What are the layers of the atmosphere, from top to bottom?
Thermosphere.
Mesosphere.
Stratosphere.
Troposphere.
In what layers do weather and temperature, respectively, occur?
Weather: troposphere.
Temperature: mesosphere.
Pressure refers to atmospheric mass. What is the energy source and what is it responsible for?
Gravity.
Weather systems.
Pressure relates to what two things?
Altitude and latitude.
Atmospheric mass decreases with _____.
Altitude.
Describe the following air masses:
- cP (Continental Polar) / cA (Continental Arctic)
- mP (Maritime Polar)
- mT (Maritime Tropical)
- cT (Contintental Tropical)
cP/cA: cold, dry, stable.
mP: cold, moist, unstable.
mT: warm, moist, usually unstable.
cT: hot, dry, unstable at low levels/stable at high.
What is it wind? How is it named (provide example)?
Air moving horizontally over surface of Earth.
Based on direction it comes from (e.g., westerly winds travel west to east).
Which weather instrument measures direction? Which measures speed?
Direction: wind vane.
Speed: anemometer.
How is atmospheric pressure measured? What does 1 bar equal? What is Canada’s normal sea level pressure?
Barometer.
1000mb.
1013.2mb.
Wind direction and velocity are controlled by what four things?
Gravitation.
Pressure Gradients.
Coriolis Effect.
Friction.
How do pressure gradients drive air?
Drives air from areas of higher pressure (more dense air) to areas of lower pressure (less dense air).
Why does the Coriolis Effect make wind that travels in a straight path appear to be deflected in relation to Earth’s rotating surface?
Earth is rotating eastward.
What is friction? When does it decrease?
Drags on the wind as it moves over Earth’s surface.
Decrease with height from surface.
Describe the balance of forces between friction, gradients, and the Coriolis effect.
Coriolis acts at right angles to direction of motion.
Pressure gradient forces parcel to lower pressure.
Frictional force exerted from surface is proportional to wind speed, always acts in opposite direction to direction of motion.
A cyclone that coverges aloft (aka downward wind) is known as what?
Anticyclone.
Describe the difference between cloudy weather and sunny weather with regards to pressure and temperature.
Cloudy: low pressure, rising warm and moist air.
Clear weather: high pressure, descending cool and dry air.
Rising air is known as _____ flow.
Cyclonic.
Large area of air with similar temperature and humidity throughout.
Air mass.
Invisible boundaries between two air masses.
Front.
Describe warm weather fronts with regards to cold air, speed, weather.
Pushes cold air masses, warm air moves over cold.
Moves slowly, clouds thinner and spread out.
Steady light rain that can last a day or so.
Describe cold weather fronts with regards to warm air, speed, weather.
Pushes warm air mass, cold air denser so warm air pushed up quickly, cools and condenses.
Move faster, clouds form cumulus, size depending on humidity.
Heavy precipitation, increased wind speed, sudden drop in temperature.
Describe stationery weather fronts with regards to speed, weather.
Doesn’t move.
Overcast weather with drizzle.
Describe occluded weather fronts with regards to cold/warm air, speed, weather.
Cold/cool push warm front up.
Thick clouds and rain, larger difference in temp/humidity and more drastic weather.
List three conditions for thunderstorms.
Water vapour available in lower atmosphere.
Temperature gradient, rising air cools rapidly.
Updraft must force moist air up to colder levels.
