Download Particulate Matter

Particulate Matter:
Heat Island:
Solid particles in the atmosphere
The increased temperatures found in the centres of
large urban areas compared with surrounding
rural or suburban areas
Dry Adiabatic Lapse Rate:
The rate at which temperatures in an air mass
change due to expansion or compaction of that air
mass as a result of changes in air pressure. 10 c
per 1000 m.
Wet Adiabatic Lapse Rate:
The rate at which temperatures in an air mass
change due to expansion or compaction of that air
mass as a result of changes in air pressure. 3 c per
1000 m.
Lapse Rate:
The rate at which air temperatures decrease with
altitude. In stable air, the lapse rate is 6.4 C per
1000 meters.
Sensible Heat Flux:
The movement of heat in the atmosphere
by convection currents in the air.
Pressure Gradient:
The change in air pressure as one moves from one
location on the earth to another.
Subtropical Highs:
The zones of descending air found approximately
30 degrees north and south of the equator. The
wind systems known as the westerlies and the trade
winds blow out of the subtropical high pressure
zones.
Subpolar Lows:
The zones of ascending air found at approximately
60 degrees north and south of the equator. The
wind systems known as the polar easterlies and the
westerlies blow into the subpolar lows.
Jet Streams:
The high altitude winds that flow around the
planet in both hemispheres at heights of between 9
and 12 km. Their path is wavy or meandering in
nature and they mark the division between cold
polar air and warm tropical air.
Cyclones:
An area of low atmospheric pressure
Anticyclones:
An area of high atmospheric pressure
Solar Radiation
The energy given off by the sun
Albedo:
The amount of radiation that is reflected off a
surface
Climograph:
A combination graph that displays average
monthly temperature as a line graph and total
monthly precipitation in the form of a bar graph
Hythergraph:
A scatter graph in which each of the
twelve points represents both the average
monthly temperature and the total
monthly precipitation for a location
Weather:
The short-term characteristics of the atmosphere.
The components of weather include temperature,
precipitation, wind, humidity, cloud cover,
visibility, and air pressure.
Climate:
The long-term characteristics of the atmosphere.
Climate is determined by averaging and totaling
weather statistics over many years.
Short Answer (2 marks each)
1. What are the two factors that are controlling our climate and upon which many of
our climatic classification systems are based on?
Temperature and precipitation
2. How are we dependent on Solar Radiation?
Animal life, plant growth, weather systems, ocean currents all depend upon the heat and light
derived form the daily input of solar radiation.
3. Explain how the curvature of the earth affects the intensity of solar radiation at
different latitudes of the earth.
Solar radiation is less intense at higher latitudes and more intense at lower latitudes. At higher latitudes
the sun’s rays are spread over a larger area of the earth, similar to a slanted board compared to a board
perpindicular to a light source as in diagram 8.6 on page 138.
4. List two factors, other than the curvature of the earth, that influence the amount
and intensity of solar radiation coming to various places on the earth.


The angle of incoming solar radiation becomes more oblique at higher latitudes so albedo
values tend to increase (amount of radiation that escapes the earth because it bounces off
the atmoshphere).
The more you move away from the equator the thickness of the atmosphere increases
leading to more absorption, scattering and reflection of solar radiation.
5. Figure 8.8 on page 140 indicates that during the northern summer, locations above
the Arctic Circle (66.5 N) experience 24 hours of daylight. What factors reduce
the impact or effectiveness of this constant supply of solar radiation?



Greater albedo due to ice and snow, fewer trees to absorb long-wave radiation
Thicker atmosphere for suns rays to travel through
Less concentration of suns rays ie. If you received 24 hrs at the equator, there would be
no cooling. But because the rays are less concentrated, it is not as hot.
6. Describe in your own words how warm air typically leads to low atmospheric
pressure. Describe in your own words how cold air typically leads to high
atmospheric pressure.

As the air molecules warm, they begin to move and spread out. The air is able to hold
more..such as vapor.

Cold air has more molecules of air per unit, which makes it heavier. Gravity pulls it to the
earth. It weighs more than hot air.
7. What is the relationship between pressure gradient and wind speed. Explain.

