| Review
Questions |
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1. Explain the difference between temperature and energy.
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2. Why does warm air rise and as it rises cool? Why does cool air sink
and as it sinks warms?
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3. a) Describe and explain the general pattern of world
distribution of temperatures. Make sure you explain why the isotherms
(lines of equal value of temperature) have a general East- West trend and
decrease polewards. How are these perturbed by oceans/continents?
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b) What is the influence of warm currents compared to cold currents?
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c) Are there any notable differences (anomalies)
between the expected average/normal pattern and current conditions?
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4. a) Sensible heat flux (QH) is the flux that actually transports
heat into the atmosphere and thus warms the air. Draw a diagram to show
the gradient that drives this transport of energy.
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b) Show that the flux of energy into the soil (QG) behaves in
a similar manner.
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c) Why does soil temperature show greater variation near the surface than
deeper in the soil?
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5. Why does air temperature decrease with height in the troposphere
but increase with height in the stratosphere?
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6. What are the processes that cause it to be colder in winter in the middle
of a continent (e.g. Indiana) than beside a large water body (e.g. Eureka,
CA), even though both are at the same latitude and thus receiving the same
amount of solar radiation at the top of the atmosphere?
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7. a) Why do we have meridional (poleward) transport of energy?
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b) When there are greater contrasts of temperature the atmospheric and
oceanic currents work harder to transport the energy polewards. When do
these greater contrasts occur?
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c) How do ocean currents modify air temperature?
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d) How are current patterns on the east
and west coasts of the US affected?
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e) What time of year are warm currents more effective? Cold currents?
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8. The mid-latitudes experience predominately westerly winds, how does
this influence the seasonal temperature patterns of the east and west coast
climates?
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9. a) What is the influence of altitude on air temperature?
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b) Because of increased altitude the density (r)
of the air is less (i.e. less molecules per unit volume). Explain (in terms
of radiative transfer processes) why this will mean that day time temperatures
will be slightly warmer than expected and that nighttime temperature will
be colder.
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10. Using the web resources, describe and explain the annual global pattern
of maximum
and minimum surface air temperatures.
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11. a) Based on the surface
observations for Indianapolis for the past 24 hours - when did the
maximum and minimum temperatures occur?
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b) What is the daily "lag of the maximum"? Explain this concept using your
knowledge of radiative and convective transfer.
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c) Why does the minimum temperature occur at approximately dawn (sunrise).
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d) Explain the annual "lag of the maximum."
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12. Use a diagram to show the influence of cloud on the daily cycle of
air temperature. Explain the differences between the day and night.
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13. Why are urban areas often warmer than surrounding rural areas? Explain
the processes involved.
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