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Climate Risk Management > Exam 1 > Flashcards

Exam 1 Flashcards

1
Q

Weather

A

Is the day to day variation in sky condition, temperature, precipitation, wind etc.

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2
Q

Climate

A

the distribution of a particular weather variable over a period of time (normally 30 years)

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3
Q

Troposphere*

A

the lowest layer of the atmosphere
- Contains our weather

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4
Q

Temperature

A

The average amount of heat energy present in a substance

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5
Q

Heat Energy

A

A measure of the kinetic energy of the molecules that make up a substance

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6
Q

Lapse Rate

A

the verticle change in temperature with height in the atmosphere

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7
Q

Closed System

A

Earth is a closed system where energy can move in/out but matter cannot
(barring extreme circumstances)

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8
Q

Open System

A

A leaf, you, a tractor etc. are open systems where both energy and matter can move in/out

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9
Q

Tropopause*

A

Occurs at the top of troposphere; defined by a change in lapse rate from negative to neutral or positive
(bounder between troposphere & stratosphere)

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10
Q

Energy*

A

The ability to do on some type of substance
(simply the ability to do work)

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11
Q

Work*

A

Done on a substance when its pushed, pulled, stretched, compressed, lifted etc.

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12
Q

Heat*

A

Energy in the process of being transferred from one object to another

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13
Q

Earth’s 4 Main Spheres

A

Geosphere

Atmosphere

Hydrosphere

Biosphere

Cryosphere

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14
Q

Cryosphere

A

Not a “main” sphere

Earth’s ice (glaciers, sea ice, Antarctica)

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15
Q

Geosphere

A

Solid Earth - makes up the vast majority of Earth’s mass

Rocks, minerals, landforms

Largest of the spheres

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16
Q

Atmosphere

A

Gaseous Envelope

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17
Q

Hydrosphere

A

All water

(solid, liquid, gas phases)

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18
Q

Biosphere

A

All life on earth

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19
Q

Dalton’s Law

A

If the air in a container is a mixture of gases, the total pressure equals the sum of the partial pressures of each individual gas

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20
Q

Ideal Gas Law

A

Relates pressure, volume, number of moles of a substance, a case constant and temperature

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21
Q

How does atmospheric pressure vary with altitude

A

Atmosphere is compressible

Hydrostatic balance determines how think our atmosphere is

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22
Q

How does heat flow?

A

Always flows from the hotter (more energetic) to the cooler (less energetic) object

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23
Q

Where does our weather come from?

A

Pressure and temperature gradients are fundamental energy sources in our atmosphere

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24
Q

Heat Capacity

A

Substances with large heat capacities change temperature more slowly than those small heat capacities

(larger the lake the later it will freeze)

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25
Q

Specific Heat

A

Amount of heat energy required to raise the temperature of 1 gram of a substance by 1°C

(water has the highest specific heat)

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26
Q

Sensible Heat

A

the heat energy that humans can feel and that can be measured with a thermometer

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27
Q

Latent Heat

A

Energy required to be absorbed/released to change a substance from one form to another

Without changing temperature*

(Putting energy into the ice without changing the temp but turning to water)

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28
Q

Conduction

A

Molecule to molecule transfer

(grabbing a hot pan with your hand)

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29
Q

Convection

A

Heat energy transferred by movement

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30
Q

Radiation

A

Transfer of heat by the movement of electromagnetic waves

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31
Q

Properties of Waves

Wavelength

A

Crest to crest distance

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32
Q

Properties of Waves

Amplitude

A

Height of wave

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33
Q

Properties of Waves

Frequency

A

Number of wavelengths per unit time (seconds)

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34
Q

Shortwave Radiation

A

Wavelength shorter than 3um

Visible, UV, X-rays

Emitted from the sun

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35
Q

Longwave Radiation

A

Wavelengths longer than 3um

Thermal, microwave, radar, radio waves

Emitted from Earth

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36
Q

What determines Short and Longwave Radiation

A

Temperature

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37
Q

Stefan Boltzmann Law

A

Gives the amount of radiation emitted by an object, based on its temperature

38
Q

Greenhouse Gases

A

Gases in our atmosphere absorb long wave radiation well but do not absorb shortwave radiation very well or at all

39
Q

Energy Losses in the Atmosphere

A

Transmitted

Scattered

Reflection

Absorption

40
Q

Transmitted

A

Passes without interactions

41
Q

Scattering

A

Energy sent in many directions

(smoke or dust in the air)

42
Q

Reflection

A

Bounced off at an angel to incidence

43
Q

Absorption

A

Absorbed by gases, particulates or ground (plant use)

44
Q

Albedo

A

Ratio of the amount of energy reflected by a surface to the amount that is incident

(50% of the incident radiation is reflected)

