TTU ATMO 1300 Ch Reveiws 1-5
The air temperature is 50 degrees Fahrenheit. The dewpoint temperature is 50 degrees Fahrenheit. The relative humidity is _______ %.
100
When the air temperature equals the dewpoint temperature, the relative humidity is _____.
100%
On average, the water equivalent of a typical fresh snowpack is ____.
10:1
Which environmental lapse rate represents the most unstable condition in a layer of unsaturated air?
11°C per 1000 m
How many cooling degree-days would there be for a day with a maximum temperature of 95°F and a minimum temperature of 65°F? (Assume a base temperature of 65°F.)
15
Water boils at _______ degrees Fahrenheit.
212
The "normal" high temperature for a given day is determined from the ____ averaged high temperature for that day.
30-year
If water vapor comprises 3.5% of an air parcel whose total pressure is 1000 mb, the water vapor pressure would be ____.
35 mb
How many heating degree-days are there for a day with a maximum temperature of 30°F and a minimum temperature of 20°F? (Assume a base temperature of 65°F.)
40
Suppose peas are planted in Indiana on May 1. If the peas need 1200 growing degree days before they can be picked, and if the mean temperature for each day during May and June is 70°F, in about how many days will the peas be ready to pick? (Assume a base temperature of 40°F.)
40
During the summer months at the North Pole, the sun does not set for ____.
6 months
The standard lapse rate of temperature in the troposphere is _____________. (Check all that apply)
6.5 °C/ 1000m of elevation gain, ******
stable atmosphere
A lifted parcel of air will be colder (heavier) that the air surrounding it. Because of this fact, the lifted parcel will tend to sink back to its original position.
unstable atmosphere
A lifted parcel of air will be warmer (lighter) than the air surrounding it, and thus will continue to rise upward, away from its original position.
temperature
A measure of the average speed of air molecules
inversion
A measured increase in air temperature with increasing height
Blizzard
A severe weather condition characterized by low temperatures and strong winds (greater than 35 mi/hr) bearing a great amount of snow either falling or blowing
Snow
A solid form of precipitation composed of ice crystals in complex hexagonal form.
Celcius
A temperature scale where 0° represents freezing and 100° boiling
Fahrenheit
A temperature scale where 32° represents freezing and 212° boiling
frozen dew
A tiny liquid drop of dew that freezes when the air temperature drops below freezing
Sleet
A type of precipitation consisting of transparent pellets of ice 5 mm or less in diameter. Same as ice pellets.
Ice storm
A winter storm characterized by a substantial amount of precipitation in the form of freezing rain, freezing drizzle, or sleet.
Environmental lapse rate < 6°C
Absolutely Stable
Environmental lapse rate >10°C
Absolutely Unstable
tornado
An intense rotating column of air that extends downward from the base of a thunderstorm
Snow squall (shower)
An intermittent heavy shower of snow that greatly reduces visibility.
Carbon dioxide (CO2) enters the atmosphere through the following processes:
Animal exhalation, Burning of fossil fuels, Volcanic activity, Deforestation, Plant decay
anticyclone
Another name for a high pressure area
The "ozone hole" is observed above ____.
Antarctica
From the choices below, choose the three (3) most common permanent gases in today's atmosphere:
Argon, Nitrogen, Oxygen
Stratus
Assume it is not actively snowing or raining, like a fog
dew
Beads of water that have condensed onto objects near the surface
Although water vapor accounts for about 60% of the atmospheric greenhouse effect, it is the increase of ____ in the atmosphere that appears to be the main cause of global warming.
Carbon Dioxide
Heat Index
Combines air temperature with relative humidity to determine an apparent temperature
Environmental lapse rate 6-10°C
Conditionally Unstable
In the middle latitudes of the Northern Hemisphere, the day with the shortest number of daylight hours occurs on ____.
December 21
Near the Earth's surface, when outgoing infrared energy exceeds incoming solar energy, the air temperature:
Decreases
Heating and Cooling Degree Days Formula
Degree Days= (High temp+ Low temp/2)- 65 Degree Days= Avg Daily temp-65 Positive number= Cooling Degree Days Negative number= Heating Degree Days
Which of the following parameters always decrease as you rise through the standard atmosphere, regardless of what layer you're in?
Density, Air pressure, Number of air molecules
On the equinox at mid-latitudes in the Southern Hemisphere, the sun rises in the ______ and sets in the ______.
