Study Guide: Atmospheric Thermodynamics and Atmospheric Physics
Lecture 1
Which gases are the primary constituents of the atmosphere
78% Nitrogen, 21% Oxygen, 1% Argon, .038% carbon dioxide, .002% Others
What is the difference between weather and climate?
Weather= atmospheric conditions at a particular time & place. (Temp, pressure, humidity, cloud cover, etc)
Climate= the average weather over a long period of time. (long-term weather data)
What is the difference between satellites and radar?
Satellites view clouds from space
Radar view precipitation from the ground
What is Doppler radar?
Can sense motion of precipitation particles toward/away from radar
How is wind direction defined?
The direction from which the wind is blowing (a north wind blows form the north, to the south)
How do winds blow around high and low pressure systems in the Northern Hemisphere and how does this influence the temperatures near these systems?
Low pressure=counter-clockwise, clouds and rain, warmer temperatures, rising air
High pressure= clockwise, clear skies, cooler temperatures, sinking air
Air pressure moves from high to low
Cold and warm air meet at fronts
Fronts connect to low pressure centers
Lecture 2
What is pressure and how does it change with height?
The amount of air molecules in a given area.
The more molecules the more weight.
Greatest weight and pressure is at bottom. As you go up, there is less.
Pressure decreases with height
Pressure=weight/area
Measured with barometers
What is the average atmospheric pressure (in mb) at sea level?
1013.25mb
What is density and how does it change with height?
Mass/volume
Always decreases with height
Why is pressure corrected to sea level?
Because pressure differs through elevation. About 300mb between sea level and high mountains.
Must correct pressure to remove variability to get a clear picture of weather.
What is a lapse rate?
The rate at which temperature decreases with height
What is an inversion?
Layer which temperature increases with height
What
Which gases are the primary constituents of the atmosphere
78% Nitrogen, 21% Oxygen, 1% Argon, .038% carbon dioxide, .002% Others
What is the difference between weather and climate?
Weather= atmospheric conditions at a particular time & place. (Temp, pressure, humidity, cloud cover, etc)
Climate= the average weather over a long period of time. (long-term weather data)
What is the difference between satellites and radar?
Satellites view clouds from space
Radar view precipitation from the ground
What is Doppler radar?
Can sense motion of precipitation particles toward/away from radar
How is wind direction defined?
The direction from which the wind is blowing (a north wind blows form the north, to the south)
How do winds blow around high and low pressure systems in the Northern Hemisphere and how does this influence the temperatures near these systems?
Low pressure=counter-clockwise, clouds and rain, warmer temperatures, rising air
High pressure= clockwise, clear skies, cooler temperatures, sinking air
Air pressure moves from high to low
Cold and warm air meet at fronts
Fronts connect to low pressure centers
Lecture 2
What is pressure and how does it change with height?
The amount of air molecules in a given area.
The more molecules the more weight.
Greatest weight and pressure is at bottom. As you go up, there is less.
Pressure decreases with height
Pressure=weight/area
Measured with barometers
What is the average atmospheric pressure (in mb) at sea level?
1013.25mb
What is density and how does it change with height?
Mass/volume
Always decreases with height
Why is pressure corrected to sea level?
Because pressure differs through elevation. About 300mb between sea level and high mountains.
Must correct pressure to remove variability to get a clear picture of weather.
What is a lapse rate?
The rate at which temperature decreases with height
What is an inversion?
Layer which temperature increases with height
What