Moisture

Question 1

Air Mass

Answer 1

• pool of air, same humidity and temperature

- 1000 km^2

Question 2

How are air masses classified?

Answer 2

by temperature and humidity at source region

Question 3

Atmospheric River

Answer 3

• 400-600 km wide, 1000 km long
• band of wind transporting moisture
• 30-50% of annual precipitation

Question 4

Sea Breeze

Answer 4

• day
• cool ocean breeze, high pressure
• flows onto warm land (low pressure)

Question 5

Land Breeze

Answer 5

• night
• cool land breeze in high pressure area
• flows over to warm, low pressure ocean

Question 6

Air humidity

Answer 6

• amount of water vapour in the air
• determines rate of condensation, cloud formation, and precipitation
• depends on temperature

Question 7

Vapour Pressure

Answer 7

-share of air pressure made up by water vapour molecules at given T

Question 8

Saturation

Answer 8

• evaporation rate = condensation rate

- air is in equilibrium with liquid

Question 9

Saturated Vapour Pressure

Answer 9

• saturated air’s state
• depends directly on T
• 10 degree increase doubles SVP

Question 10

Warm Tropical air SVP

Answer 10

• lots of water vapour, releases latent heat

- powers the tropical storms

Question 11

Cold Polar SVP

Answer 11

• transfers less moisture

- polar deserts created

Question 12

Mixing Ratio

Answer 12

mass of water vapour per unit mass of dry air

Question 13

specific humidity

Answer 13

mass of water vapour per unit mass of moist air

Question 14

Max specific humidity means..

Answer 14

max water vapour per unit air mass

Question 15

Relative humidity =

Answer 15

amount water vapour in air/max possible at given T *100

Question 16

Dew Point

Answer 16

-temperature for air mass to become saturated

Question 17

Condenstation Causes

Answer 17

• addition of water vapour in the air

- cooling of air

Question 18

Diabatic

Answer 18

physical exchange of heat

Question 19

Adiabatic

Answer 19

no physical exchange of heat

Question 20

air stability

Answer 20

-temperature difference between inside air parcel and air surrounding parcel

Question 21

Atmospheric Stability

Answer 21

-tendency of an air parcel to remain in place / change positions

Question 22

Stable Atmosphere

Answer 22

-air resists upward displacement

Question 23

Unstable Atmosphere

Answer 23

-air continues to rise until it reaches it’s own temperature and humidity conditions

Question 24

Rising air causes

Answer 24

clouds and precipitation

Question 25

Warm air, Cool Air stability

Answer 25

warm air is unstable | cool air is stable

Question 26

Dry Adiabatic Lapse Rate, Wet Rate, and Environmental Rate

Answer 26

10 degree/km 6 degree/km 12 degree/km

Question 27

Cloud Formation (simple steps)

Answer 27

- cooling -> air rises - cools to dew point - saturates - condensation occurs

Question 28

Cloud (buildup)

Answer 28

buildup of moisture droplets and ice crystals

Question 29

Cloud Condensation Nuclei

Answer 29

- 10^-4 mm | - comes from volcanoes, ocean, forest fires, dust, clay and silt, combustion products

Question 30

Cloud drop size vs. Rain drop size

Answer 30

- cloud drop 0.001 mm - 0.2 mm | - rain drop 0.4 mm to 4 mm

Question 31

Drop Growth : Collision

Answer 31

- droplet T> 0 degrees C | - fall, collide, and coalesce

Question 32

Drop Growth: Ice Crystal Growth

Answer 32

- T <0 degrees C for ice and drops - water around drops, vapour pressure gradient towards ice - net flow, accretion

Question 33

Clouds: Low

Answer 33

- stratus, cumulus - cool atmosphere allows low formation - condensation and precipitation

Question 34

Cloud: Vertical

Answer 34

- cumulus and cumulonimbus - high moisture content - possible precipitation

Question 35

Stratocumulus Cloud

Answer 35

- warm atmosphere limits condensation | - clear weather

Question 36

Cloud: Upper

Answer 36

- cirrus - scarcity of moisture - limits condensation

Question 37

Fog (General)

Answer 37

Cloud layer on the ground, when Tdew = Tair

Question 38

Fog: Radiation

Answer 38

- radiational cooling | - calm clear nights

Question 39

Fog: Advection

Answer 39

-warm air passes over cool surfaces

Question 40

Fog:Steam

Answer 40

cool air passes over warm water

Question 41

Fog: Orographic

Answer 41

air is forced over physical barrier

Question 42

Fog: Frontal

Answer 42

lifting associated with fronts

Question 43

Inversion (general)

Answer 43

-warm air over cold surface

Question 44

Inversion: Radiation

Answer 44

-occurs when evening air is still and no clouds are available to trap heat

Question 45

Inversion: Sea Breeze

Answer 45

-windward coasts by cold ocean currents

Question 46

Inversion: Subsidence

Answer 46

Subsiding air undergoes adiabatic heating aloft, air in contact with surface stays cooler