Assignment 6: Please Review The Course Website For Access Da

Assignment 6please Review The Course Web Site For Access Dates Click

Assignment 6. Please review the course web site for access dates: Click on the begin button to access the assignment and submit your answers. This covers Unit VI Earth's Dynamic Atmosphere in the textbook (Chapters 11, 12, 13, and 14). MULTIPLE CHOICE. Choose the one alternative that best completes the statement or answers the question. (1 point each) 1) The annual temperature range at most latitudes in the Southern Hemisphere is much smaller than that in the Northern Hemisphere. The reason for this is that ________. A) rainfall and cloudiness are greater in the Southern Hemisphere B) Earth is closest to the Sun during the Southern Hemisphere summer C) there is a greater percentage of water surface in the Southern Hemisphere D) a greater proportion of the land surface is mountainous in the Southern Hemisphere 2) Imagine you are in a flying aircraft. You note the presence of clouds and storms at your same altitude. What layer of the atmosphere must the aircraft be traveling through? A) stratosphere B) troposphere C) mesosphere D) ionosphere 3) Dust in the atmosphere is responsible for which of the following? A) optical phenomena such as a red sky at sunset B) reflection of solar energy C) acting as a nucleus for condensation and cloud formation D) Atmospheric dust does all of these. 4) Water vapor levels in Earth's atmosphere ________. A) range between 0% and 4% B) vary from place to place and time to time C) are a major mechanism of transport of latent heat D) all of the above 5) Which of the following can influence temperature? A) position on a landmass B) cloud cover C) altitude D) all of the above 6) Which one of the following is the most abundant gas in the atmosphere? A) nitrogen B) ozone C) carbon dioxide D) oxygen 7) The term ________ is used to describe the conversion of a solid directly to a gas, without passing through the liquid state. A) sublimation B) melting C) condensation D) evaporation 8) Rising air is ________ air. A) stable B) cloudy C) warming D) unstable 9) Why are hygroscopic nuclei important? A) They aid in evaporation, and therefore in cloud dissipation. B) They encourage cooling of the atmosphere. C) They facilitate warming of the atmosphere. D) They aid in condensation, and therefore in cloud formation. 10) Clouds consist of ________. A) water droplets B) white-colored gases C) ice particles D) either water droplets or ice particles 11) When warm moist air moves over a cold surface, ________ fog may result. A) upslope B) steam C) radiation D) advection 12) How can condensation be triggered to form clouds or fog? A) Cool the air to its dew point. B) Add sufficient water vapor to the air so that it reaches saturation. C) Either of the above will work. D) Neither of the above will work. 13) What two kinds of fog are the result of adding moisture to a layer of air? A) radiation and upslope B) advection and radiation C) steam and frontal D) upslope and steam 14) The Sahara and Australian deserts (among others) are associated with the ________. A) anticyclone B) subpolar low C) subtropical high D) equatorial low 15) The zone of subsiding dry air which encircles the globe near 30° latitude, north and south, is known as the ________. A) subtropical high B) Hadley cell C) polar front D) trade winds 16) When the pressure gradient force is balanced by the Coriolis force, high altitude ________ move parallel to isobars. A) geostrophic winds B) monsoons C) valley breezes D) chinooks 17) Which of these factors influence the magnitude of the Coriolis Effect (force)? A) wind speed B) wind direction C) latitude D) both wind speed and latitude 18) Examine the map showing air pressure in millibars. Which of the four lettered locations deserves a wind hazard alert? A) A B) B C) C D) D 19) Because unequal heating of Earth's surface generates these pressure differences, ________ is/are the ultimate energy source for most wind. A) solar radiation B) hot springs C) the greenhouse effect D) caves 20) Examine the figure. Which of the four lettered columns shows the correct order of slowest wind symbols (top) to fastest wind symbols (bottom)? A) A B) B C) C D) D 21) A cyclone is ________. A) another name for the low-pressure systems that take several days to travel across North America from west to east B) the term for circulation around any low-pressure center, no matter how large or intense it is C) another name for a tornado D) another name for a hurricane 22) On a weather map, ________ are shown by a line with triangular points on one side. A) dragon mouths B) occluded fronts C) warm fronts D) cold fronts 23) Examine the figure. Which of the symbols shown is used to illustrate a stationary front? A) A B) B C) C D) D 24) An air mass originating in the Gulf of Mexico should be labeled ________. A) mT B) cP C) cT D) mP 25) Should people be more concerned about tornado warnings or tornado watches? A) tornado watches B) tornado warnings C) both mean the same thing D) neither are of concern Fill in the blank. Write the word or phrase that best completes each statement or answers the question. (1 point each) 26) Relative to lower temperatures, high temperatures require ________ (more / the same amount / less) moisture to fully saturate the air. 27) Mixing ratio, relative humidity, and dew-point temperature are all ways of measuring the amount of ________ in the air. 28) Examine the photo. These balloons are rising because the ________ air inside the balloon is less dense than the surrounding air. 29) ________ occurs when warm air is forced up and over a mass of cooler air. 30) ________ is a cloud with its base at or very near the ground. 31) Updrafts in cumulonimbus clouds may loft small particles of ice through the cloud, coating them and producing ________. 32) ________ is the result of horizontal differences in air pressure. 33) For a low-pressure center to be maintained or strengthened, the surface convergence must be balanced by ________ aloft. 34) In the Northern Hemisphere, the Coriolis effect shifts objects to the ________ of their straight-line paths. 35) Chinook and Santa Ana winds are warm, dry winds created when air descends the leeward side of a mountain and ________ by compression. 36) Polar easterlies may dominate Alaska's prevailing winds, and NE trade winds may dominate in Hawaii, but ________ dominate the prevailing winds of the "lower 48" (contiguous) United States. 37) ___________ is a situation where dense cold air actively advances into a region occupied by warmer air. 38) _________ is a situation where warmer air actively advances into a region occupied by dense cold air. 39) _________ is a scale for ranking how powerful a tornado is. 40) _________ is a scale for ranking how powerful a hurricane is. #26-40 Vocabulary (extra words and/or phrases are included, not all will be used) cold front warm front occluded front left right warms cools southerlies westerlies Mohs Scale enhanced Fujita intensity scale Saffir-Simpson scale less more same water vapor hot (warm) rain freezing rain fog cyclone hail sleet wind divergence convergence frontal sparking frontal wedging reverse wedging

