This document summarizes several key atmospheric processes: 1. Adiabatic temperature changes occur when temperature changes without heat being added or subtracted, such as during atmospheric expansion. 2. Orographic lifting occurs when air flows up a mountain slope, often generating clouds and precipitation through adiabatic cooling. 3. The collision of warm and cold air masses produces fronts where cooler, denser air acts as a barrier over which warmer air rises. 4. Several processes like convergence, localized convection, and the Bergeron process involve the lifting and rising of air, sometimes resulting in cloud formation.

1. Ryan Griffo

2.  Adiabatic temperature changes is when
temperature changes without heat being added
or subtracted.
 Expansion is when the atmospheric pressure
decreases.
http://www.google.com/imgres?q=adiabatic+te
mperature+change+and+expansion&um=1&hl=e
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tm&docid=jCxLjbY5UVYhzM&imgurl=http://w
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phics/heat_loss_rise_swf.jpg&w=492&h=368&ei=
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29,r:0,s:13&tx=113&ty=20

3.  Orographic lifting is when air attempts to flow
up a mountain slope, or any other elevated
terrain.
 Often, when air flows up a mountain adiabatic
cooling generates clouds and precipitation.
http://www.google.com/imgres?q=orograp
hic+lifting&um=1&hl=en&safe=active&sa=X
&biw=1024&bih=419&tbm=isch&tbnid=pv1
_iEgFf3nvCM:&imgrefurl=http://www.exa
miner.com/outdoorsman-in-salt-lake-
city/understanding-why-utah-has-the-
greatest-snow-on-earth-part-1-orographic-
lifting&docid=b_HHSK7xcu11pM&imgurl=
http://web.mst.edu/~rogersda/umrcourses
/ge301/press%2526siever12.3.png&w=1198
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29,r:1,s:0

4.  Masses of warm and cold air collide, producing
a front.
 Cooler, denser air acts as a barrier over which
the warmer, less denser air rises.
http://www.google.com/imgres?q=fronta
l+wedging&um=1&hl=en&safe=active&sa
=X&biw=1024&bih=419&tbm=isch&tbnid
=Xkdk2cpVi_V6PM:&imgrefurl=http://w
ww.geo.hunter.cuny.edu/~tbw/wc.notes
/4.moisture.atm.stability/frontal_wedging
.htm&docid=SAJwgDhUglGDhM&imgurl
=http://www.geo.hunter.cuny.edu/~tbw
/wc.notes/4.moisture.atm.stability/fronta
l.wedging.jpg&w=793&h=407&ei=af8CT6f
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&start=0&ndsp=13&ved=1t:429,r:0,s:0

5.  Convergence is whenever air in the lower
atmosphere lows together, lifting results.
 When air flows in from more than one
direction, it must go somewhere. Because it
cannot go down, it goes up.
http://www.google.com/imgres?q=converging
+winds&um=1&hl=en&safe=active&biw=1024
&bih=419&tbm=isch&tbnid=3SOkok7jFnAgEM:
&imgrefurl=http://www.srh.noaa.gov/jetstrea
m/synoptic/wind.htm&docid=kEP3cGiQMtM8
cM&imgurl=http://www.srh.noaa.gov/jetstrea
m/synoptic/images/airflow.jpg&w=341&h=21
5&ei=XAADT_uXFOjg0QHZr8RE&zoom=1&iac
t=hc&vpx=351&vpy=129&dur=497&hovh=172
&hovw=272&tx=183&ty=70&sig=1034942883387
70468506&page=1&tbnh=82&tbnw=130&start=0
&ndsp=12&ved=1t:429,r:2,s:0

6.  Unequal heating of the Earth’s surface
sometimes cause pockets of the air to be
warmed more than the surrounding air.
 The process that produces rising thermals is
localized convective lifting.
http://www.google.com/imgres?q=localized+c
onvective+lifting&um=1&hl=en&safe=active&b
iw=1024&bih=419&tbm=isch&tbnid=2i9YsWKL
YKeBsM:&imgrefurl=http://www.richhoffman
class.com/chapter4.html&docid=eOg_tc1chzU
MNM&imgurl=http://www.richhoffmanclass.c
om/images/chapter4/seabreeze.gif&w=585&h
=325&ei=8wADT5LyEef30gG9m9i8Ag&zoom=1
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167&hovw=301&tx=217&ty=115&sig=103494288
338770468506&page=1&tbnh=75&tbnw=135&st
art=0&ndsp=12&ved=1t:429,r:0,s:0

