Atmosphere

Question 1

describe convective overturning

Answer 1

heated fluid near surface rises as it becomes less dense, is replaced by denser fluid from above

Question 2

describe the clausis-clapeyron relation

Answer 2

relationship between the mixing ratio of water vapor at saturation and temperature

Question 3

can warmer or colder air hold more water

Answer 3

warmer

Question 4

what area holds the most/least water vapor

Answer 4

tropics = most

high latitudes = least

Question 5

define troposphere

Answer 5

• lowest 10km of the atmosphere
• where nearly all “weather” takes place
• contains 90% of the atmosphere’s mass

Question 6

define atmospheric lapse rate

Answer 6

temp decreases significantly with height, about 6.5C per km

Question 7

describe cloud formation

Answer 7

air rises –> cools –> brought to saturation quickly (CC) –> condensation –> clouds form

Question 8

describe the hadley cell

Answer 8

air is warmed near the equator –> rises –> goes towards subtropics –> sinks in subtropics –> flows back to equator

Question 9

define intertropical convergence zone

Answer 9

band of cloudiness associated with the rising branch of the Hadley cell in the deep tropics

Question 10

why are subtropics so dry

Answer 10

sinking branch of the Hadley cell:

- air sinks –> warms –> no access to water vapor so relative humidity plummets –> no rain

Question 11

features of the tropical-subtropical precipitation distribution

Answer 11

• precip max in the deep tropics (rising cell of hadley)
• great deserts of the world from sinking branch of hadley
• precip max follows solar max

Question 12

features of the mid-to-high-latitude precipitation distribution

Answer 12

• secondary max in this region in both hemisphere, greatest in winter
• seasonal variation due to mid-latitude jet stream is especially noticeable in the northern hemisphere
• LA lies at the southern fringe of the northern hemisphere –> why we aren’t a true desert