ATMOS 1010 EXAM 1 QUESTIONS & ANSWERS
Why does the earth have an atmosphere? - Answers - -Gravity
-need a source of gases (volcanoes)
-shielded from solar wind
atmospheric composition - Answers - -nitrogen 78%
-oxygen 21%
-water vapor 0-4%
-CO2 and Methane
-ozone
temperature - Answers - measure of the vibrational energy of molecules in solids or the
average speed at which molecules in a gas (or liquid) move
pressure - Answers - the mass per unit volume of a substance
1 atmosphere - Answers - typical pressure observed at sea level
1013.25 milibars
29.92 inches of mercury
14.69 pounds per square inch
mercury barometer - Answers - An instrument that measures changes in air pressure,
consisting of a glass tube partially filled with mercury, with its open end resting in a dish
of mercury
atmosphere - Answers - the envelope of gases that surround a planet and are held to it
by the planet's gravitational attraction
mass - Answers - the amount of matter contained in a physical object
volume - Answers - the size or extent of a three dimensional object or region of space
density - Answers - the mass per unit of volume of a substance
critical characteristics of the atmosphere - Answers - pressure, temperature, wind
(horizontal and vertical), amount of water in vapor, liquid and ice phases
local scale - Answers - 0-10 seconds km and minutes
mesoscale - Answers - 10-100 seconds km and hours
synoptic scale - Answers - 1000 seconds km and days
planetary scale - Answers - 10000 seconds km and weeks
Why does the earth have an atmosphere? - Answers - -Gravity
-need a source of gases (volcanoes)
-shielded from solar wind
atmospheric composition - Answers - -nitrogen 78%
-oxygen 21%
-water vapor 0-4%
-CO2 and Methane
-ozone
temperature - Answers - measure of the vibrational energy of molecules in solids or the
average speed at which molecules in a gas (or liquid) move
pressure - Answers - the mass per unit volume of a substance
1 atmosphere - Answers - typical pressure observed at sea level
1013.25 milibars
29.92 inches of mercury
14.69 pounds per square inch
mercury barometer - Answers - An instrument that measures changes in air pressure,
consisting of a glass tube partially filled with mercury, with its open end resting in a dish
of mercury
atmosphere - Answers - the envelope of gases that surround a planet and are held to it
by the planet's gravitational attraction
mass - Answers - the amount of matter contained in a physical object
volume - Answers - the size or extent of a three dimensional object or region of space
density - Answers - the mass per unit of volume of a substance
critical characteristics of the atmosphere - Answers - pressure, temperature, wind
(horizontal and vertical), amount of water in vapor, liquid and ice phases
local scale - Answers - 0-10 seconds km and minutes
mesoscale - Answers - 10-100 seconds km and hours
synoptic scale - Answers - 1000 seconds km and days
planetary scale - Answers - 10000 seconds km and weeks