7.  Stable air resists vertical movement.
 Stable air tends to remain in its original
position, while unstable air tends to rise.
 Air stability is determined by measuring the
temperature of the atmosphere at various
heights.
http://www.google.com/imgres?q=hot+air+balloon&um=1
&hl=en&safe=active&biw=1024&bih=419&tbm=isch&tbnid=t
FilfaGxodUQQM:&imgrefurl=http://www.flyingcoloursballo
ons.com/&docid=mIVzdp6QbgIaYM&imgurl=http://www.f
lyingcoloursballoons.com/images/DSCN0441.JPG&w=2048&
h=1536&ei=pAEDT_ONBufz0gG4_rmAAg&zoom=1&iact=hc
&vpx=77&vpy=107&dur=2134&hovh=194&hovw=259&tx=18
9&ty=202&sig=103494288338770468506&page=1&tbnh=102&t
bnw=136&start=0&ndsp=15&ved=1t:429,r:8,s:0

8.  Condensation is when water vapor changes
into liquid water.
 For condensation to happen, there must be a
surface for water vapor to condense on, like
grass and car windows.
http://www.google.com/imgres?q=conde
nsation&um=1&hl=en&safe=active&biw=
1024&bih=419&tbm=isch&tbnid=yPfC5Jb
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m&docid=gJLyZWZHxPDRQM&imgurl=
http://www.weatherquestions.com/cond
ensation.gif&w=576&h=432&ei=QAIDT82
ZEuLs0gHbge2KCA&zoom=1

9.  Cirrus clouds are clouds that are high, white
and thin.
 Cumulus clouds are clouds that consist of
rounded individual cloud masses.
 The third and last type of cloud is
Stratus, which are clouds shaped as sheets or
layers that cover most if not all of the sky.
http://www.google.com/imgres?q=types+of+c
louds&um=1&hl=en&safe=active&biw=1024&bi
h=419&tbm=isch&tbnid=IoPj4RaGCnbckM:&im
grefurl=http://eo.ucar.edu/webweather/cloud
3.html&docid=mW51DXr3amL99M&imgurl=htt
p://eo.ucar.edu/webweather/images/cloudch
art.gif&w=504&h=352&ei=mgIDT7fNEMrc0QG
N2ohP&zoom=1

10.  The three types of clouds make up high clouds:
cirrus, cirrostratus, and cirrocumulus.
 Cirrocumulus clouds are made up of fluffy
masses, while cirrostratus clouds are flat layers.
 All high clouds are thin and white and are
often made up of ice crystals.
http://www.google.com/imgres?q=high+clouds&um
=1&hl=en&safe=active&biw=1024&bih=419&tbm=isch
&tbnid=nHjcUIl5neFVsM:&imgrefurl=http://eo.ucar.e
du/kids/sky/clouds3.htm&docid=6c8pW2c1Vlrw-
M&imgurl=http://eo.ucar.edu/kids/sky/images/650
6_sm.jpg&w=432&h=396&ei=-
gIDT8DoF4rt0gHH4pnFAg&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=77
&vpy=86&dur=6984&hovh=215&hovw=235&tx=114&t
y=182&sig=103494288338770468506&page=1&tbnh=10
3&tbnw=112&start=0&ndsp=12&ved=1t:429,r:0,s:0

11.  Clouds that appear at around 2000 to 6000
meters in the sky.
 Middle clouds are a white or grayish sheet
covering the sky with the sun or moon visible
as a bright spot.
http://www.google.com/imgres?q=middl
e+clouds&um=1&hl=en&safe=active&biw
=1024&bih=419&tbm=isch&tbnid=eXqRzu
mpLMYs2M:&imgrefurl=http://www.big
branch.net/middle%2520clouds.htm&doci
d=TT_dxf4tMHBfpM&imgurl=http://ww
w.bigbranch.net/168.jpg&w=610&h=458&
ei=ZQMDT53DN6bw0gGmnenCAg&zoo
m=1

12.  There are three types of low clouds: stratus,
stratocumulus, and nimbostratus.
 Most low clouds are a fog-like layer of clouds
that cover most of the sky.
 Low clouds are one of the main precipitation
makers, and most low clouds form during
stable conditions.
http://www.google.com/imgres?q=low+clouds&um=
1&hl=en&safe=active&biw=1024&bih=419&tbm=isch&
tbnid=JJahxomvSY5EcM:&imgrefurl=http://eo.ucar.ed
u/kids/sky/clouds1.htm&docid=2mgX-
ZgydQMhoM&imgurl=http://eo.ucar.edu/kids/sky/i
mages/peggy5a_sm.jpg&w=432&h=287&ei=wAMDT7
uuFOX10gHErsnmBQ&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=207&v
py=118&dur=12181&hovh=183&hovw=276&tx=145&t
y=104&sig=103494288338770468506&page=1&tbnh=86
&tbnw=130&start=0&ndsp=12&ved=1t:429,r:1,s:0

