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Explain the adiabatic process and how it relates to the warming or cooling of air masses that change position vertically.
- Be able to use the dry adiabatic lapse rate to calculate the temperature of an air mass as it climbs vertically upward.
- Similarly, be able to use the moist adiabatic lapse rate to calculate the temperature of an air mass as it climbs vertically upward with a phase change of moisture, such as condensation, occurring.
- Be able to explain why the value of the Environmental temperature lapse rate is less than the value of the dry adiabatic lapse rate, but more than the value of the moist adiabatic lapse rate.
- Describe how clouds form.
- Why do many cumulus clouds have flat bottoms?
- Explain why some cloud particles will remain liquid at temperatures above -40.
- Describe the basis for cloud identification.
- Be familiar with the Latin roots used in cloud nomenclature.
- Name and describe the members of the high cloud family.
- Name and describe the members of the middle cloud family
- Name and describe the members of the low cloud family.
- Name and describe the members of the vertical development family.
- Explain the nature of fog.
- How is visibility in fog designated?
- Define precipitation.
- Be able to describe and explain the origin of the various forms of precipitation.
- Explain the general conditions required for precipitation to occur.
- Explain how orographic precipitation develops.
- Describe how rain shadow deserts form.
- Describe how the first measurement of atmospheric pressure was made by Torricelli in 1643.
- Be familiar with the various values of atmospheric pressure at sea level.
- Describe how atmospheric pressure varies with altitude above the earth's surface.
- Be able to define wind.
- What information is needed to accurately describe wind?
- A northeast wind blows from what direction? A south wind?
- Explain isobars on weather maps.
- Describe how pressure gradients effect wind development.
- What distinguishes wind from updrafts and downdrafts?
- Describe how the Coriolis Effect deflects wind motion in each hemisphere.
- Explain why winds are deflected by the Coriolis Effect.
- What variables effect the magnitude of the Coriolis Effect.
- Explain why and how geostrophic winds develop at high altitudes.
- Describe how winds rotate around an anticyclone at high altitudes.
- Describe how winds rotate round a cyclone at high altitudes.
- Describe the characteristics of a cyclone at low altitudes (below 2 km).
- Describe the characteristics of an anticyclone at low altitudes.
- Describe the global circulation pattern that would exist on the earth if the earth did not rotate.
- Describe the three celled global circulation system that the earth experiences because of its rotation.
- Be familiar with the surface winds that occur at various latitudes on the earth.
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