Atmosphere - Physics

Question 1

What are the functions of the atmosphere?

Answer 1

A protective blanket from solar radiation
A source of CO2 and nitrogen
An intermediate fro the hydrologic cycle

Question 2

What light does atmosphere absorb?

Answer 2

300-2500nm and radio waves between 0 and 40nm.

Question 3

What does the self-purificaiton mechanism of the atmosphere allow for?

Answer 3

Chemical conversion of contaminants to non-polluntants like H20
Dry deposition of gas particles
Wet deposition of water soluble contaminants

Question 4

Barometric Formula

Answer 4

Modles the pressure of air changes with altitude

Question 5

Pressure

Answer 5

Describes the force associated with transfer of momentum between molecules by collisions

Question 6

Gas Constant

Answer 6

Pressure time gas volume divided by number of moles and temperature of the gas, relating energy to temperature scale.

Question 7

Scale Height

Answer 7

The vertical distance by which density and pressure fall by a factor of e^-1

Question 8

Why does temperature decrease with increasing altitude?

Answer 8

Expansion of empty space thus less kinetic energy

Question 9

Adiabatic Lapse Rate

Answer 9

The rate at which air temperature changes in response to compression/expansion with altitude.

Question 10

Adiabatic

Answer 10

Means no heat exchange occuring between an air parcel and its surroundings.

Question 11

Why does adiabatic lapse rate not apply to water vapour?

Answer 11

Water vapour condenses into liquid as air mass rises

Question 12

Why does water vapour condensation lower lapse rate?

Answer 12

Release of heat of vaporization and cooling.

Question 13

What are the layers of the atmosphere?

Answer 13

Troposphere
Stratosphere
Mesosphere
Thermosphere

Question 14

What does the tropopause do?

Answer 14

Prevents water loss from earth as water condenses into ice ballast

Question 15

Why does temperature increase with altitude in the stratosphere?

Answer 15

Presence of ozone absorbing UV

Question 16

What are the ways vertical motion can occur?

Answer 16

Obstruction of objects
High/low pressure systems
Local instability

Question 17

How are pressure systems created?

Answer 17

Rising of warm air, creates low pressure surfaces, whilst cool air descenion, creates high pressure surfaces.

Question 18

Lapse Rate

Answer 18

Describes decreasing temperature with height, or depth in the ocean.

Question 19

Why is moist adiabatic lapse rate lower than dry?

Answer 19

As water vapor rises, it condenses and heat is released.

Question 20

Dew Point

Answer 20

The temperature which air must be cooled to become saturated with water vapour

Question 21

How does incident radiation relate to Hadley circulation?

Answer 21

Forces air rising to 15km, with poleward transport.

Question 22

Why do poleward moving airs increase in speed?

Answer 22

The Law of Conservation of Angular Momentum

Question 23

Law of Conservation of Angular Momentum

Answer 23

This states that so long as no external torque is applied to the system, angular momentum is conserved

Question 24

What is an example of angular momentum?

Answer 24

Skater spinning with arms outstretched, a rotational inertia and an inital angular velocity exists; when arms are moved closer, inertia descreases, thus so does angular velocity, increasing speed.

Question 25

What is angular momentum the product of?

Answer 25

Moment of inertia and angular velocity

Question 26

Moment of Inertia

Answer 26

Tendency to resist angular acceleration, being the sum of products mass, with the square of its distance from the axis of rotation.

Question 27

Angular Velocity

Answer 27

Is the rate of change of angular position of a rotating body.

Question 28

How does angular momentum relate ot Hadley cell poleward movement?

Answer 28

As it moves poleward, it gets closer to Earaths spin axis, decreasing in axis of rotation, with moment of inertia decreasing

Question 29

Subsidence

Answer 29

The downward motion of an air parcel, increasing in density.

Question 30

What is hadley cell descent called?

Answer 30

Subsidence.

Question 31

What does Hadley cell subsidence form?

Answer 31

Subtropic ridge.

Question 32

Subtropic ridge

Answer 32

A high pressure region encircling the globe, with low precipitation and high evaporation rates.

Question 33

At subsidence Hadley cells at 30 degreees, how are subtropical highs formed?

Answer 33

Piling up of air, inhibiting formation of clouds, which is why large deserts are found.

Question 34

Ferrel Cells

Answer 34

These form when decreasing hadley winds deflect poleward, creating westerlies winds.

Question 35

Rossby Number

Answer 35

Measures systems strongly affected by coriolis force.

Question 36

What happens in ferrel cells?

Answer 36

Warm surface air pulled poleward, air from poles meeting this wind at 60 degrees N and S, with rising tropic air.

Question 37

What does 60 degree uplift cause?

Answer 37

Lower pressure surfaces, and unstable watehr conditions.

Question 38

Fouriers Law

Answer 38

This states that rate of heat transfer through a material is proportional to the negative gradient in the temperature and to the area

Question 39

What is the fouriers law equation?

Answer 39

q =-kDeltaT (q is vector of local heat flux, k the materials conductivity, and DeltaT temperature gradient)

Question 40

Thermal Conductivity

Answer 40

Describes the rate at which heat is transferred by conduction through a unit cross-section area of a material, DeltaT exists perpendicular to the area.

Question 41

What is the basis of wind formatioin?

Answer 41

Differences in pressure meaning differences in temperature.

Question 42

What is required to melt a solid?

Answer 42

Energy to seperate cohesive bonds of the molecules

Question 43

Latent Heat of Fusion

Answer 43

Describes the energy supplied to a solid required to trigger a change in its physical state to convert it to a liquid

Question 44

Latent Heat of Vaporization

Answer 44

Energy supplied to a liquid to change to a gas

Question 45

What happens with heat release in the atmosphere?

Answer 45

Surrounding air is warmed, causing rising and condensation.