45
Q

Radiation Surplus

A

When more radiation comes in than goes out

46
Q

Radiation Deficit

A

When less radiation comes in than goes out

47
Q

Zenith Angle

A

Angle between directly overhead and the sun at solar noon

48
Q

Sun Angle

A

Angle of the sun above horizon at solar noon

(between the sun & horizon)

49
Q

Solar Declination

A

Latitude above which sun is directly overhead

50
Q

Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ)

A

Area of low level convergence that moves north and south about the equator with the seasons

51
Q

Westerlies

A

Stronger flow to the north of the subtropical high

Mid-Latitude

52
Q

Polar Easterlies

A

Poleward of 60°

Cold, high pressure winds turned to the east by the Coriolis Force as they move equator ward

53
Q

Doldrums

A

Weak winds near equator

54
Q

Tradewinds

A

Equatorward of 30°

Cooler, drier air moving towards equator

55
Q

Horse Latitude

A

Weak winds near subtropical highs

56
Q

Air Mass

A

Large body of air that has relatively uniform temperature and moisture characteristics

57
Q

Polar Front

A

“Boundary” or transition region between polar and tropical air masses in mid-latitude

58
Q

Jet Stream

A

“Currents” of fast moving air thousands of kilometers long and hundreds of kilometers wide but only a few kilometers thick

59
Q

Polar Jet

A

Usually located between 30°N and 70°N depending on the season

(Occurs around the US & Canadian Boarder)

60
Q

Subtropical Jet

A

Forms on poleward edge of Hadley cell at about 25°N

(Mainly a wintertime phenomenon)

61
Q

Wind

A

Movement of air from one location to another

(Caused by differences in air pressure)

62
Q

How does wind move

A

Always moves from high pressure to low pressure

63
Q

Humidity

A

Amount of water vapor influences density

(Density decreases)

64
Q

Cyclone

A

Low pressure system

(counterclockwise flow)

65
Q

Anticyclone

A

High pressure system

(clockwise flow)

66
Q

Trough

A

Elongated region of low pressure

(Low Jet stream)

67
Q

Ridge

A

Elongated region of high pressure

(High jet stream)

68
Q

Gravity

A

Force directed perpendicular to the Earth’s surface

Cold air pools/”drains” toward low spots in your fields, mountain, valleys

69
Q

How does the wind blow with Pressure Gradient Force?

A

Blows from higher to lower pressure

70
Q

Pressure Gradient

A

The change in pressure over distance

71
Q

Coriolis Force

A

Apparent force that influences wind direction

72
Q

What causes the Coriolis Force

A

A change in the total wind speed (Earth’s rotation + wind speed)

A change in the distance from Earth’s axis

73
Q

Coriolis Force Summary

A

Always directed at right angles to direction of airflow

Affects wind direction

The stronger the wind, the greater deflecting Coriolis Force

Strongest at poles and nonexistent at equator

To the right in the N. hemisphere and to the leaf in the S. hemisphere

74
Q

Friction

A

Resistant air movement, largely determined by how rough the Earth’s surface is

75
Q

Planetary Boundary Layer

A

the lowest `1km of the atmosphere, directly affected by the surface through reduced wind speeds and presence of turbulence

76
Q

Scales of Atmospheric Phenomena

Macroscale

A

Weeks or longer

Ex. Westerlies, Trade Winds

77
Q

Scales of Atmospheric Phenomena

Synoptic

A

Days to Weeks

Ex. Mid latitude cyclones, anticyclones

78
Q

Scales of Atmospheric Phenomena

Mesoscale

A

Minutes to Hours

Ex. Thunderstorms

79
Q

Scales of Atmospheric Phenomena

Microscale

A

Seconds to Minutes

Ex. Gusts

80
Q

Advection

A

Movement of air

(Cold air moving into a warm air)

81
Q

Convergence

A

Air coming together

82
Q

Divergence

A

Air going apart/away

83
Q

Why do meteorologist use pressure surfaces as a preferred altitude coordinate

A

Weather moves along pressure surface

84
Q

Pressure Surfaces

A

All pressure surfaces change height

85
Q

What causes the difference in air pressure

A

Temperature

86
Q

Horizontal Temperature Differences

High

A

Colder Temperature → Increased Density → Increased Pressure

87
Q

Horizontal Temperature Differences

Low

A

Warmer Temperature → Decreased Density → Decreased Pressure

88
Q

cP

A

Continental Polar

Forms over Canada and Alaska

89
Q

mT

A

Maritime Tropical

From Gulf of Mexico, Caribbean Sea, Western Atlantic Ocean

Often Unstable

Responsible for much of the precipitation in central and eastern US

90
Q

cT

A

Continental Tropical

Only source that affects US is in the desert southwest

Unstable but little moisture so few clouds and no precipitation

91
Q

mP

A

Maritime Polar

From North Atlantic only rarely affects the northeast US

Climate Risk Management (6 decks)

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