Atmospheric Sciences Terminology and Concepts, Quizzes of Meteorology

Download Atmospheric Sciences Terminology and Concepts and more Quizzes Meteorology in PDF only on Docsity! TERM 1 Atmosphere DEFINITION 1 a delicate life-giving blanket of air that surrounds the fragile Earth. Influences everything we see and hear. TERM 2 Outgassing DEFINITION 2 Constant outpouring of gasses from the hot interior TERM 3 Photodissociation DEFINITION 3 Energetic rays from the sun split H2O into hydrogen and oxygen TERM 4 Condensation DEFINITION 4 Vapor --> liquid TERM 5 Evaporation DEFINITION 5 Liquid --> vapor TERM 6 Precipitation DEFINITION 6 Falling rain and snow TERM 7 Latent heat DEFINITION 7 large amounts of heat due to water vapor TERM 8 Scientific Method DEFINITION 8 technique that allows us to make informed predictions of how the natural world will behave. Question --> Hypothesis -- > Prediction --> Experiment --> Compare Results TERM 9 Numerical Models DEFINITION 9 software packages that represent physical laws that control atmospheric behavior TERM 10 Solar System DEFINITION 10 Sun, 7 planets, host of other material (such as comets, asteroids, meteors, dwarf planets, etc.) TERM 21 Isobar DEFINITION 21 thin line on a map that displays where pressure isH = high pressureL = low pressureBlue Line = cold front (moves toward warm air)Red Line = warm front (moves toward cold air) TERM 22 RADAR DEFINITION 22 Radio Detection and Ranging.Object- detection system that uses radio waves to determine the range, angle, or velocity of objects TERM 23 GOES DEFINITION 23 Geostationary Operational Environmental SatellitesOrbits approx. 35,786 km above equator so it can keep moving in the same direction in the same speed as the Earth rotates.GOES East & GOES West TERM 24 Chloroflourocarbon DEFINITION 24 CFC- strong greenhouse gas. Approx. 300x stronger than CO2 TERM 25 Aerosol DEFINITION 25 really small particles that just float in the atmosphere created by volcanic eruptions, protect against harmful UV rays, and can cool the weather TERM 26 Lapse Rate DEFINITION 26 change in temperature with a change in height (troposphere) TERM 27 Isothermal Zone DEFINITION 27 no change in temperature with height TERM 28 Temperature Inversion DEFINITION 28 temperature increases with height (stratosphere) TERM 29 Selective Absorbers DEFINITION 29 good absorbers are good emitters at a particular wavelength and vice versa TERM 30 Positive Feedback DEFINITION 30 continues the warming trend TERM 31 Negative Feedback DEFINITION 31 decreases warming TERM 32 Rayleigh Scattering DEFINITION 32 scattering of light by particles in a medium, without change in wavelength (Ex: blue skies and red suns) TERM 33 Mie Scattering DEFINITION 33 scattering of light by particles that are large relative to the wavelength of light (Ex: white clouds) TERM 34 Albedo DEFINITION 34 Proportion of the incident light or radiation that is reflected by a surface, typically that of a planet or moon TERM 35 Photosynthesis DEFINITION 35 plants, in the presence of sunlight, combine carbon dioxide and water to produce oxygen TERM 46 Meridians DEFINITION 46 thin solid black lines running from north to south on satellite images. (lines of longitude) TERM 47 Parallels of Latitude DEFINITION 47 solid black lines that parallel the equator (lines of latitude) TERM 48 Hurricane DEFINITION 48 tropical storm with swirling bands of rotating clouds and sustained surface winds of 65 knots* (74 mph) or higher TERM 49 Thunderstorms DEFINITION 49 tall churning clouds accompanied by lightning, thunder, strong gusty winds, and heavy rain TERM 50 Tornadoes DEFINITION 50 an intense rotating column of air that extends downward from the base of a thunderstorm with a circulation reaching the ground TERM 51 Potential Energy DEFINITION 51 potential to do work.PE= mghm= object's massg= acceleration of gravityh= object's height above the surface TERM 52 Kinetic Energy DEFINITION 52 any moving substance possesses energy or motionKE = (1/2)mv^2m = object's massv = velocity TERM 53 Heat Energy DEFINITION 53 atoms and molecules that comprise all mater have kinetic energy due to their motion TERM 54 Temperature of Air DEFINITION 54 measure of the average speed (motion) of the atoms and molecules TERM 55 Sensible Heat DEFINITION 55 heat we can feel "sense" and measure with a thermometer TERM 56 Deposition DEFINITION 56 vapor --> ice TERM 57 Advection DEFINITION 57 horizontally moving part of wind that carries properties of the air in that particular area with it. TERM 58 Blackbody DEFINITION 58 any object that is a perfect absorber TERM 59 Space Weather DEFINITION 59 when solar winds move close enough to Earth, it interacts with the Earth's magnetic field, producing this variety of effects