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Weather and Climate > Chapter 3 > Flashcards

Chapter 3 Flashcards

1
Q

Temperature

A

Represents the average kinetic energy of the air molecules

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2
Q

Meteorologists measure temperature at the same reference height, _________ aborve ground usually on a grass-covered surface

A

1.5 meters (5 feet)

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3
Q

Air temperatures at this 1.5-meter height are called ________________

A

surface temperatures

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4
Q

Surface temperature is the temperature of the air _______________, not the temperature of the ground itself

A

near the ground

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5
Q

When energy gains exceed losses, the temperature ______________

A

increases

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6
Q

Turbulence

A

Irregular air motions that mix heat and moisture from the surface higher up in the atmosphere

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7
Q

Isotherms

A

Lines of constant temperature that are oriented east-west over the Southern Hemisphere, where the surface is mostly ocean

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8
Q

Temperature gradient

A

A change of temperature divided by the distance over which the temperature change occurs.

Large temperature gradients exist where the isotherms are close together

In winter, when a polar region is in darkness, the middle latitude regions have large temperature gradients

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9
Q

Diurnal temperature cycle

A

The repeating pattern of daily temperatures

This cycle includes the maximum and minimum daily temperatures and the times of day that they usually occur

The maximum temperature occurs during mid to late afternoon

The minimum temperature is reached around dawn

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10
Q

Diurnal temperature range

A

The difference between the maximum and minimum temperatures of any given day

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11
Q

Daily mean temperature

A

Usually determined by averaging the maximum and minimum temperature for a 24-hour period or sometimes by averaging all 24 hourly temperature measurements

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12
Q

Seasonal or annual temperature cycle

A

The very regular cycle of temperature throughout the year

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13
Q

Monthly mean (monthly average) temperature

A

is calculated by adding the daily mean temperature for each day of the month and dividing by the number of days in the month

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14
Q

Annual average temperature

A

Simply the sum of the monthly mean temperatures divided by 12

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15
Q

Annual temperature range

A

The difference between the warmest and coldest monthly mean temperatures of a given geographic location

Difference between the highest and lowest daily temperature bserved in a given year or years

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16
Q

Major factors of energy imbalances

A

Latitude, surface type, elevation and aspect, relation to large bodies of water, advection, and cloud cover

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17
Q

The tilt of the Earth’s axis

A

the angle of inclination - affects the amount of incoming solar energy and is the reason for the seasonal cycle in temperature

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18
Q

The amount of incident solar energy at the top of the atmosphere, or ___________, is a function of time of the year, time of day, and latitude

A

insolation

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19
Q

The maximum temperature occurs after, or ________, the time of maximum solar input, which occurs in June on the summer solstice

A

lags

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20
Q

Latitude influences the annual temperature range because it affects the following:

A
  1. the seasonal variation of the insolation
  2. the solar zenith angle
  3. the length of day
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21
Q

The surface of the Earth absorbs approximately ________ of the solar energy incident at the top of the atmosphere

A

50%

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22
Q

Vegetation reduces the temperature range in several ways

A

Plants transpire and use some of the solar energy that reaches the surface

Evaporation in the vicinity of plants takes in energy that would otherwise go into the raising of temperature

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23
Q

At the higher elevation, the air _____________________

A

is less dense, and there are fewer molecules to absorb incoming solar radiation

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24
Q

_____________ is also an important influence on the energy budget of a region, particularly the solar energy side of the ledger

A

aspect

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25
Q

Aspect

A

Aspect is the direction that a mountain slope faces

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26
Q

In the Northern Hemisphere, under cloudless skies, a north-facing slope receives _____________ solar energy than a south-facing slope

A

less

* plants grow densely on the moister north-facing slopes

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27
Q

Large water bodies act to:

A

stabilize thermaly the temperature of the surrounding air so that the differences between months are reduced

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28
Q

The seasonal temperature cycle of a city is related to its proximitiy to a ______________

A

body of water

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29
Q

The factors that contribute to temperature differences between continental and maritime regions are as follows:

A
  1. The specific heat of water is almost three times greater than of land. More heat is therefore required to raise the temperature of water. Water also cools more slowly than land
  2. Evaporation of water reduces the teemperature extremes over and near lakes and oceans
  3. Solar radiation absorbed by water is distributed throughout a large depth of the water body as a result of mixing and the transparency of water to solar radiaiton. Over land, the solar radiaition is absorbed by the surface, and heat can quickly be transferred to the atmosphere above it
30
Q

What explains London’s warmth in the winter?