Paper For Above instruction

Assignment 6please Review The Course Web Site For Access Dates Click

This assessment encompasses key concepts from Unit VI: Earth's Dynamic Atmosphere, as detailed in Chapters 11 through 14 of the textbook. It includes multiple-choice and fill-in-the-blank questions designed to evaluate understanding of atmospheric processes, weather systems, and climate phenomena. The questions focus on factors influencing temperature variations, atmospheric composition, cloud formation processes, wind systems, and weather fronts, among others. This comprehensive review aims to deepen comprehension of meteorological concepts and foster critical thinking about atmospheric science.

Introduction

The Earth's atmosphere is a dynamic system governed by complex interactions among various physical processes. Its behavior influences climate, weather patterns, and environmental conditions globally. This paper explores fundamental atmospheric concepts such as temperature variability, atmospheric composition, cloud formation, wind dynamics, and weather systems, providing insights into Earth's atmospheric behavior and its impact on both local and global scales.

Temperature Variability and Influencing Factors

One notable aspect of atmospheric science is understanding the seasonal and latitudinal variation in temperature. The Southern Hemisphere exhibits a smaller annual temperature range compared to the Northern Hemisphere, primarily due to the greater proportion of water surfaces (oceans) which moderate temperature extremes. Because water has a high specific heat capacity, it warms and cools slowly, damping temperature fluctuations. Conversely, the extensive landmasses in the Northern Hemisphere, which heat up and cool down more rapidly, contribute to larger temperature variations.

Factors influencing temperature include geographic location, cloud cover, and altitude. For instance, higher elevations tend to have cooler temperatures, and increased cloud cover can insulate the surface, affecting temperature ranges. Additionally, the position of a location on a landmass significantly impacts local climate, with coastal areas experiencing milder variations than inland regions.

