Chapter #3 Solutions - Understanding Weather and Climate - James E Burt, Edward Aguado - 7th Edition

1c. What is the difference between specular reflection and scattering? Get solution

1ct. Shorter wavelength radiation is more subject to Rayleigh scattering than is longer wave radiation. Explain how this might affect the value of facing directly toward the Sun to pursue an even suntan. Get solution

1. Go to http://rredc.nrel.gov/solar/old_data/nsrdb/1961-1990/redbook/atlas/. Select mean solar radiation as data type and horizontal flat plate for instrument orientation. Examine the maps of average solar radiation for January April, July, and October. Describe each of the patterns. How much do you think Earth-Sun relationships affect the distribution relative to the effect of cloud cover and other weather elements? Get solution

1rq. Explain how the absorption and scattering of radiation in the atmosphere affect the receipt of solar radiation at the surface. Get solution

1va. This map from the IPCC depicts the observed change in temperature across the globe between 1901 and 2012....Which regions have generally experienced the greatest warming? Get solution

2c. Compare and contrast Rayleigh, Mie, and nonselective scattering. Get solution

2ct. Even on cloudy days, excessive exposure can lead to a danger of sunburn. What does this imply about the effect of clouds on ultraviolet radiation? Get solution

2. Go to http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Observatory/Datasets/netflux.erbe.html and observe the seasonal shift in net radiation for the surface and atmosphere. What is the most obvious pattern? Are there significant differences between land bodies and adjacent oceans? Get solution

2rq. Which two gases are the most effective at absorbing long-wave radiation? Get solution

2va. This map from the IPCC depicts the observed change in temperature across the globe between 1901 and 2012....How does the warming over land compare to the warming over the oceans? Explain your answer. Get solution

3c. What happens to incoming solar radiation as it moves through the atmosphere? Get solution

3ct. Desert areas are often photographed with spectacular sunsets. Can you think of any reasons why they may be more inclined to have particularly flashy skies at dusk? Get solution

3. The latent heat for water is 2,500,000 joules per kilogram (J/kg), and the specific heat of water is 4190 J/kg per degree Celsius of temperature change. Assume that a kilogram of water begins with a temperature of 20°C (68°F). Compare the amount of energy needed to bring the water to the boiling point to the amount of energy needed to evaporate the same amount of water. Get solution

3rq. How do specular reflection and diffuse reflection differ? Get solution

4c. Describe the geographic and seasonal variability of solar radiation reaching the surface over the United States. Get solution

4ct. Our eyes are sensitive only to wavelengths between 0.4 and 0.7 micrometers. Would the sky appear any different on clear days if our eyes could also perceive wavelengths between 0.2 and 0.4 micrometers? How would the ratio of perceived diffuse to direct radiation change? Get solution

4. View the maps of mean minimum temperatures in January and mean maximum temperatures in July at www.climatesource.coin/map_gallery.html. Assess the relative importance of latitude, altitude/elevation, continentality, ocean current, and local conditions to these distributions. Get solution

4rq. What does the term albedo mean? Get solution

5c. What is the atmospheric window? Get solution

5ct. Would you expect both the Northern and Southern Hemispheres to have the same average albedo? What factors might cause the two hemispheres to reflect different percentages of insolation back to space? Get solution

5rq. What characteristics of Rayleigh scattering cause it to create a blue sky? Get solution

6c. Explain how the atmosphere and surface end up with net losses of longwave radiation. Get solution

6ct. Snow often melts more rapidly in wooded areas immediately adjacent to trees than in nearby openings, What type of energy transfer processes could lead to this effect? Get solution

6rq. What properties of Mie scattering distinguish it from Rayleigh scattering? Get solution

7c. What is the role of convection in the atmosphere? Get solution

7ct. Net radiation values in the summer may be higher in forested areas than desert areas, despite the higher temperatures in the desert. How can this be? Get solution

