to 11KM; temp decreased with height
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stratosphere
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atmosphere layer between 11-50Km; ozone layer; temp increases with height
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stratopause
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separates the stratosphere and mesosphere
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mesosphere
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atmosphere layer between 50-80km; thin and contains cold air; temp decreases with height
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thermosphere
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atmosphere layer between 85-120+Km; little mass/air molecules, high temps
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air pressure
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the amount of force exerted per unit area
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kinetic energy
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measure of the average speed of the atoms and molecules in the air
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faster, less
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higher temps have __ molecular motion and the air is ___ dense
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slower, more
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lower temps have __ molecular motion and the air is __ dense
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heat (q)
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energy that flows from hot to cold objects
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more
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larger heat capacity, the ___ energy you need to change its temperature
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net charge
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there is no __ in heating
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conduction
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transfer of heat molecule-to-molecule within a substance; always flow hot to cold
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convection
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transfer of heat by the mass movement of a fluid; used for vertical movement of air masses; causes thunderstorms
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latent heat
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heat energy required to change a substance from one state to another
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radiation
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the way sounds energy is transmitted; characterized by wavelengths
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higher
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shorter wavelength = __ energy
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greater
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higher the temp of object = __ total radiation emitted
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blackbody
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a perfectly emitting and absorbing object
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the sun
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the primary forcing of earth's climate
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fusion
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sun creates energy through:
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700 million
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every second, ___ tons of hydrogen are converted to helium
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small
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visible light is a ___ portion of the electromagnetic spectrum
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energy flux
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the rate of energy flow through a cross sectional area: Wm^-2
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Stefam-Boltzmann Law
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represents the maximum amount of energy emitted by the object: E=OT^4
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Wien's Displacement Law
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wavelength of maximum emission for a blackbody is inversely proportional to the temp of object: Ymax =2899umK/T
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30%, 20 %, 60%, 4%
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roughly __ of radiation is reflected back to space; __ to clouds; and __ to atmosphere; __ surface of earth
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albedo
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the total fraction of radiation reflected by an object
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radiation
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the higher the albedo, the more __ is reflected
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selective
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the atmosphere is a __ absorber
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atmospheric window
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region b/t 8-11um where atmospheric gases do not absorb terrestrial radiation; how earth cools
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atmospheric greenhouse effect
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traps a portion of the outgoing infrared radiation and directs it back toward earth
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scattering of atoms and molecules
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why the sky is blue during say and red at night:
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solar radiation
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seasons are regulated by the amount of ___ we receive
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angle at which sunlight hits the surface and how long daylight is
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the 2 main controls on how much solar radiation arches the surface in a given area:
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solar zenith angle
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the angle of incidence between incoming solar and the perpendicular to the surface
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time of year and latitude
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2 things that determine length of day:
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summer
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solstice that has 24 hour night @ south pole
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winter
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solstice that has 24 hour day @ south pole
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liquid-in-glass thermometer
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most common measuring temperature
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increase
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__ in air temperature = liquid expands and rises
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decrease
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__ in air temperature = liquid loses energy and sinks
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bimetallic thermometer
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two metals fused together changes in temperature cause one metal to expand and bend the fused strip
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radiometers
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measures radiation and infers temperature (infared satellite images)
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radiosnodes
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measures temp; pressure; humidity, and wind; balloon; data recorded on a sounding
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poor conductor
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air is a ___ of heat
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convection and absorbed terrestrial radiation
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2 ways the atmosphere gets heated:
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faster
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ground cools __ than air
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clear and calm
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radiation inversions are strongest on nights that are __
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thermal belts
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warmer hillside less likely to experience temperatures below freezing
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more
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cold air is __ dense than hot air
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latent heat
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why would you turn on the sprinklers when it is below freezing to help the fruit trees?
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high
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water has a __ specific heat
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slower
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moist ground will warm/cool ___ than dry ground
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cooler, warmer
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humid areas will have __ temps in the day and __ temps at night
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apparent temperature
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combo of temperatures and humidity make an ___; higher than the actual temp
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latitude
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main controller of incoming solar radiation
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larger
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mid-latitudes experience a __ annual temp range than the tropics
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less
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water is __ dense in its solid form than its liquid form
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70%
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oceans occupy over __ of earths surface
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lakes
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have 87% of the total surface based freshwater
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hydrologic water cycle
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the process most important to the weather
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evaporation
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when water gains energy
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evaporation
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process by which our bodies cool
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transpiration
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evaporation of water from plants through stomata
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evapotranspiration
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evaporation+ transpiration
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condensation
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when water loses energy
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precipitation
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when condensed water in atmosphere becomes to heavy to hold
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precipitation
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the primary connection in the water cycle
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saturated air
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A state when the atmosphere has as much water vapor as it can hold
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dew point
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one way to characterize the amount of moisture in the air
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frost
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water vapor changes directly to its solid form (deposition)
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dew
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water condenses on surfaces (grass, leaves, cars)
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Daltons law of partial pressures
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Total pressure of a gas mixture is equal to the pressure of each of the individual gases separately.
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Change either the water vapor or temperature of the air
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how do you change relative humidity?
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METR 1014: EXAM 1