1. Water vapor is a cloud droplet. The most abundant gases in Earth's atmosphere are nitrogen (78%) and oxygen (21%). The most abundant gas in the stratosphere is ozone. 2. The temperature in the stratosphere increases due to absorption of ultraviolet radiation by ozone. A "stormy and puffy" cloud is formally called a cumulonimbus cloud. 3. Solar energy reaches Earth by radiation in the form of visible light, which is the part of the electromagnetic spectrum that humans can see.

1. Oceanography

2. 1. Define water vapor.
 A cloud droplet.

3. 2. Most abundant gases in today’s
atmosphere? (%)
 Nitrogen (78 %)
 Oxygen (21 %)

4. 3. Most abundant gas in the
stratosphere?
 Ozone

5. 4. Why does the temperature in
the stratosphere increase?
 Absorbtion of ultraviolet radiation by ozone.

6. 5. Formal name of a “stormy and
puffy” cloud?
 Cumulonimbus.

7. 6. Freezing point of water in
Celsius?
 0 (zero)

8. 7. Define “Latent Heat.”
 “hidden” heat. Energy released or radiated during a
phase change of water without changing the
temperature.

9. 8. Solar energy reaches the Earth
by…
 radiation

10. 9. What part of the
electromagnetic spectrum do we
“see?”
 Visible light.

11. 10. In general, where is the best
place to see the aurora borealis?
 at the magnetic north pole.

12. 11. Instrument to measure
“relative humidity?”
 psychrometer

13. 12. Define: Dew Point
 The temperature to which air must be cooled in order
to become saturated.

14. 13. Give characteristics of…
 Cirrostratus
 Cumulus
 Altostratus
 Stratus

15. 14. Condensation nuclei?
 Microscopic dust or ice where water vapor can
condense on to form a water droplet.

16. 15. What is the standard unit are
air pressure?
 millibars

17. 16. Instrument that measures air
pressure?
 barometer

18. 17. Describe offshore (seabreeze)
winds.
 Heat rises over land, cool air sinks, convection current
causes winds to blow from the sea.

19. 18. What is the main reason that
causes sea and land breezes?
 Temperature differences. Heat capacity.

20. 19. Describe a mountain breeze
(orographic lifting).
 Warm air rises on the windward side of a mountain.
 Cool air interacts with warm moist air to form clouds.
 Dry air sinks on the leeward side.

21. 20. If wind is blowing SLOWER than the
rotation of Earth, what direction would
the wind “appear” to the observer?
 west

22. 21. What latitudinal areas would
have low air pressure?
 Equator (Doldrums)
 60 degrees (Polar Easterlies)

23. 22. Describe the following air
masses: cP, cT, mP, mT.
 cP – Dry and cool.
 cT – Dry and warm
 mP – Moist and cool.
 mT – Moist and warm.

24. 23. Draw a cold front symbol.
What color is it?

25. 24. Name and describe the 3 stages of the
Thunderstorm cycle. Note when updraft
and downdrafts occur!
 Cumulus – updraft, all upward movement.
 Mature – downdrafts & downdrafts. Severe weather
 Dissipation – downdrafts. Severe weather is
diminished.

26. 25. What is “Lightning?”
 A discharge on electricity from or within a
thunderstorm.

27. 26. Where is “Tornado Alley?”
 In the Central Plains of the United States.

28. 27. What is need to “fuel” and
hurricane?
 Moisture, preferably over water. Once it hits land,
energy is diminished.

29. 28. Describe the following: tropical
disturbance, tropical depression, tropical
storm, and typhoon.
 Tropical Disturbance – first indication of a hurricane
formation. Sustained winds. Unorganized.
 Tropical Depression– thunderstorms begin to take
circular shape. Winds are less than 39 mph.
 Tropical Storm – Just before a storm becomes a fully
developed hurricane. Winds are 39 – 73 mph.
 Typhoon – Hurricanes in the Western North Pacific.

30. 29. What part of a hurricane has the
strongest winds (use cardinal direction)?
 Northern side

31. 30. What part of Earth do most
hurricanes form?
 Equator

32. 31. Define heat capacity. Which has a
higher heat capacity? The oceans or
continents?
 Describes how quickly or slowly a substance retains
heat.
 Oceans has a high heat capacity. It has the ability to
retain heat longer.

33. 32. Name the formal names of the
seasons.
 Autumnal Equinox
 Winter Solstice
 Vernal Equinox
 Summer Solstice

34. 33. How are clouds formed?
 Warm moist air + Cool moist air + condensation
nuclei.
 3 ways:
a. Warm air rising
b. Orographic Lifting
c. Fronts

35. 34. Compare and contrast the general
temperatures in the equator and the poles.
 Equator = warm (sun hits it directly)
 Poles = cool (sun hits it indirectly)

36. 35. What happens to the temperature
as you increase in elevation?
 It decreases 4 degrees Celsius/1000 meters.

37. 36. What is the scale used to measure
tornado intensity?
 Fujita Enhanced Tornado Scale: F0 – F5

38. 37. Define wind shear.
 A sudden change in wind speed & direction with
height.

39. 38. What is the scale used to
measure hurricane intensity?
 Saffir-Simpson Scale (Categories 1 – 5).

40. 39. Define a hurricane.
 An intense tropical weather system with a well
defined circulation and maximum sustained winds of
74 mph (64 knots) or higher.
 In the western Pacific, hurricanes are called
"typhoons.“
 In the Indian Ocean, they are called "cyclones."

41. 40. What is a storm surge?
 Storm surge is an abnormal rise of water
generated by a storm, over and above the predicted
astronomical tide.