ATSC 110 Test 2 Questions and Answers All Correct
What is an unstable atmosphere? - Answer- When a parcel of air remains warmer than the surrounding air while being lifted, we
say the air is unstable. In other words, when the environmental lapse rate is greater than the dry lapse rate (10°C/k...
ATSC 110 Test 2 Questions
and Answers All Correct
What is an unstable atmosphere? - Answer- When a parcel of air remains warmer than
the surrounding air while being lifted, we
say the air is unstable. In other words, when the environmental lapse rate is greater
than the dry lapse rate (10°C/km) the atmosphere is absolutely unstable.
What conditions cause an unstable atmosphere? - Answer- The environmental lapse
rate is large (steep) when unstable conditions prevail. In other words the difference in
the air temperature from the surface to those aloft is relatively large. Therefore we need
cold air aloft and warm air at the surface to steepen the environmental lapse rate.
What mechanisms can cause the atmosphere to become more unstable? - Answer- 1.
Cooling aloft by cold air advection above the surface.
2. Warming at the surface by daytime solar heating and warm air advection on the
surface.
On a typical summer day, how does atmospheric stability change from the daytime to
nighttime? - Answer- During the daytime, incoming solar radiation will cause the earths
surface and the lowest region of the troposphere to warm causing the atmosphere to
become more unstable. During the overnight hours, radiational cooling will cause the
earths surface and lowest region of the troposphere to cool causing the atmosphere to
become more stable.
What kind of stability is needed for the development of a thunderstorm. - Answer- In
order for a thunderstorm to grow vertically, the temperature within the thunderstorm
mass must be warmer than the surrounding environmental air. Under this condition the
thunderstorm is able to build in the vertical because the atmosphere in the region of
thunderstorm development is unstable.
Define conditionally unstable? - Answer- This occurs when the environmental lapse rate
falls between the moist and dry
adiabatic lapse rate. Conditionally
unstable means that, if unsaturated air could be lifted to a level where it becomes
saturated, instability would result.
, Review slides 38-41 for laps rate equations - Answer-
Name the four mechanisms that develop clouds we observe - Answer- Surface heating
and free convection
Topography forced ascent
Widespread ascent
Uplift along weather fronts, air masses of different density interacting with one another.
What type of cloud formations are typically associated a warm front and cold front? -
Answer- Air that is forced to ride up and over the gentle slope of a warm front will
produce layered clouds in the stratus category because the atmosphere is mainly stable
Air that is forced upward along a more aggressive cold front will tend to build vertically
and be in the cumulus category because the atmosphere is mainly unstable.
The temp at the surface is 25c and the dew point temp is 15c. what will be the base of
these cumulus clouds. (use formula) - Answer- T-Td/2.5 x 1000
Explain why rain shadows form on the leeward side of mountains. - Answer- Because
precipitation falls on the windward side of the mountain.
How do the three states of water differ? - Answer- As a gas, water vapor molecules
move about quite freely, mixing well with neighboring atoms and molecules. As a liquid,
the water molecules are closer together, and so they constantly jostle and bump each
other. In the solid state, the molecules arrange themselves into an orderly pattern, with
each molecule more or less locked into a rigid position, able to vibrate, but not able to
move about freely.
What are the three primary factors that influence the rate of evaporation? - Answer-
Evaporation occurs when more water molecules are leaving a water surface than are
returning. Factors that influence evaporation rates are,
Water temp
Wind speed
Content of air above water surface.
Explain why the condensation process becomes more efficient when the air becomes
colder. - Answer- Because condensation occurs when water vapor molecules condense
onto condensation nuclei. The nuclei can consist of dust smoke and salt. In warm air
fast moving vapor molecules strike the nuclei with such impact that they simply bounce
away. If the air is chilled, the molecules move more slowly and are more apt to stick and
condense onto the nuclei.
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