Introducing the atmosphere

Question 1

describe composition of the atmosphere

Answer 1

nitrogen, oxygen, water vapour, argon and trace gases incl CO2

Question 2

what is the world’s oldest and primary measuring site for CO2 gas concentrations?

Answer 2

Mauna Loa Observatory, Hawaii

Question 3

what was the concentration of CO2 in 1960

Answer 3

315 ppm

Question 4

what is the current concentration of CO2

Answer 4

nearly 420 ppm

Question 5

why do CO2 concentrations fluctuate throughout the year?

Answer 5

northern hemisphere growing season reduces CO2 between may and september. Northern hemisphere dominates due to greater landmass and plant biomass

Question 6

why are sulphates more common in winter of the NH

Answer 6

more fossil fuels being burned

Question 7

function of ozone

Answer 7

protection from UV radiation

Question 8

what percentage of ozone is in which layer?

Answer 8

90% in stratosphere

Question 9

what is the concentration of ozone

Answer 9

8ppm

Question 10

how much of the troposphere is used by humans?

Answer 10

5km

Question 11

which states of water hold the most and least energy?

Answer 11

ice- lowest energy, liquid water- intermediate energy, water vapour- high energy

Question 12

what happens when water moves from a low-high energy state

Answer 12

it absorbs heat energy

Question 13

what does it mean when something is saturated

Answer 13

no. of molecules that evaporate= no. of molecules that condense

Question 14

what is saturation rate?

Answer 14

max concentration of H2O molecules that can reside in the vapour phase at any specified temperature

Question 15

why does sweating keep you cool?

Answer 15

water (sweat) absorbs the heat and evaporates

Question 16

what is vapour pressure

Answer 16

measure of the amount of water in a parcel of air/ how much of measured pressure caused by water vapour

Question 17

what causes the carrying capacity of air to rise

Answer 17

rising temperature

Question 18

where is ocean salinity high and why

Answer 18

high evaporation regions, as more water is evaporated into the atmosphere, leaving lots of salt behind

Question 19

what happens when saturation vapour pressure is reached

Answer 19

condensation occurs to turn vapour to liquid and remove the water

Question 20

what happens when saturated air is heated

Answer 20

the capacity increases and it becomes undersaturated

Question 21

what is relative humidity

Answer 21

ratio of vapour pressure in sample of air, to saturation vapour pressure at the same temp
(how much water in the air out of how much water could be in the air)

Question 22

why does breathing out on a cold day condense quickly

Answer 22

cold air cannot hold much water vapour

Question 23

what is dewpoint

Answer 23

when the relative humidity of the air reaches 100% and condensation begins

Question 24

what are adiabatic processes

Answer 24

compressional warming and expansional cooling without the addition or subtraction of heat from external sources

Question 25

what is the lapse rate

Answer 25

rate of temperature change with altitude

Question 26

explain the adiabatic (dry) lapse rate

Answer 26

rate of unsaturated warm air cooling as it rises… 10C per km

Question 27

explain the environmental (wet) lapse rate

Answer 27

rate of saturated warm air rising and cooling. Cools more slowly than adiabatic lapse rate due to the release of latent heat… 6.5 C per km

Question 28

what happens in relation to the adiabatic lapse rates when cloud formation occurs

Answer 28

parcel reaches saturation point and the dry adiabatic lapse rate changes to the moist rate

Question 29

name the four main air lifting forces

Answer 29

density lifting (convection)
frontal lifting (2 masses of diff density meet)
convergence lifting (2 air masses meet and are forced up)
orographic lifting (forced over sloping terrain, produces rain shadow)

Question 30

what provides the surface for condensation at dewpoint

Answer 30

condensation nuclei, which are small particles of dust etc (aerosols), means less energy is needed for condensation

Question 31

how do raindrops form from the condensed vapour in clouds?

Answer 31

when the density of droplets increases before coalescing and falling