LAB 1
ANSWER QUESTIONS TO BOTH PARTS A AND B
LAB 1A
MAP PROJECTIONS
Latitude and Longitude:
Every location on earth has a set of distinct points. Because the coordinates are in
numbers, people can communicate about location no matter what language they
might speak. The two numbers are a location's latitude number and its longitude
number ("Lat/Long").
Latitude
Horizontal mapping lines on Earth are lines of latitude. They are known as
"parallels" of latitude, because they run parallel to the equator. One simple way to
visualize this might be to think about having imaginary horizontal "hula hoops"
around the earth, with the biggest hoop around the equator, and then progressively
smaller ones stacked above and below it to reach the North and South Poles.
Longitude
Vertical mapping lines on Earth are lines of longitude, known as "meridians". One
simple way to visualize this might be to think about having hula hoops cut in half,
vertically positioned with one end at the North Pole and the other at the South
Pole.
Longitude
Visualize a peeled orange,
with its vertically pieces
positioned with one end at the
North Pole and the other at the
South Pole.
Longitude lines are a numerical way to show/measure how far a location is east or
west of the Prime Meridian. This Prime Meridian line runs vertically, north and
south, right over the British Royal Observatory in Greenwich England, from the
North Pole to the South Pole. The Prime Meridian is numbered 0 degrees
longitude.
To measure longitude east or west of the Prime Meridian, there are 180 vertical
longitude lines east of the Prime Meridian and 180 vertical longitude lines west of
the Prime Meridian, so longitude locations are given as number of degrees east or
number of degrees west. The 180 degree line is a single vertical line called the
International Date Line, and it is directly opposite of the Prime Meridian.
LAB 1A 10 POINTS
MAP PROJECTIONS QUESTIONS
1. From the Internet or a reference book you may have describe and name ONE type of
map projections ? ( 1 pt )
A.
2. Map scales
Examples
A. On a map with a scale of 1:24,000, a measured distance of one inch represents an
actual distance of 2000 ft.
1” x 24,000 = 24,000”
24,000”/12 = 2000 ft.
B. On a map with a scale of 1:250,000, a measured distance of 4.5 inches represents an
actual distance of 17.8 miles.
( 63,360 inches = 1 mile)
4.5” x 250,00” = 1,125,000”
1,125,000”/ 63,360 = 17.8 miles
What is the fractional scale of a map if 10” = 5 mi. & each mile = 63,360 in.
1 mi = 63,360 “ so then 5 mi = __________ inches
So 10” or 5 mi = __________ inches
So 1”=___________
Scale = 1:_________
( 1 pt )
3. FOR THE FOLLOWING USE THE
INTERACTIVE MAP from the Weather Tools Section under Assignments
Find the following cities:
( 1 pt for each City )
LAT
A.
B.
C.
D.
LONG
OMAHA
NEW YORK
MIAMI
NEW ORLEANS
List one city in the Northern hemisphere West and one city East of the Prime
Meridian ( 1 pt each)
LAT
LONG
CITY
A.
B.
List one city in the Southern hemisphere West and one city East of
the Prime Meridian. ( 1 pt each)
LAT
A.
B.
LONG
CITY
LAB 1B 10 POINTS
CIRCLE OF ILLUMINATION and THE TILT OF THE EARTH
THE EARTH
Earth is considered a geoid, not a perfect sphere ( oblate spheroid ). Recent measurements show that
following the last ice age the redistribution of water from melting glaciers has caused the Earth’s
equatorial girth to expand slightly. Variations in seasons ( winter ) also causes slight crust
compression which slightly changes the Earth’s shape as well
CIRCLE OF ILLUMINATION Interactive Program
http://www.worldtime.com/cgi-bin/wt.cgi?cnt=1327253&ID=211450cc4d
THE TILT OF THE EARTH Interactive Program
http://highered.mcgrawhill.com/olcweb/cgi/pluginpop.cgi?it=swf::800::600::/sites/dl/free/0072482621/78778/Seasons_Nav.sw
f::Seasons%20Interactive
Dimensions
Surface area 500 million sq km ( 193 million sq mi. )
Diameter N to S 12,714 km (7900 mi )
E to W 12,756 km (7926 mi. )
Circumference
Polar circumference 40,008 km (24,860 mi. )
Equatorial circumference 40,075 km ( 24,902 mi.)
Astronomical factors:
Magnetosphere: Earth’s outer defense against the charged particles of the solar wind. A magnetic field
surrounds the Earth, generated by a dynamo – like motion within our planet. The magnetosphere
deflects the solar wind toward both poles, so that only a small portion of it enters the atmosphere
Auroras: the solar wind creates auroras in the upper atmosphere when absorbed energy is radiated as
light energy of varying colors. (aurora borealis, northern lights), (aurora australis, southern lights)
Visible poleward at 65 degrees latitude when the solar wind is active.
