Explain the concept of air pressure in terms of weight of air above some level.

Assignment 1 Worksheet (100 points)

From the Text (40 total points; 4 points each): 

Chapter 1: Questions for Review (pg. 26)

3) List the four most abundant gases in today’s atmosphere.

9) What are the two most abundant greenhouse gases in the atmosphere?

10)

a) Explain the concept of air pressure in terms of weight of air above some level.

b) Why does air pressure always decrease with increasing height above the surface?

19) How does weather differ from climate?

Chapter 1: Questions for Thought and Exploration (pg. 27)

3) Which of the following statements relate more to weather and which relate more to climate?

a) The summers here are warm and humid.

b) Cumulus clouds presently cover the entire sky.

c) Our lowest temperature last winter was -29 °C (-18°F).

d) The air temperature outside is 22 °C (72 °F).

e) December is our foggiest month.

f) The highest temperature ever recorded in Pheonixville, Pennsylvania, was 44 °C (111 °F)
on July 10, 1936.

g) Snow is falling at the rate of 5 cm (2 in.) per hour.

h) The average temperature for the month of January in Chicago, Illinois, is -3 °C (26 °F).

Chapter 2: Questions for Review (pg. 55-56)

1) Distinguish between temperature and heat.

3) Explain how heat is transferred in our atmosphere by:

a) Conduction

b) Convection

c) Radiation

6) How does the amount of radiation emitted by the Earth differ from that emitted by the Sun?

20) During the Northern Hemisphere’s summer, the daylight hours in northern latitudes are
longer than in middle latitudes. Explain why northern latitudes are not warmer.

Chapter 2: Questions for Thought and Exploration (pg. 56)

5) Which do you feel would have the greatest effect on the Earth’s greenhouse effect: removing
all of the CO2 from the atmosphere or removing all of the water vapor? Explain your answer.

Short Answer (40 total points; 10 points each):

1. Describe the nature of the temperature lapse rate in each of the four layers of the atmosphere (Troposphere; Stratosphere; Mesosphere; Thermosphere), and why the Tropospheric and Stratospheric temperatures change the way they do.

2. Using Figure 1.8 from your textbook, find the approximate altitude in BOTH kilometers and miles for the following atmospheric pressures

 

Altitude (above sea   level) (km)

Altitude (above sea   level) (miles)

 

800 mb

 

500 mb