East; West
ultraviolet
Electromagnetic waves whose wavelengths are shorter than those of visible light
radiation
Energy transferred by electromagnetic waves
When Relative Humidity is very low...
Evaporation rates are very high
Steam fog (evaporation-mixing fog)
Exhaled breath on a cold morning produces this type of fog
Fall streaks
Falling ice crystals that evaporate before reaching the ground.
T or F: Hail can fall from both cumulonimbus and nimbostratus clouds.
False
T or F: The air pressure at the summit of Mount Everest is higher than the air pressure at sea level.
False
T or F: The temperature in a rising parcel of air will always be the same as that of the surrounding air.
False
T or F: Transpiration from plants and evaporation from soil, lakes, and streams account for the majority of the water vapor added to the atmosphere each year
False
evaporation-mixing fog
Fog produced when sufficient water vapor is added to the air by evaporation and the moist air mixes with relatively drier air.
upslope fog
Fog that forms as moist air flows upward along an elevated surface
precipitation-frontal fog (evaporation-mixing fog)
Fog that forms as warm raindrops evaporate in a cool air mass
advection fog
Fog that forms when the wind blows relatively warm air over a colder surface
radiation fog
Fog that most commonly forms on clear nights, with light or calm winds
ozone
Gas that strongly absorbs ultraviolet (UV) radiation in the stratosphere
What is used as an index for fuel consumption?
Heating Degree Days
frost
Ice particles that develop on objects near the surface when the dew point is at or below freezing
moist adiabatic rate
If rising air cools to its dew-point temperature, condensation results forming a cloud. Because heat added during condensation offsets some of the cooling due to expansion, the air cools at a lower rate.
stratosphere
In this layer, air temperature begins to increase with height producing a temperature inversion. This is also the layer in which the ozone layer lies.
exosphere
In this layer, collisions between gas molecules and atoms are so infrequent that fast-moving lighter molecules can actually escape Earth's gravitational pull, and shoot off into space. This is the outermost layer of the atmosphere.
thermosphere
In this layer, oxygen molecules (O2) absorb energetic solar rays making it the warmest part of the atmosphere. Temperature increases with increasing height. This is also the location where the bulk of the ionosphere lies.
Compared to conventional radar, what additional capabilities does Doppler radar have?
It can measure the speed at which falling rain is moving horizontally.
gravity
It holds a planet's atmosphere close to its surface
Nimbostratus
It is currently precipitating
Cumulous
It is not actively snowing or raining
Earth is closest to the sun in ____.
January
When it is January and winter in the Northern Hemisphere, it is ____ in the Southern Hemisphere.
January and summer
On which date are the sun's rays closest to perpendicular to Earth's surface in the middle latitudes of the Northern Hemisphere?
June 21
The absolute temperature scale that contains no negative numbers is the ____, which makes it convenient for scientific computing.
Kelvin
Troposphere
Layer of the atmosphere that contains almost all the weather
Location A : Temperature: 85oF Dew point: 50oF Location B: Temperature: 45oF Dew point: 40oF Which location has the higher actual water vapor content? Which location has the higher relative humidity?
Location A; Location B
Altostratus
Look at the appearance of the sun
Cirrostratus
Look at the optical phenomenon near the sun
hair hygrometer
Measures relative humidity with human hairs
If we weight a column of air 1 square inch wide, extending from the average height of the ocean surface (sea level) to the "top" of the atmosphere, it would weigh _____.
Nearly 14.7 pounds per square inch
________ makes up 78% of earth's atmosphere (by volume) and is therefore the most abundant gas in the air we breathe.
Nitrogen
At all times of the year at mid-latitudes in the Southern Hemisphere, the sun at noon (midday) is due ______ in the sky.
North
During the summer at mid-latitudes in the Northern Hemisphere, the sun rises in the ______ and sets in the ________.
Northeast; Northwest
selective absorber
Objects that selectively absorb and emit radiation
front
On a weather map, this zone typically marks sharp changes in temperature, humidity and wind direction
micrometer
One millionth of a meter
_________ makes up 21% of earth's atmosphere (by volume) and is the second most abundant gas in the air we breathe.
Oxygen
From the choices below, choose three (3) critically important variable gases that exist in today's atmosphere:
Ozone, Carbon dioxide, Water vapor
Carbon dioxide (CO2) is removed from the atmosphere through the following processes:
Plants consuming and storing it, Chemical weathering, Oceans absorbing it
Rain
Precipitation in the form of liquid water drops that have diameters greater than that of drizzle.