Thermopause: The region at the top of the atmosphere, approximately 480 km (300 mi) above the
Earth’s surface. This outer boundary provides a useful point to assess the arriving solar radiation before
it is diminished by passage through the atmosphere.
Insolation refers to incoming solar radiation.
Solar constant is the average value of solar radiation received at the thermopause when the Earth is at
its average distance from the Sun. That value of the solar constant is 1372 watts per square meter (
W/m2)
Earth’s elliptical orbit ( or eccentricity ) varies widely during a 100,000 year cycle, stretching out to an
extreme ellipse. Eccentricity measures how much the shape of an ellipse deviates from being a perfect
circle. The eccentricity of a circle is zero; as the eccentricity of an ellipse increases toward one, the
ellipse becomes progressively more elongated. The Earth’s eccentricity varies between ( 0.005 and
0.058 ) the current value is 0.017 and increasing.
Precession of the Earth’s Axis. When the center of gravity is not in a vertical line with the point of
support, the axis slowly changes its direction. This slow rotation of the axis, called precession, is caused
by a gravitational torque on the Earth from the Moon and the Sun. It takes 35,800 years for the axis to
precess through 360 degrees. The end result means that our current location of the north star and
constellation in our zodiac will slowly cycle through different months with a 1 month change occurring
every 2150 years. In the next 12,000 years Vega will be the new North star in the constellation Lyra.
Variation of tilt: Earth’s axial tilt varies from 220 to 24.50 which occurs over a 40,000 year period.
The present tilt is 23.450. Analysis of tilt. When the tilt gets smaller and that’s the current trend
the difference between summer and winter in each hemisphere becomes less pronounced. The
contrast makes little difference in the tropics, but at higher latitudes a smaller tilt leads to cooler
summers and warmer winters. Cooler summers bring less melting of high-latitude snowfall, and
that effect overshadows any reduced snowfall resulting from warmer winters. The end result is the
declining tilt tends to favor the onset of ice ages. Ice core records confirms similar patterns in the
past. Which means, over the next 16,000 years, we will be heading for a new ice age.
Do you know why it is warmer in the summer than it is in the winter? Are you curious about how
an Ice Age will form? Factors that impact the temperature are: the Earth's position as it orbits
around the Sun; the Earth's tilt; and the Sun's path.
The following link will take you to an interactive application where you can observe the affects
of temperature variations between summer and winter. Notice that at flatter angles (22 degrees)
you will see snow accumulate at 65 degrees North. The greater the angle (24.5 degrees) the
summer will melt away the winter snow.
Use this interactive program to see how tilt effect the earth
http://highered.mcgrawhill.com/olcweb/cgi/pluginpop.cgi?it=swf::800::600::/sites/dl/free/0072482621/78778/Seasons_Nav.sw
f::Seasons%20Interactive
TIME AND PLACE
Latitude is defined as the angular measurement in degrees north and south of the equator.
Longitude is defined as the angular measurement, in degrees, east or west of the reference meridian,
which is called the prime, or Greenwich, meridian ( 0-180 degrees east and west of 0)
Sidereal day is defined as the elapsed time between two successive crossings of the same meridian by a
star other then the sun.
International Date Line: When one crosses the IDL, traveling westward, the date is advanced into the
next day; when one crosses the IDL traveling eastward, one day is subtracted from the present date.
Tropical year : Is the time interval from one vernal equinox to the next vernal equinox
Sidereal year is the time interval for Earth to make one complete revolution around the sun with respect
to any particular star other then the sun.
Summer solstice the most northern point the sun is from the equator 20 or 21 June
Winter solstice the most southern point the sun is from the equator 21 or 22 December
Vernal equinox Suns position is directly over the equator 12 hours of light and darkness around the
world. March 20 or 21
Autumnal equinox Suns position is directly over the equator 12 hours of light and darkness around the
world. September 22 or 23
ANSWER THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS ON THE NEXT PAGE FOR LAB 1B
QUESTIONS FOR LAB 1B
1.
What causes the seasons of the earth ? ( 2pt )
2. How much energy in Watts per meter squared do we in general receive from the Sun ? ( 1pt )
3.
What is the Min Max values for the tilt of the Earth ? ( 2pts )
4.
What did you find when you used the interactive program which allows you to change the tilt
of the earth? What happened to the temperature in the summer and winter? ( 4 pts)
http://highered.mcgrawhill.com/olcweb/cgi/pluginpop.cgi?it=swf::800::600::/sites/dl/free/0072482621/78778/Seasons
_Nav.swf::Seasons%20Interactive
5.