7rq. Why are overcast days typically gray? Get solution

8c. Compare and contrast free convection and forced convection Get solution

8ct. The ratio of sensible to latent heat loss from a surface is called the Boiven ratio. How do you suppose Bowen ratios might differ among desert, wooded, and urban landscapes? Get solution

8rq. What is the numerical value of Earth’s planetary albedo? Get solution

9c. What are the two forms of heat transferred between the surface and atmosphere by convection? Get solution

9ct. Clouds can reduce the amount of insolation reaching Earth’s surface, but they can also reduce the amount of longwave radiation from the surface that escapes to space, How might this affect maximum and minimum temperatures? Do you think all types of clouds would produce similar effects? Get solution

9rq. Which type of scattering accounts for the majority of Earth’s planetary albedo? Get solution

10c. How do the relative amounts of incoming and outgoing net radiation vary across the globe? Get solution

10ct. Figure 3-16 shows the mean distribution of ocean currents. It is believed that climate change, through a variety of mechanisms, could cause a shift in the position of some currents. Can you identify any land regions whose climate could be vulnerable to shifts in nearby currents? Are there any localities whose climates could cool even if the average global temperature were to warm? Get solution

10rq. Describe quantitatively how much solar radiation is absorbed and reflected by Earth’s atmosphere and surface. Get solution

11c. What is one drawback of using a greenhouse as an analogy for how energy behaves in the atmosphere? Get solution

11ct. Instrument shelters protect thermometers from the heating effect of absorbed sunlight. Is it also true that shelters protect the thermometers from the chilling effect of wind? Get solution

11rq. What is the atmospheric window? Get solution

12c. What role does the greenhouse effect play in keeping Earth a habitable planet? Get solution

12ct. An orchard farmer hears a weather forecast for overnight low temperatures to hover just above the freezing point of 0°C (32°F), but with wind chill temperatures expected to drop significantly lower. Will the wind chill increase the possibility of frost damage? Why or why not? Get solution

12rq. Why is it incorrect to state that longwave radiation bounces back and forth between clouds and the surface? Get solution

13c. Describe the way isotherms bend over continents in the Northern Hemisphere for summer and for winter. Get solution

13rq. Explain why the incoming and outgoing radiation for the Earth system (radiation entering and leaving the top of the atmosphere) must equal each other. Get solution

14c. Why does the Northern Hemisphere have steeper temperature gradients with latitude than does the Southern Hemisphere? Get solution

14rq. How do conduction and convection work together to transfer heat upward? Get solution

15c. How does an ocean current affect the temperature of nearby land? Get solution

15rq. What is the difference between free convection and forced convection? Get solution

16c. Seattle, Washington, and Fargo, North Dakota, are both at similar latitudes. Which would you expect to have the tower temperatures in January? Why? Get solution

16rq. Describe sensible and latent heat. Get solution

17c. Why aren’t temperatures typically highest at noontime? Get solution

17rq. How do the net input and output of radiation vary with latitude? Get solution

18c. How does the presence of cloud cover and wind affect daily patterns of heating and cooling? Get solution

18rq. Which two processes transport energy from zones of radiation surplus to zones of radiation deficit? Get solution

19c. How would you determine the daily temperature range for a location? Get solution

19rq. Why does the term greenhouse effect inaccurately describe how the atmosphere is heated? Get solution

20c. How are daily mean temperatures determined? Get solution

20rq. Discuss how geographic factors such as latitude and altitude influence the distribution of temperature across Earth’s surface. Get solution

21c. Why is the wind chill index a useful measure? Get solution

21rq. How do the various instruments that are used to observe temperature work? Get solution

22c. What do heating and cooling degree-days indicate? Get solution

22rq. Explain how daily, monthly, and annual mean temperatures are computed from observed temperatures. Discuss some of the factors that can bias resulting values. Get solution

23c. Describe some of the important temperature trends that have been observed globally. Get solution

23rq. Describe the horizontal and vertical scales on Stuve diagrams. Get solution

24c. To what extent, if any, does the IPCC believe that humans are responsible for observed warming? Get solution