& Key Concepts
station pressure - ANSWER ✔---the actual air pressure computed at the observing station
sea level pressure - ANSWER ✔---the standard level of pressure 29.92 inches
ideal gas law - ANSWER ✔---the relationship PV=nRT, which describes the behavior of an ideal gas
mercury barometer - ANSWER ✔---consists of a glass tube open at the bottom end and partially
filled with mercury
barometric pressure - ANSWER ✔---the pressure due to the weight of the atmosphere; also called
air pressure or atmospheric pressure
aneroid barometer - ANSWER ✔---An instrument that measures changes in air pressure without
using a liquid.
-Measured in millibars
barograph - ANSWER ✔---An instrument that registers graphically and continuously the atmospheric
pressure.
pressure gradient force - ANSWER ✔---the amount of pressure change occurring over a given
distance
, hydrostatic equation - ANSWER ✔---pressure drops more rapidly with increasing height at high
latitudes and lowers the height of 500 mb level.
Coriolis force - ANSWER ✔---The apparent force, resulting from the rotation of the Earth, that
deflects air or water movement.
friction - ANSWER ✔---A force that opposes motion between two surfaces that are in contact
planetary boundary layer - ANSWER ✔---is the lowest part of the atmosphere. Its behavior is directly
influenced by its contact with a planetary surface
geostrophic flow - ANSWER ✔---A current in the atmosphere in which the Coriolis force and the
pressure gradient are in balance.
gradient flow - ANSWER ✔---associated to a functional on a manifold which has a geometric
interpretation, usually associated with some extrinsic or intrinsic curvature.
anticyclone - ANSWER ✔---A high-pressure center of dry air
cyclones - ANSWER ✔---winds around centers of low atmospheric pressure bad storm
troughs - ANSWER ✔---low points on a wave
ridges - ANSWER ✔---Vertical lines running the length of the natural nail plate, usually related to
normal aging.
wind vane - ANSWER ✔---measures wind direction
anemometer - ANSWER ✔---An instrument used to measure wind speed