A

Advection by the persistent southwesterly winds in winter that keep london warm

31
Q

Clouds reflect solar radiation back ______________

A

into space

32
Q

Clouds emit longwave radiation, which inhibits __________________

A

cooling of the air below

33
Q

Cloud’s warming effect

A

They emit longwave radiation toward the surface

34
Q

Normal temperatures

A

Temperatures averaged over a few decades

These climatological temperatures are computed by averaging all temperatures over a 3-year period

35
Q

Anonalies

A

Departures for a given year are found by subtracting the normal value from that year’s mean value

36
Q

Over the last 120 years, the average global surface temperature has increased approximately _______

A

0.6 degrees Celsius

1 degree F

37
Q

El Niño

A

Causes unusualy warm waters over the eastern Pacific Ocean, and because the ocean affects the atmosphere, leads to warming temperatures across a sizble portion of the globe

38
Q

La Niña

A

cools the Pacific and other parts of the globe

39
Q

The energy losses usually exceed the energy gains by ____________

A

4:00 PM - when the maximum daily temperature is reached

40
Q

Temperatures reach a minimum around ____________

A

sunrise

41
Q

The dirunal temperature range is usually greater over regions ________________

A

far from large bodies of water

42
Q

Cloud cover

A

Clouds reduce the temp range by minimizing the range between the daytime maximum and nighttime minimum temperatures

43
Q

The factors affecting the diurnal temperature changes during a cycle are similar to those that determine the annual temperature cycle:

A

latitude

surface type

elevation and aspect

relationship to large bodies of water

cloud cover

44
Q

Lapse rate

A

The change of temperature with height

45
Q

continentality

A

hot summers and bitter winters far away from the moderating effects of an ocean

46
Q

Most of the state-record highs and lows for states were actually set in the __________

A

1930’s

47
Q

A rising parcel expands because ___________________

A

atmospheric pressure always decrease with altitude

48
Q

As the parcel rises away from the ground, its potential energy increases. So the air molecules kinetic energy is being converted to _____________________

A

potential energy

49
Q

A rising parcel of air always _________

A

cools

50
Q

A dry parcel’s temperature will decrease by approximately ________ for each kilometer it rises

A

10 degrees celsisus

51
Q

As the parcel descended, the potential energy of the molecules would be converted back to _________________

A

kinetic energy

52
Q

A descending parcel of air always ____________

A

warms

53
Q

Adiabactic process

A

A process in which no heat energy is gained or lost by the system in question

54
Q

Dry adiabatic lapse rate

A

The 10 degree celsisus per kilometer rate of cooling resulting from expansion (rate of warming as a result of compression)

55
Q

An air parcel that is warmer than the air around it is also less dense than the air around it - so the air will ________

A

rise

56
Q

Environmental lapse rate

A

The specific change of temperature with altitude at any particular time and location

57
Q

If the environmental lapse rate is larger than the dry adiabatic lapse rate, the parcel will ___________________________

A

remain warmer than its surroudings and keep rising

58
Q

If the environmental lapse rate is smaller than the dry adiabatic lapse rate, the parcel will eventually reach the same temperature as its surroundings as it rises, __________________

A

and it will stop rising

59
Q

Air that keeps rising because it is warmer than its surroundings is called ______________

A

statically unstable

60
Q

When the environmental lapse rate is greater than 10 degrees Celsisus per kilometer, the atmosphere is said to be ___________________

A

absolutely unstable

*very favorable for strong upward motions of air because if a parcel of air is lifted upward, it will accelerate away from its original position

61
Q

Statically stable atmosphere

A

Inhibits the vertical movements of air parcels

62
Q

Regions of the atmosphere in which the temperature increases with altitude

A

Temperature inversions

63
Q

A temperature inversion is an extreme case of a _______________

A

stable atmosphere

64
Q

A temperature inversion that develops near the ground during the night is referred to as a ________________

A

nocturnal inversion => sometimes also called a radiation inversion

65
Q

Temperature inversions often develop in _____________

A

valleys

66
Q

Wind-chill temperature

A

Describes the increased loss of hear by the movement of the air

The win chill is relevant to humans and other animals that need to maintain a constant temperature that is higher than their surroudnings

67
Q

Growing degree-days

A

A heat index that is related to plant development

Can be used to predict when a crop will reach maturity

Each day’s GDDs are calculated by subtracting a reference temperature, which varies with plant species, from the daily mean temperature, setting values less than zero to zero

68
Q

heating degree-days (HDD)

A

used to estimate fuel-consumption needs

One heating degree-day is defined as each degree that the mean temperature is below 65 degrees F.

ex. 55 degrees equates to 10 heating-degree days

69
Q

cooling degree-days

A

The amount of energy used to cool a building is related to the CDDs

70
Q
A

Weather and Climate (10 decks)

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