Since warm air rises, cold air sweeps in to take its place. Winds blow from cold areas (high
pressure) into warm areas (low pressure) to replace the air that has risen. The higher the
difference between high and low pressure, the stronger the winds are.
8. Briefly explain how the Coriolis Force effects global winds?

Due to the spinning of the earth, the atmospheric winds are deflected to the right in the
Northern Hemisphere and to the left in the Southern Hemisphere
9. Briefly explain what causes subtropical highs.

As the heated air from the equator rising meets the colder air from the poles, the cold air being
heavier rapidly sinks to the earth. The areas of high pressure (heavier, dense air descending to
the earth) are called subtropical highs. They are found approximately at 30 degrees north and
south of the equator.
10. Briefly explain what causes subpolar lows.

Some of the air descending at the subtropical high flows towards the equator (trade winds) and
some flows towards the poles (westerly winds). As the westerlies flow towards the poles, they
meet the winds flowing towards the equator (high pressure zones). When these two surface wind
systems meet, the warm air is forced upward. We call this zone of low pressure the subpolar
lows.
11. What is the jet stream and how does it affect our weather? (3 marks)

The jet stream is a high-altitude wind that divides the cold polar air and the warm tropical air.
1. The waves in the jet stream help develop the low pressure systems and the high pressure
systems that dominate the weather (storms or sunshine). 2. The jet stream also seems to be the
process by which surplus energy in the equatorial regions is moved to the poles.
12. What is the prevailing wind in Golden, BC? Why?

Westerly. We live in the area north of the 30 parallel (50 degrees north) in which the westerlies
blow.
13. What 2 things makes ocean currents flow?

Temperature differences and wind.
14. Water bodies provide sources of moisture for the land masses of the world. This is
true in most cases but there are three exceptions. List the three exceptions and
give a brief explanation: (6 marks)



High latitudes where air temperatures are very cold. The cold air is unable to evaporate and
hold very much water vapor, therefore, cold weather deserts occur.
areas that experience offshore winds for much of the year that blow from the land to the water.
These winds are dry and so even coastlines can be a desert….ie Lima Peru.
cool air from a cool ocean current which does not evaporate much water vapor to dump on the
land.
15. Water bodies influence the temperatures of landmasses adjacent to them. Explain
how that is accomplished.


Water holds the heat longer than land and in the winters, the water tends to warm the air over
the land next to the large body of water.
Water evaporates some of the heat of the summer sun and some of the warmth is directed
downwards in the water. The water doesn’t heat up as quickly as the land and therefore acts
like an air conditioner in the summer time.
16. Since solar radiation does not convert into heat until it is absorbed by a body, how
does the atmosphere heat up?

The land heats up and warms the atmosphere from below by radiating longwave radiation
to the atmosphere.

Heat is distributed upwards to the atmosphere by warm convection currents of air
generated at the surface…called sensible heat flux.
17. Why is the air warmer at lower elevations than at higher elevations? (1 mark)

At lower elevations the air is more dense and contains more molecules of air, water vapor,
dust, pollen etc than it does at higher elevations. Atmosphere at sea level is able to absorb
more solar radiation and longwave radiation.
18. What happens to the ability to hold water vapour in a rising air mass? Why?

Decreases because the air molecules are spread farther apart.
19. What happens when the air becomes saturated with water vapour?

When the ability to hold water vapour matches the amount of water vapour in the air and
the air becomes saturated with water the condensation occurs and the air releases vapour
as fog, dew, clouds, rain or snow.
20. Describe how urban areas affect the local climate. (6 marks)
A. Particulate Matter

Increases in pollution alters the radiation balance increasing the
amount of longwave radiation. That causes higher temperatures.
B. Concrete affecting photosynthesis and evapotranspiration

Less evaporation and cooling because there is less green space
C. Heat Island

Heat Islands can form due to the buildings, concrete etc, which
can cause winds
D. Albedo

Alters the radiation balance…more longwave radiation is
reflected and absorbed by buildings, causing a rise in
temperature
E. Particulate Matter causing fog

Fog and clouds form easier with particulate matter.
F. Skyscrapers

Produce wind tunnels as the air is funnelled between the tall
buildings in a downtown area.