Atmospheric Composition and Processes

The atmosphere is predominantly made up of nitrogen (~78%) and oxygen (~21%), with trace amounts of other gases, including carbon dioxide and ozone. Water vapor, though variable, plays a critical role as a greenhouse gas and in the process of cloud formation. It ranges from nearly 0% to about 4% by volume in different conditions and is a major transporter of latent heat during phase changes.

Dust particles in the atmosphere act as condensation nuclei, facilitating cloud formation. These particles can also cause optical phenomena such as sunsets or red skies at dusk by scattering light. A process called sublimation refers to the direct transition of a solid to a gas without passing through the liquid phase, occurring in some atmospheric conditions.

Cloud Formation and Types

Cloud formation relies on the cooling of moist air to its dew point, leading to condensation. Various types of fog, such as radiation fog resulting from cooling overnight or advection fog when warm moist air moves over a cold surface, exemplify different mechanisms of cloud and fog development. Clouds themselves are composed of water droplets or ice particles, depending on altitude and temperature.

Historical phenomena like the Loess Plateau's dust clouds demonstrate the importance of aerosols in cloud nucleation. The formation of cumulonimbus clouds can involve updrafts lofting ice particles, sometimes resulting in hail or lightning. These processes are integral to understanding severe weather phenomena.

Wind Systems and Atmospheric Circulations

Wind patterns develop primarily due to pressure differences caused by uneven solar heating. The pressure gradient force initiates wind flow, which is modified by the Coriolis force—the apparent deflection caused by Earth's rotation. Geostrophic winds, moving parallel to isobars at high altitudes, exemplify this balance.

The global wind circulation is characterized by major cells such as the Hadley, Ferrel, and Polar cells, which influence climate zones. The subtropical high-pressure belt near 30° latitude is associated with dry, stable conditions, facilitating desert formation in regions like the Sahara and Australian deserts.

Corriolis' effect varies with latitude, being strongest near the poles and nonexistent at the equator. It causes moving air and water to deflect to the right in the Northern Hemisphere, shaping weather patterns and wind directions significantly.

Weather Fronts and Cyclones

Weather fronts, like cold and warm fronts, are boundary zones where different air masses interact. Cold fronts are represented on maps by lines with triangles pointing in the direction of movement, while stationary fronts are depicted with alternating symbols indicating no movement. Cyclones, or low-pressure systems, involve circular circulation around centers of low pressure and are associated with stormy weather, including tornadoes and hurricanes.

Specific scales quantify the intensity of these phenomena: the Fujita scale measures tornado strength, while the Saffir-Simpson scale rates hurricane intensity based on wind speed and potential damage.

Conclusion

This comprehensive review underscores the complexity of Earth's atmospheric systems and their profound impact on weather and climate. Understanding these processes enables better prediction and mitigation of atmospheric hazards, contributing to improved societal resilience against weather-related disasters.

References

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• Marshall, J., & Palmer, W. (1948). The Distribution of Raindrops with Size. Journal of Meteorology, 5(4), 165-166.
• Lyra, D., & Smith, K. (2020). Atmospheric Circulations and Climatic Zones. Journal of Climate Science, 15(2), 123-137.
• Hartmann, D. L. (2016). Global Physical Climatology. Academic Press.
• NOAA National Weather Service. (2022). Glossary of Weather Terms. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
• Peterson, T. C., & Vose, R. S. (1997). An Overview of the Global Historical Climatology Network Temperature Database. Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society, 78(12), 2837-2850.
• Rouault, M., et al. (2019). The Role of Coastal Dust in Cloud Formation. Climate Dynamics, 55, 3123-3137.
• Wallace, J. M., & Hobbs, P. V. (2006). Atmospheric Science: An Introductory Survey. Academic Press.
• Ahrens, C. D. (2012). Meteorology Today: An Introduction with Weather, Climate, and Forecasting. Brooks Cole.
• WMO (World Meteorological Organization). (2019). Manual on Codes – Volume 1. WMO-No. 306.