Caleb Clingan
ESCI 1123
1. Distinguish between weather and climate.
Weather is the state of the atmosphere at a particular place and time. Climate is a location's average weather conditions over a specific period of time. For example, Weather looks at what is happening right now. Climate however looks at what the weather as done in the past and projects what the weather should do. Like normally we get 20 inches of rain in the summer and it's safe to assume that we will receive close to that same amount of rain.
2. What is the advantage of describing the climate of locality in terms of both average weather plus extremes in weather?
The advantage is that farmers can know what crops can be grown and what the average
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5. What is an air mass? What governs the temperature and humidity of an air mass?
An air mass is a huge volume of air covering hundreds of thousands of square kilometers that has relatively uniform temperature and humidity properties in its horizontal extent. Fronts govern the temperature and humidity of an air mass.
6. Explain why clouds and precipitation are often associated with fronts.
Fronts form where contrasting air masses meet, and the associated air movements often give rise to cloudiness and precipitation.
7. Among weather satellites, distinguish between GOES and POES.
GOES orbit the Earth about 36,000 km above the planet's equator. A GOES satellite revolves around Earth at the same rate and in the same direction as the planet rotates so that the satellite is always positioned over the same spot on Earth's surface and its sensors have a consistent field of view.
POES travel about 800 to 1000 km above the Earth. The satellite's orbit traces out a plane in space while the planet continually rotates on its axis through the plane of the satellite's orbit. With each orbit, points on Earth's surface move eastward so that onboard sensors sweep out successive overlapping north/south strips.
8. What advantages does an infrared satellite image offer over a visible satellite image for monitoring the state of the atmosphere?
An infrared satellite can provide useful information at any time whereas visible weather
The process begins when the sun starts to heats up the surface which creates warm air. The warm, less heavy air rises and converges with the cold less heavy air above. This process is known as wind shears. Wind shears are when two
As stated in the last paragraph air pressure is made up of air molecules. But wind is made up almost completely different. Wind is the flow of air or other gases that make up the atmosphere. Wind is so strong that it can cause to make differrent landscapes or cause a tornado also known as a cycone. There are global winds, such as the wind belts which are between the atmospheric circulation cells. There winds which typically include certain type of cells in the air that are called jet streams. Gusts are short-lived increases in the strength of the
When air undergoes a deflection from it’s path, and it is a result of earth’s rotation.
the composite or generally prevailing weather conditions of a region, as temperature, air pressure, humidity, precipitation, sunshine, cloudiness, and winds, throughout the year, averaged over a series of years.
1. Weather is the current state of the atmosphere. Climate is the long-term weather conditions for an area or region. Some examples of weather will be tornadoes, hurricanes and flooding. When it comes to climate common examples will be tropical, polar, marine, and Mediterranean. The difference between weather and climate is that climate is a long-term weather. We can say that climate is like the “official” weather of the region or country. For example, in Dominican Republic, our climate is tropical. On the other hand, weather is the current situation on the region or country.
4. Where do thunderstorms form most frequently in the US? Why is this the case? Is this also where most tornadoes occur? Explain.
Clouds to form in the atmosphere have to have water vapor present. This water vapor makes up a cloud. The water vapor in the atmosphere comes from evaporation or deposition. Also the temperature of the air is below the dew point. When the water is fully saturated, it starts to rise and the expansional cooling process begins. During the process of condensation, the aerosol particles act like a nuclei in the atmosphere, which began to grow, creating ice crystals that are big enough to produce a cloud.
Which air mass would show the most dramatic change in both temperature and moisture content as it moves over a large body of very warm water?
Clouds- Clouds are a mass of water or ice droplets in the air. An example of a
3. Windward side: humid air moves up the mountain’s slopes and cools to form clouds that produce precipitation; leeward side: the air is warm and very dry.
3) Weather and climate are separate, but related, terms. Provide a definition of each and then give an example of a concept related to both weather and climate. Additionally, since they are important issues when dealing with the subject of climate today, what is the greenhouse effect and global warming? Are they the same thing? If not, how are they different? What influence would global warming have on “nature” and our lives?
Climate is an atmospheric change in the average weather in an area over a period of
This continual warming of air actually allows for even more water vapor to be stored, and it is this feedback loop that is cited as the principle reason water vapor is considered to be the most effective greenhouse gas. Although he stresses that water vapor accounts for a substantial amount of climate change, Emanuel does not neglect to mention the involvement of industrial activity, biomass burning, and sulfate aerosols. The concept of “climate noise” is introduced within the final two pages of chapter three, but the author may have fortified the argument for global warming by spending a few more pages on the compelling concept, perhaps devoting an entire chapter to it.
There are 24 satellites that circle the earth every 12 hours. These satellites are split into six groups of four and each group creates an orbital plane. These six orbital planes allow the satellites to move in a way that covers the earth completely. GPS satellites transmit signals to equipment on the ground. An example is a GPS receiver (GPS receiver can only receive the signals form the satellites but they can’t transmit any signals). The receivers work best in an open outdoor area where there is a clear view to the sky. At any time there are always four visible satellites. The GPS receiver can calculate how far each satellite is based on the time it took the signal to reach the receiver. Using the distance from each satellite that the receiver calculated it could then use a process called trilateration to pinpoint the location of the receiver [1].
Warm air rises and cool air sinks, or subsides. If the Earth had no continents and did not turn, then the circulation of the atmosphere would appear much like this.