Virga
Precipitation that falls from a cloud but evaporates before reaching the ground.
Thunderstorm
R, R with an arrow at the bottom
Suppose the outside air temperature is 30°C (86°F). From the saturation vapor pressure vs. temperature graph, you know that the saturation vapor pressure is about 42 millibars at this temperature. If the actual vapor pressure of the air is 21 millibars, use the following relative humidity formula to determine the relative humidity of the air: RH = actual vapor pressure/saturation vapor pressure x 100 percent
RH= 50
Freezing rain
Rain that falls in liquid form and then freezes upon striking a cold object or ground, producing a coating of ice on objects
thermals
Rising bubbles of heated air
Drizzle
Small water drops between 0.2 and 0.5 mm in diameter that fall slowly and reduce visibility more than light rain.
Why is snow challenging to measure?
Snow accumulations vary greatly from one spot to the next.
At all times of the year at mid-latitudes in the Northern Hemisphere, the sun at noon (midday) is due _____ in the sky.
South
If you are standing north of a smoke stack and smoke from the stack is drifting over your head, the wind would be called a __________ wind.
South
Kelvin
Temperature scale that begins with absolute zero
Cirrocumulus
The "puffs" are about the width of your pinky when held at arm's length
Stratocumulus
The "puffs" would be larger than the size of your fist if you held your hand a arm's length
mesosphere
The air is extremely thin and the atmospheric pressure is quite low. Temperature decreases with increasing height. The percentage of nitrogen and oxygen in this layer is about the same as it is at Earth's surface, but overall there are far fewer air molecules.
lapse rate
The average decrease in air temperature with increasing height above the surface
tropopause
The boundary separating the troposphere from the stratosphere
Ground blizzard
The combination of drifting and blowing snow after falling snow has ended
ionosphere
The electrified region of the upper atmosphere
latent heat
The heat associated with changes of state (phase changes)
sensible heat
The heat we can feel and measure with a thermometer
wind
The horizontal movement of air
Altocumulus
The individual puffs are 1-3 finger widths when held at arm's length
condensation level
The level at which a lifted parcel of air becomes saturated, marking the base of a cumuliform cloud
level of free convection
The level at which a lifted parcel of air in a conditionally unstable atmosphere becomes warmer (lighter) than its environment and continues to rise freely
wet-bulb temperature
The lowest temperature that can be obtained by evaporating water into the air
saturation vapor pressure
The maximum pressure that water vapor would exert if the air were saturated
water vapor
The most abundant greenhouse gas in the Earth's atmosphere
outgassing
The outpouring of gases from the Earth's hot interior
Evaporation
The process of water changing from a liquid to a vapor
reflection
The process whereby a surface turns backwards a portion of the radiation that strikes it
dry adiabatic process
The rate of adiabatic cooling or warming that occurs in a parcel of air that is unsaturated.
meteorology
The study of the atmosphere and its phenomena
visible
The sun emits radiation with greatest intensity in this region of the spectrum
condensation nuclei
These particles serve as surfaces on which water vapor may condense
troposphere
This layer is well stirred and contains all of the weather that we are familiar with on Earth. The temperature here typically decreases with height.
Which of the following has/have the measurement of approximately 23.5 degrees? Check all that apply.
Tilt of the earth on its axis, Tropic of Cancer, Tropic of Capricorn
thunderstorm
Towering cumulus clouds accompanied by thunder, lightning, and strong gusty winds
T or F: Energy is either absorbed or released when water changes phases.
True
T or F: Hot air with a low relative humidity may actually contain more water vapor than cool air with a high relative humidity.
True
T or F: Molecular oxygen (O 2) in Earth's early atmosphere probably originated from the splitting of water vapor (H 2O) into hydrogen and oxygen.
True
T or F: The Great Lakes are large enough to affect the climate of the surrounding area.
True
T or F: The ground is a better emitter of infrared radiation and cools more quickly than air.
True
T or F: Two cities can have the same mean annual temperature but different mean annual ranges of temperature.
True
T or F: Visibility generally improves after a rain storm.
True
sling psychrometer
Uses wet-bulb and dry-bulb temperatures to obtain relative humidity
According to Wien's Law, the wavelength at which the sun radiates most of its energy is in the ______________ part of the electromagnetic spectrum while the earth radiates most of its energy in the ___________ part of the spectrum.