13.  Some clouds have their bases in the low height
range and extend upward into middle or high
altitude.
 These types of clouds are associated with
unstable air.
 These types of clouds also do not fit into any of
the three height groups.
http://www.google.com/imgres?q=cumulonimbus&um=1&hl=en&
safe=active&biw=1024&bih=419&tbm=isch&tbnid=33JkpYW57KfTy
M:&imgrefurl=http://ww2010.atmos.uiuc.edu/(Gh)/guides/mtr/cl
d/cldtyp/vrt/cb.rxml&docid=QvJVg3JjDixqPM&imgurl=http://w
w2010.atmos.uiuc.edu/guides/mtr/cld/cldtyp/vrt/gifs/cb2.gif&w
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px=216&vpy=117&dur=1448&hovh=184&hovw=274&tx=164&ty=10
4&sig=103494288338770468506&page=1&tbnh=104&tbnw=139&start
=0&ndsp=12&ved=1t:429,r:1,s:0

14.  There is no difference between fog and clouds, the
only difference is the place they’re formed at.
 Fog can form on cool, clear nights when the Earth’s
surface is being rapidly cooled by radiation.
 When cool air moves over warm water, moisture
might evaporate from the water surface to produce
saturation. The rising water vapor meets with cold
air, it immediately condenses and rises with the air
that is being warmed from below.
http://www.google.com/imgres?q=fog&um=1&hl=en&safe=active&biw=1024
&bih=419&tbm=isch&tbnid=2b17_CblCR2MuM:&imgrefurl=http://www.crh.
noaa.gov/jkl/%3Fn%3Dfog_types&docid=wHqi3TdNiObcDM&imgurl=http:/
/www.crh.noaa.gov/Image/jkl/tree-in-
fog.jpg&w=500&h=375&ei=oAQDT7CzDIXX0QGomciZAg&zoom=1&iact=hc&
vpx=165&vpy=107&dur=7304&hovh=194&hovw=259&tx=169&ty=122&sig=10
3494288338770468506&page=1&tbnh=110&tbnw=142&start=0&ndsp=13&ved=
1t:429,r:1,s:0

15.  The Bergeron process relies on two physical
processes: super cooling and super saturation.
 Liquid water below zero degrees Celsius is
super cooled. Super cooled water will freeze if
touched by a solid object.
 When air is saturated with respect to water, it
is super saturated with respect to ice.
http://www.google.com/imgres?q=bergeron+process&um=1&hl=en&safe=
active&biw=1024&bih=419&tbm=isch&tbnid=sJl2FacqOG9YyM:&imgrefurl
=http://www.sleepingdogstudios.com/Network/Earth%2520Science/ES_1
8_Rev_files/slide0021.htm&docid=C2ZNPd5AIbC4qM&imgurl=http://ww
w.sleepingdogstudios.com/Network/Earth%252520Science/ES_18_Rev_file
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Ag&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=542&vpy=21&dur=2025&hovh=280&hovw=156
&tx=76&ty=199&sig=103494288338770468506&page=1&tbnh=104&tbnw=58
&start=0&ndsp=14&ved=1t:429,r:4,s:0

16.  A lot of rainfall can be associated with clouds
with temperatures below the freezing level.
 The part of the cloud that forms raindrops is
the collision-coalescence process.
http://www.google.com/imgres?q=collision-
coalescence+process&um=1&hl=en&safe=active
&biw=1024&bih=419&tbm=isch&tbnid=sAmPg
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du/~wintelsw/MET1010LOL/chapter07/&doci
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sc.vsc.edu/~wintelsw/MET1010LOL/chapter07
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=79&vpy=87&dur=9073&hovh=214&hovw=235
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4&ved=1t:429,r:0,s:0

17.  Rain generally means drops of water that fall
from a cloud and have a diameter of at least 0.5
mm. Smaller raindrops are called drizzle.
 At very low temperatures light snow made up
of individual six-sided crystals' forms.
http://www.google.com/imgres?q=rain&um=1&hl=e
n&safe=active&biw=1024&bih=419&tbm=isch&tbnid=j
7covHT5BDTWxM:&imgrefurl=http://aumusiclibrary.
wordpress.com/2011/02/28/rain-helens-picks-for-a-
rainy-
afternoon/&docid=_sdQotVh9UyPSM&imgurl=http:/
/aumusiclibrary.files.wordpress.com/2011/02/rain.jp
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1&hovh=186&hovw=270&tx=166&ty=143&sig=103494
288338770468506&page=1&tbnh=99&tbnw=132&start=
0&ndsp=12&ved=1t:429,r:4,s:0

18.  Sleet is the fall of small particles of clear-to-
translucent ice.
 Glaze results when raindrops become super
cooled.
 Hailstorms begin as small ice pellets that grow
by collecting super cooled water droplets as
they fall through a cloud.
http://www.google.com/imgres?q=hail&um=1&hl=en&safe=active
&biw=1024&bih=419&tbm=isch&tbnid=8xMqG-
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