Introduction to
the Atmosphere
the Atmosphere
What are the two most abundant gases in Earth's Atmosphere by volume?
What is Nitrogen and Oxygen?
The __________ of an area is the average weather conditions over time.
What is climate?
What is the tilt of the Earth?
What is 23.5 degrees?
Water molecules in the gaseous state are ____________ energetic than when they are in the solid state.
What is more?
As a parcel of air rises, it ___________ and _______________.
What is expands and cools?
In the troposphere, which three variables typically decrease with height as you move away from Earth's surface?
What are density, temperature, and pressure?
What is the ability and capacity to do work on some form of matter?
What is Energy?
During the summer solstice, where is the highest position of the noonday Sun?
What is the tropic of cancer (23.5N)?
The time of day when you would expect the relative humidity to be highest.
What is early in the morning/before sunrise?
Frost is formed through the process of _____________.
What is deposition?
Which layers of the atmosphere are associated with a negative lapse rate?
What is the Stratosphere and Thermosphere?
The sun emits the peak amount of radiation in the ____________ portion of the electromagnetic spectrum.
What is visible light?
When does the northern hemisphere receive the fewest hours of daylight?
What is the winter solstice?
The phase change from liquid to gas.
What is evaporation?
______________ are needed for water vapor to condense on. Without these, you would need a relative humidity >300% for condensation to occur.
What is Condensation Nuclei?
_____________ is a gas that absorbs the most harmful ultraviolet radiation in the stratosphere.
What is ozone?
The Sun emits ___________-wave radiation, and the Earth emits ___________-wave radiation.
What is short and long?
The revolution of the Earth is a ____________ day cycle.
What is 365.25?
KDAB: Temp: 98 F Dewpoint:74F
KMSY: Temp: 84 F Dewpoint: 70F
The highest relative humidity.
What is KMSY?
The cloud types composed primarily of ice crystals.
What is high level/cirro- clouds? cirrus, cirrostratus, cirrocumulus...
A temperature inversion in the troposphere is associated with a _____________ lapse rate.
What is negative?
What is the combined albedo of the Earth and atmosphere?
What is 30?
The ideal conditions for a strong traditional inversion: (clear/cloudy; calm/windy; dry/moist; summer/winter)
What is clear, calm, dry, and winter?
KDAB: Temp: 98 F Dewpoint:74F
KMSY: Temp: 84 F Dewpoint: 70F
The highest actual water content.
What is KDAB?
___________ fog is most common in the mornings and is a result of radiational cooling.