Visible light; Infrared
infrared
Wavelengths longer than those of red light
pressure
Weather element that always decreases with increasing height
Snow pellets
White, opaque, approximately round ice particles between 2 and 5 mm in diameter that form in a cloud either from the sticking together of ice crystals or from the process of accretion. Also called graupel.
Overall, the Northern Hemisphere receives the least amount of insolation at what time of the year?
Winter (December) Solstice
Water freezes at _______ degrees Celsius.
Zero
Which condition would be equivalent to an air temperature of 45°F, a wind speed of 30 mi/hr, and a wind-chill equivalent temperature of 15°F?
a 15°F air temperature and 0 mi/hr winds
The most common snowflake form is ____.
a dendrite
On a typical day, the daily maximum temperature is recorded _______ sunset.
a few hours before
In calm air, the air temperature is -10°F. If the wind speed should increase to 30 mi/hr (with no change in air temperature), the thermometer will indicate ____.
a temperature of -10 degrees F
Which cloud type will only produce precipitation by the collision-coalescence process?
a thick, warm cumulous cloud
All molecular activity stops at zero on the Kelvin Temperature Scale, also known as ___________ ___________ (two words) .
absolute zero
Earth's surface receives about twice as much energy from the atmosphere than from the sun as a result of ____.
absorbed infrared energy radiated back to Earth
A good example of ____ fog is observed along the Pacific Coast during summer, when warm, moist air from the ocean is carried over colder coastal waters.
advection
Tiny solid or liquid particles of various compositions that are suspended in the atmosphere are called ____.
aerosols
In a hilly region, the best place to plant crops that are sensitive to low temperatures is ____.
along the hillsides
Radar gathers information about precipitation in clouds by measuring the ____.
amount of energy reflected back to a transmitter
The thermosphere is where charged particles from the sun interact with air molecules to produce ____.
auroras
An object that radiates more energy than it absorbs will ____.
become colder
An object at radiative equilibrium temperature is behaving as a ____.
blackbody
The atmospheric greenhouse effect is due primarily to the fact that ___.
carbon dioxide and water vapor absorb infrared radiation
Nighttime radiation inversions occur on most ____ nights.
clear, calm
One would expect near-ground temperatures to be coldest when the night is ___.
clear, dry, and calm
As opposed to weather, ___________ describes atmospheric parameters (such as temperature, wind speed and direction, and precipitation) averaged over a long period for a given location, typically 30 years.
climate
Winds circle a high pressure system in the Northern Hemisphere in a ________________ direction.
clockwise
During the Northern Hemisphere winter, isotherms are ____ those observed in July.
closer together than
Cold and cloudy nights are warmer than cold and clear nights (other factors being equal) because ____.
clouds absorb outgoing infrared energy and radiate it back to the surface
Most rain at middle latitudes is produced by the ice crystal process. This is because ____.
clouds in these regions can extend into regions where air temperatures are below freezing
Which area would you expect to have smaller diurnal temperature ranges (assuming all other factors are equal)?
coastal cities
Hypothermia is most common in ____ weather.
cold, wet
The heat energy released when water vapor changes to a liquid is called the latent heat of ____.
condensation
The elevation above the surface where a cloud first forms is called the ____.
condensation level
A _____ atmosphere exists when a parcel of air can be lifted to a level where it becomes saturated, a cloud forms, and the rising parcel becomes warmer than the air surrounding it.
conditionally unstable
Earth emits infrared radiation ____.
continuously
Cumulus clouds form through ______________, the process of heat exchange that involves the transportation and mixing of a fluid's properties. This is the same process that we observe when water in a pot boils.
convection
In clear weather, the air next to the ground is usually ____ than the air above it at night, and ____ than the air above it during the day.
cooler; warmer
Winds circle a low pressure system in the Northern Hemisphere in a _____________________ direction.
counterclockwise
A cloud with an anvil-shaped top is most often associated with ____.
cumulonimbus
Hail is usually associated with which cloud type?
cumulonimbus
Suppose rain falls on one side of a street and not on the other side. This rain most likely fell from a ____ cloud.
cumulonimbus
Which type of cloud shows the greatest vertical growth?
cumulonimbus
As the difference between the air temperature and the dew point increases, the relative humidity ____.
decreases
When air temperature rises and dew point temperature stays the same, relative humidity _____________.
decreases
This leads to heating _______ between the equator and the poles.
differences
For the collision-coalescence process to be effective, cloud droplets need to be ___________ sizes.
different
scattering
distribution of light in all directions
Which condition would contribute to higher surface air temperatures?
