Things to Memorize
What is the equation for density?
density = mass/volume
What are the two most abundant gases in the atmosphere and their approximate precentages?
N2 78%
O2 21%
What is the relationship between kinetic energy and velocity?
Kinetic energy increases with velocity (KE = 1/2 mv2)
Define albedo
Percentage of light hitting a surface that is reflected
What is the specific heat of water?
1 calorie per gram per degree Celsius
What is the equation for relative humidity?
RH = actual vapor pressure/saturation vapor pressure
How do air pressure and density change with elevation? Why?
Both decrease with elevation (fewer molecules further up)
What is the definition of temperature?
average kinetic energy of a substance
Provide examples of two surfaces with high albedo and two surfaces with low albedo
high: snow, ice, desert sand
low: oceans, forests, asphalt
Sketch the following:
temperature profiles with distance above the ground surface for a clear day and a clear night
During the day, the ground is warmer than the air a few feet up
During the night, the ground is colder than the air a few feet up
What equation do you use for the energy associated with a change in temperature? What are the terms?
Q = mc(delta)T
What is another name for a weather balloon? AND What instrument is used to measure pressure?
radiosonde
barometer
Explain why sweat cools us off, using the idea of latent heat in your answer.
Evaporation of water takes heat from the skin
If the Sun is constantly transferring energy to the Earth via radiation, why isn’t the Earth temperature continuously increasing?
Earth radiates energy back to space (infrared)
How much energy, in calories, is required to heat up 100 grams of water by 10C?
1000 calories
What equation do you use for the energy associated with changing phase? What are the terms?
Q = mHv (evaporation or condensation)
Q = mHf (melting or freezing)
What happened during the can crushing demo? What crushed the can?
Atmospheric pressure (greater than the low pressure inside the can)
How does the wavelength of visible light compare to that of infrared radiation (heat)?
Visible light - shortwave
Infrared - longwave
In addition to transmission (letting light pass through), what are at three things that can happen to incoming solar radiation when it strikes a molecule?
absorption, reflection, scattering
What are at least 4 regional controls on weather?
elevation
latitude
proximity to water
ocean currents/prevailing winds
What are the values of the dry and moist adiabatic lapse rates?
dry: 10C/1000m
moist: 6C/1000m
How is the troposphere different from the stratosphere?
Troposphere: temperature decreases with elevation
Stratosphere: temperature increases with elevation
Thinking about phase changes...
Which processes take heat from the environment? Which processes release heat to the environment?
Take heat: melting, evaporation, (sublimation)
Release heat: freezing, condensation, (deposition)
Why does the Earth have seasons? (two reasons)
Because Earth is tilted on an exis, the hemisphere that is pointed towards the sun experiences (1) more direct sunlight and (2) more hours of sunlight during the summer.
What are HDD, CDD, and GDD? Why are they useful?
Heating degree days and Cooling degree days are useful in predicting energy costs for heating or cooling. Growing degree days are useful in predicting how long it will take a plant to reach maturity for harvesting