Meteorology Today: An Introduction to Weather,
Climate, and the Environment
Author: C. Donald Ahrens, Robert Henson
13th Edition
,Table Of Contents
1. Earth And Its Atmosphere.
2. Energy: Warming And Cooling Earth And The Atmosphere.
3. Seasonal And Daily Temperatures.
4. Atmospheric Humidity.
5. Condensation: Dew, Fog And Clouds.
6. Stability And Cloud Development.
7. Precipitation.
8. Air Pressure And Winds.
9. Wind: Small-Scale And Local Systems.
10. Wind: Global Systems.
11. Air Masses And Fronts.
12. Middle-Latitude Cyclones.
13. Weather Forecasting.
14. Thunderstorms.
15. Tornadoes.
16. Hurricanes.
17. Earth’s Changing Climate.
18. Global Climate.
19. Air Pollution.
20. Light, Color And Atmospheric Optics.
,Chapter 1
Earth And Its Atmosphere
Learning Objectives
The Atmosphere And The Scientific Method
LO: 1-1 Outline The Scientific Method And Describe How It Can Be Applied To Studying The
Atmosphere And Weather.
Overview Of Earth’s Atmosphere
LO: 1-2 Compare And Contrast The Composition Of Earth’s Atmosphere Over The Course Of
Its Evolution.
LO: 1-3 Explain The Role Of Gases (Including Water Vapor, Carbon Dioxide, Oxygen, And
Other Greenhouse Gases) And Pollutants In Earth’s Atmosphere And Assess Their Impact On
Earth’s Climate.
Vertical Structure Of The Atmosphere
LO: 1-4 State The Terms And Calculations For Density And Air Pressure, And Explain
Their Importance With Regard To Earth’s Atmosphere.
LO: 1-5 Label The Layers Of The Atmosphere And Their Altitudes, And Classify Their
Respective Temperatures, Compositions, And Functions.
Weather And Climate
LO: 1-6 Differentiate Between Weather And Climate, And Briefly Discuss The History Of
Meteorology And Its Most Important Milestones.
LO: 1-7 Interpret And Describe A Weather Map, Applying Weather Patterns And Concepts
Such As Low, High, Front, And Storm Types.
LO: 1-8 List The Positive And Negative Effects Of Climate And Weather On Human
Health, Agriculture, Infrastructure, Environment, And Economy.
, Summary
With Many Illustrations And Photographs, This Introductory Chapter Presents A Broad Overview
Of The Physical Structure Of The Atmosphere And Its Weather. The Chapter Begins With A Discussion Of
The Present Composition Of The Earth's Atmosphere. A Focus Section, “A Breath Of Fresh Air”, Examines
The Number Of Molecules In A Single Breath And In The Entire Atmosphere. The Important And Varied
Roles Played By Water Vapor, Which Is A Source Of Precipitation And Latent Heat Energy As Well As
Being The Most Important Greenhouse Gas, Are Given Particular Attention. Current Concern Over
Increasing Concentrations Of Another Constituent, Carbon Dioxide, And Its Possible Effect On Global
Climate Are Also Examined. The Student Will See That The Observed Increase In CO2 Is A Result Of An
Imbalance Between Processes Of Release And Removal. The Principle Atmospheric Pollutants, Including
Ozone, Are Listed But Are Covered In Greater Detail In Chapter 19.
The Concepts Of Air Density And Air Pressure Are Introduced And Their Variation With Altitude
Is Examined. A Vertical Profile Of Temperature Shows That The Atmosphere Can Be Divided Into Several
Layers With Distinct Properties. Additional Focus Sections Describe “The Atmospheres Of Other Planets”
And “The Radiosonde”.
Finally, The Student Is Introduced To The Elements That Constitute Weather And Will See How
Weather Conditions Might Be Depicted On A Surface Weather Map And In A Photograph From A
Geostationary Satellite. The Chapter Includes Discussions Of The History Of And Careers In Meteorology,
And Ends With A Description Of The Many Ways That Weather And Climate Can Affect Our Lives And
Interests. The Final Section Includes A Focus Section Entitled “What Is A Meteorologist”.
Key Terms
Atmosphere Outgassing
Nitrogen Density
Oxygen Pressure
Water Air
Vapor Pressure
Carbon Lapse Rate
Dioxide Ozone Temperature
Ozone Inversion
Hole Troposphere
Aerosol Stratosphere
Pollutant Tropopause