dry sandy soil with little vegetation
When fog "burns off " it does this
evaporates
In the lower atmosphere, any air that rises will ____ and cool.
expand
Middle-latitude (or mid-latitude) cyclonic storm systems are also known as ____.
extratropical cyclones
In the winter, you read in the newspaper that a large section of the Midwest is without power due to downed power lines. Which form of precipitation would most likely produce this situation?
freezing rain
fallstreaks
frozen virga
In a conditionally unstable atmosphere, the environmental lapse rate will be ____ than the moist adiabatic rate and ____ than the dry adiabatic rate.
greater; less
What type of precipitation is associated with "the white plague," which injures livestock and causes extensive damage to crops?
hail
When the air temperature is only a few degrees higher than the dewpoint temperature, the relative humidity is _______.
high
The albedo of Earth's surface is only about 4%, yet the combined albedo of Earth and its atmosphere is about 30%. Which set of conditions below best explains why this is so?
high albedo of clouds; low albedo of water
Assuming that the night will remain clear, calm, and unsaturated, the predicted minimum temperature is 32°F. Suddenly, the wind speed increases and remains gusty throughout the night. The minimum temperature will most likely be ____.
higher than predicted due to mixing
Air density is greatest in the ____.
homosphere
A baseball will travel slightly farther on a ____ day.
hot, humid
Earth's first atmosphere (approximately 4.6 billion years ago) was most likely composed of ____.
hydrogen and helium
In the Bergeron Process...
ice crystals grow at the expense of supercooled water droplets
Cirrus clouds are composed primarily of ____.
ice particles
Aircraft icing would be heaviest and most severe ____ freezing temperatures.
in a cloud at just below
When the air temperature increases, the saturation vapor pressure will ____.
increase
If very cold air is brought indoors and warmed with no change in its moisture content, the saturation vapor pressure of this air will ____ and the relative humidity of this air will ____.
increase; decrease
Average atmospheric CO 2 concentrations have ____ over the past 100 years.
increased
After the winter solstice at middle latitudes in the Northern Hemisphere, the length of the day ____.
increases
When air temperature is held constant and dew point temperature increases, relative humidity _________.
increases
When air temperature is held constant and relative humidity increases, actual vapor pressure ______________.
increases
When air temperature is held constant and relative humidity increases, dew point temperature _____________.
increases
In a temperature inversion, air temperature ____.
increases with increasing height
Earth emits its peak radiation in the ____________ part of the electromagnet spectrum.
infrared
Greenhouse gases in earth's atmosphere are poor absorbers of visible radiation from the sun, but they are particularly good at absorbing and re-emitting ___________ radiation from earth's surface.
infrared
The wavelength of radiation is ____ proportional to the energy carried per wave.
inversely
An inversion represents an extremely stable atmosphere because ____.
inversions act as a lid on vertical air motion
The Dew Point...
is the same as temperature when the relative humidity is 100%.
On a weather map, a line of constant pressure is known as a(n) ______________.
isobar
On a weather map, a line of constant temperature is known as a(n) ______________.
isotherm
Lines on a map connecting points of equal temperature are called ____.
isotherms
On a typical day, the daily minimum temperature is recorded _______ sunrise.
just before
The energy of motion is known as ____.
kinetic energy
Rising saturated air cools at a lesser rate than rising unsaturated air primarily because:
latent heat of condensation is released in a rising parcel of saturated air
Which process accounts for the sky's blue color?
light scattering
Earth's radiation is often referred to as ____ radiation, while the sun's radiation is often referred to as ____ radiation.
longwave; shortwave
When the air temperature is many degrees higher than the dewpoint temperature, the relative humidity is _______.
low
Clouds that appear as bag-like sacks hanging from beneath a cloud are ____.
mammatus
The largest snowflakes would probably be observed in ____ air whose temperature is ____ freezing.
moist; near
According to the Stefan-Boltzmann Law, an object with a very high temperature will radiate _________ total energy than an object with a lower temperature.
more
Pileus
mushroom cap
When dew point temperature rises, saturation vapor pressure ____________.
not enough information to determine
Approximately 70% of Earth's surface is covered by ____.
oceans
Over Earth as a whole, one would expect to observe the smallest variation in temperature from day to day and from month to month ____.
on a small island near the equator
Orographic clouds form ____.
on the windward slope of a mountain
The primary source of water vapor and carbon dioxide for Earth's early atmosphere was most likely ____.
