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Meteorology

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Meteorology Extra Credit
Virtual Weather Room
Student notes

Labotatories

Key Idea: Earth may be considered a huge machine driven by two engines.

External engine: Powered by the sun and influenced by gravity. Nearly all the energy for circulating the atmosphere and oceans is supplied by the sun. The sun's rays are reflected, refracted, and absorbed by the earth's atmosphere.  Energy is transferred between the earth's surface by radiation, conduction, evaporation, and convection.  Temperature differences in the atmosphere cause differences in density that cause circulation of the atmosphere which is affected by the Earth's rotation causing the Coriolis effect.  The interaction of these processes is known as weather.

Major Understandings: 2.1b
The transfer of heat energy in the atmosphere, hydrosphere, and inside the Earth is the result of the formation of regions of different densities. 
These density differences result in currents (air, water, or magma).
This unit will focus on the currents in the atmosphere.

As heat is transferred through our atmosphere, currents of air are created.

We call those currents WIND!

Why is there wind?

Wind is caused by unequal heating of the atmosphere.
Air that is heated becomes less dense and rises. Cooler air comes in to replace the rising more "energenic" air.

Why is the earth not heated equally?
BECAUSE

IT IS

ROUND!
More direct rays hit the equator. Cooler air comes in to replace the rising warmer air.

Note: Mountains, large bodies of water, and precipitation rates also affect heating rates.

Insolation: incoming solar radiation
The Sun's ray's that make it to the earth.

How is heat transfered in the atmosphere?

  1. Radiation: Transfer of heat energy by electromagnetic radiation. 
    Radiation can travel through     outer space.  
    Does not need a     medium (can travel through "nothing").
    (Think of heat from a light bulb).
    The earth absorbs more     insolation in the day.
    The earth radiates more     infrared waves (heat) into space at night. Everything is always absorbing and radiating energy!
    Dark colored objects absorb and radiate energy faster than lighter colored objects.
  2. Convection: Transfer of heat energy in a fluid (gas or liquid). 
    Air is fluid.  Warm air is less dense so it     rises. 
    Cooler air is     more dense so it sinks. 
    This process causes     convection currents.
  3. Conduction: Transfer of heat energy by "touch". 
    The air comes in     contact with the warm land and is warmed up. 
    (Think of putting your cold hands on a hot mug of coffee.)

Layers of the Atmosphere pg. 14 E.S.R.T

Draw and label the percentages of gasses in the atmosphere.

  • Atmosphere near the surface contains about 78% Nitrogen and 21% Oxygen with the other 1% mostly carbon dioxide
  • All weather occurs in the Troposphere
  • As air rises in the troposphere it's temperature cools because there is less air pressure.

Major Understandings: 2.1c

  • Weather patterns become evident when weather variables are observed, measured, and recorded.  These variables include air temperature, air pressure, moisture (relative humidity and dewpoint), precipitation (rain, snow, hail, sleet), wind speed and direction, and cloud cover.
  1. Weather: short-term effects of temperature, pressure and moisture
  2. Climate: long-term condition of the atmosphere
  3. Meteorologist: someone who studies the weather

Weather Instruments: tools used to measure the variables of weather.