CPFA Exam Prep with 100% Complete Answers 2023

Levels of atmosphere (Bottom to top) - ANSWER-Troposphere, Tropopause, Stratosphere Troposphere altitudes - ANSWER-Surface to 30,000ft Tropopause altitudes - ANSWER-30,000-60,000ft Stratopause altitudes - ANSWER-50km Troposphere Environmental temp lapse rate - ANSWER-2*C(1.98*C)/1000ft Troposphere Environmental pressure lapse rate - ANSWER-1hPa/30ft Tropopause convection remarks - ANSWER-Tropopause marks the point where convection weakens as the air no longer cools with height Tropopause depth remarks - ANSWER-Depth of tropopause differs with latitude (Polar regions 20,000ft) (Tropical regions 60,000) Stratosphere Environmental temp remarks - ANSWER-Environmental temp is constant/increases with height ISA (Including ISA Freezing level) - ANSWER-+15*C (1.98/2*C/1000ft) 1013.2hPa (1hPa/30ft) Freezing level @7500ft Why is there a difference in depth of the tropopause? - ANSWER-Due to the amount of solar radiation arriving at the earths surface at different angles due to the latitude of the arrival point Low Pressure Terms - ANSWER-Trough Cyclone Rising Ascending Air High Pressure Terms - ANSWER-Ridge Anti-cyclone Sinking Air Subsiding Air Descending Convection Cells - ANSWER-Polar Cells Mid-Latittude Cells Tropical Cells Pressure Gradient Remarks - ANSWER-Where air tends to flow from high to low pressure areas Coriolis Effect - ANSWER-Southern (Winds appear to turn left) Northern (Winds appear to turn right) Pressure Gradients v Coriolis Effect - ANSWER-Low - Curved, cyclonic, CLOCKWISE PG Coriolis High - Curved, Anti cyclonic, ANTICLOCKWISE PG Coriolis Trough - ANSWER-Elongated area of low pressure Ridge - ANSWER-Elongated area of high pressure Col - ANSWER-A region between two highs and two lows (Winds are typically light and variable) (Isobars on opposite sides of a col are always identical in value) Backing and veering - ANSWER-Moves right (Clockwise) - Veered Moves Left (Anit-clockwise) - Backed Gradient wind Altitude - ANSWER-At or above 3000ft Surface wind Altitude - ANSWER-Below 3000ft Surface winds - ANSWER-Winds that have been slowed due to friction with the earth's surface and are less affected by the Coriolis effect Pressure Gradient is now stronger than the Coriolis effect Gusts and Squalls - ANSWER-Gust - Sudden increase in wind speed with a return to previous wind speed Squall - An increase in wind speed by at least 16kts Must be greater than 22kts Sustained for greater than 1 minute Katabatic winds - ANSWER-Downslope winds Anabatic winds - ANSWER-Upslope winds Fohn winds - ANSWER-A warmer wind that blows down the lee side of a mountain