outgassing
The average summer temperatures in the Southern Hemisphere are cooler than the average summer temperatures in the Northern Hemisphere because ____.
over 80% of the Southern Hemisphere is covered with water
Which gas is responsible for the temperature inversion in the stratosphere?
ozone
Relative humidity
percent of water vapor in the air compared to that required for saturation
These are both ________ gases in our atmosphere, and therefore do not vary as we move from place to place as we move near earth's surface.
permanent
Radiation is made of discrete packets of energy called ____.
photons
The letters H and L on a surface weather map refer to regions of high and low ____.
pressure
The longest wavelength of the electromagnetic spectrum corresponds to the color ____.
red
The wind-chill index ____.
relates body heat loss with wind to an equivalent temperature with no wind
The percentage of water vapor present in the air compared to that required for saturation is the ____.
relative humidity
As the air temperature increases, with no addition of water vapor to the air, the dew point will ____.
remain the same
The most latent heat would be released in a ____ parcel of ____ saturated air.
rising; warm
Beneath a lenticular cloud downwind of a mountain, a large swirling eddy forms what type of cloud?
rotor
Which below best describes the shape of a large falling raindrop about 5 millimeters in diameter?
slightly elongated and flattened on the bottom
Which structure or substance has a higher albedo than thin clouds?
snow
If an air parcel is given a small push upward and it falls back to its original position, the atmosphere is said to be ____.
stable
When air temperature is held constant and relative humidity increases, saturation vapor pressure _________.
stays the same
The majority of atmospheric ozone (about 97%) is found in the ____.
stratosphere
Which cloud type would most likely form in absolutely stable air?
stratus
Which of the following is not a way of producing clouds?
subsidence
During the afternoon, the greatest temperature difference between the surface air and the air a meter or so above occurs on a ____ day.
sunny, calm
The ice crystal (Bergeron) process of precipitation formation operates in the mixed ice and water region of a cold cloud where there are ice crystals and __________ droplets.
supercooled
Water droplets existing at temperatures below freezing are referred to as _____ droplets.
supercooled
Cloud seeding using silver iodide may enhance precipitation in ____.
supercooled clouds containing a low ratio of ice crystals to droplets
The layers of the atmosphere are determined by the change of _________________ with height above earth's surface.
temperature
The wavelengths of radiation that an object emits depend primarily on the object's ____.
temperature
Polar air is often described as dry even though the relative humidity is high. This is because in polar regions, ____.
the dew point and air temperature are normally close together
Seasons on Earth are primarily regulated by __________
the length of daylight hours and the angle of sunlight striking Earth's surface
Which of the following is not considered an important factor in the production of rain by the collision-coalescence process?
the number of ice crystals in the cloud
conduction
the transfer of heat from molecule to molecule within a substance
A hot "bubble" of air that breaks away from the warm surface and rises, expanding and cooling as it ascends, is known as a(n) _____.
thermal
During atmospheric convection, rising air bubbles are called ____.
thermals
An instrument that measures temperature and records it on a piece of record paper is called a ____.
thermograph
If you observe large raindrops hitting the ground, you could conclude that the cloud overhead was ____ and had ____ updrafts.
thick; strong
The seasons are due to the ______ of the earth on its axis.
tilt
Jet streams are found within the ____.
tropopause
We live in the _____________, the lowest layer of the atmosphere and where the vast majority of all weather occurs.
troposphere
A cumulonimbus cloud is most likely to form in a(n) _______________ atmosphere.
unstable
If an air parcel is given a small push upward and it continues to move upward on its own accord, the atmosphere is said to be ____.
unstable
Electromagnetic radiation with wavelengths between 0.4 and 0.7 micrometers is called ____.
visible light
Thermal belts are ____.
warmer hillsides that are less likely to experience freezing temperatures
Which process results in a decrease in relative humidity?
warming the air
What set of conditions, working together, will make the atmosphere the most unstable?
warming the surface and cooling the air aloft
The only substance found naturally in the lower atmosphere that can exist as a solid, a liquid, and a gas is ____.
water
__________ is a variable gas and only comprises from less than 1 percent up to 4 percent of the earth's atmosphere (by volume). It is nonetheless critical to the development of clouds and precipitation.
water vapor
adiabatic process
If a parcel of air expands and cools, or compresses and warms, and there is no interchange of heat with its outside surroundings.
advection
the horizontal transfer of any atmospheric property by wind
convection
the transfer of heat by the mass movement of a fluid, such as water and air