January 25th lecture

Question 1

What is the Troposphere?

Answer 1

It is the lowest layer of atmosphere, where all weather occurs

Question 2

as you ascend in altitude within the troposhpere, What happens to the temperature?

Answer 2

Temperature decreases as you go up.

Question 3

How far does the troposphere expand?

Answer 3

from surface to 12km up

Question 4

How does water vapor behave in the atmosphere?

Answer 4

kinda like mixing sugar in water, it dissolves but there is a limit to how saturated the medium can be, with that amount increasing with temperature

Question 5

What is saturation vapour pressure?

Answer 5

It is the maximum amount of water that can be held as vapor in air

Question 6

What happens as water evaporates? Where does it go?

Answer 6

As water evaporates, water molecules which are lighter than air are added to the atmopshere.

Question 7

What is more dense? moist air or dry air?

Answer 7

Dry air is more dense as water vapor is lighter and thus less dense than air.

Question 8

What is a equilibrium level?

Answer 8

The height at which air rises to and stops

Question 9

What happens when the water vapor is removed from moist air?

Answer 9

It becomes more dense and then sinks to a new equilibrium level.

Question 10

As air rises what happens to its pressure? and in turn what effect does this have on its temperature?

Answer 10

As air rises the pressure decreases, causing the air to expand and cool

Question 11

What is Abiabatic expansion?

Answer 11

When air rises, loses pressure, spreads and cools in the upper atmosphere

Question 12

What happens when the saturation vapor pressure becomes less than the actual vapor pressure

Answer 12

The air can no longer hold the water vapor it presently contains and liquid vapor forms, leading to cloud formation and rain

Question 13

What happens when water vapor condense to form liquid water?

Answer 13

It releases heat to the surrounding air

Question 14

What is the result of water vapor forming liquid water generating heat?

Answer 14

It warms the nearby air, reducing its density, allowing it to rise further where more adiabatic cooling occurs leading to condensation. Often in the form of thunder storms

Question 15

Why does atmospheric pressure decrease with altitude?

Answer 15

The higher up you go the less air there is above you, so there is less weight pushing upon you.

Question 16

The thicker and more dense an air column the….

Answer 16

Higher the pressure within

Question 17

A column of cool dense air is associated with what?

Answer 17

High pressure at the surface and sinking

Question 18

A column of warm, less dense air is associated with what?

Answer 18

Low pressure at the surface and rising

Question 19

How does solar heating affect air flow in the atmosphere ?

Answer 19

Solar heating rises the temperature at the equator, thus leading to a pressure gradient making the air move towards the cooler poles

Question 20

As air rises due to heat, and it becoming less dense, what happens to the surface?

Answer 20

The surface winds come in and flow towards the equator

Question 21

So at the surface there is WHAT at the equator?

Answer 21

Convergence

Question 22

So at the surface there is WHAT at the poles?

Answer 22

Divergence

Question 23

What direction is the earths spin?

Answer 23

To the East.

Question 24

In the northern hemisphere, an object will follow a path to the ____ of its intended path

Answer 24

right

Question 25

In the southern hemisphere, an object will follow a path to the ____ of its intended path

Answer 25

left

Question 26

What is the deflection due to the Coriolis effect actually?

Answer 26

The directions of the deflection
are with respect to viewer’s perspective looking
in the direction which the object is travelling