Draw a diagram of illumination on the ground for a summer exposure and then for the winter
(1 pt )
LAB 2
CALCULATE THE SUNS ROTATION
In this Lab you will measure on your computers screen or by printing out this lab the Sun Spot
position over a 24 hour period and compute the rotation of the Sun. The background information
you have read by now shows many details about the Sun. Have you ever wondered how they
calculate the rotation of the Sun? Well, here is a simple but interesting Lab. The answer you
calculate will be very close to the actual rotational period of the Sun at its equator. The more
accurate you are using the ruler the more accurate the answer for rotation.
Use these past photos from Space Weather .com web site. Use these dates to look up the set of
sun spot photos you will need if you want.
Go to Spaceweather.com ( http://www.spaceweather.com/ ) and put in these dates to the archive
section upper right of the web page. 4 July 2005 and 5 July 2005. I have these images also in
the lab document if you want to just print them out and work out the measurements
DAY 1 SUN SPOT
DAY 2 SUN SPOT
Using a ruler, find the diameter of the Suns image on the page and the horizontal distance from
the limb of the central bright spot in each image. I have marked each one. Now just fill
everything in.
Now measure and fill in the values ( 2 points each )
Dia Sun = _______ cm
Xdistance day1 = ________ cm
Xdistance day 2 = _______ cm
(Continued on next page)
From the diameter, we can calculate the circumference of the sun from the images above.
C sun = (𝜋) 𝑥 (𝐷ia Sun in cm)
( π = 3.14 )
C sun = ______ cm ( 3 points)
Now take the circumference value of ( C sun ) and divide it by the distance the sun spot has
moved in the last 24 hours. ( Refer to Sun pictures Day 1 and 2 )
Spot moved _____ cm /day = ( Xdistance day 1 ) - ( Xdistance day 2 )
So the period of rotation will equal
( 1 pt)
C sun / Spot moved = Period of rotation _______ days
So what is your value for the rotation of the Sun, how many days?
___________
(5 points )
How much were you off from the actual rotation of the Sun. To make this calculation
Take the value you calculated and then divide by the actual value of the Sun’s rotation which is
25.67 days. Then take that answer and multiply by 100, and this will be how close you were to
the actual rotation of the Sun. _________ % ( 2 points) . Now just subtract 100 % from your
answer and you now find out what percent you off + or - _______ % ( 3 points )
LAB 3
TEMPERATURE HEAT AND LAPSE RATES
TEMPERATURE and HEAT:
Temperature is a description of the average kinetic energy of the molecules in a substance.
Heat refers to energy that transfers from one object to another. The heat energy for example, will flow or
transfer from an object with a higher temperature to a lower temperature object.
Magnetic.fsu.edu
Now let’s look at some of the background for each type of thermometer.
Fahrenheit Thermometer and Scale: Developed by the eighteenth century German physicist Gabriel
Fahrenheit, the Fahrenheit thermometer is the most widely used in the United States by the public,
National Weather Service and news media. The Fahrenheit scale includes the freezing point of pure
water ( 32o F ) and its boiling point ( 212o F ) .
Celsius Thermometer and Scale: Developed by the eighteenth century Swedish astronomer Anders
Celsius, the Celsius thermometer is widely used throughout the world and is now slowly being
established to supersede the Fahrenheit scale in the United States. It has been long used by the
scientific community, an accepted component of the International System of measurement (S.I.) which
has a decimal scale of 100 units (degrees). The Celsius scale includes the freezing point of pure water (0o
F) and its boiling point (100o F).
Kelvin Thermometer and Scale: Developed by the nineteenth century British physicist Lord Kelvin,
the Kelvin thermometer has been long used by the scientific community. Its scale starts at absolute zero
which is the lowest possible temperature. This is the temperature at which molecules have no kinetic
energy that can be given up. The scale maintains a 100 degrees range between the freezing and boiling
point. There are no negative values on this scale. The Kelvin scale includes the freezing point of pure
water (273o F) and its boiling point (373o F).
Temperature Scales and Conversions;
The following is a series of temperature conversion equations. We will use these equations to
practice converting from one temperature scale to another.
Fahrenheit
Tf = (1.8 x Tc) +32
( Tc = Celsius )
Celsius
Tc = (Tf – 32)/ 1.8
( Tf = Fahrenheit )
Kelvin Temp
Tk = Tc + 273
( Tc = Celsius )
Example Let’s convert 15 degrees Celsius to Fahrenheit and then back to Celsius
Plug in the Celsius value to the Fahrenheit formula and we get
Tf = (1.8 x 15oC) + 32
Tf = (27) +32
Tf = 59o F
Plug in the Fahrenheit value to the Celsius formula and we get
Tc = (59o F – 32)/ 1.8
Tc = (27)/ 1.8
Tc = 15o C
Convert the following temperatures :
1. 25oC to Kelvin
2. 19oF to Celsius
3. 0o F to Celsius
4. 20o C to Fahrenheit
5. 29oC to Fahrenheit
( 2 Points Each )
_________
_________
_________
_________
_________
GO TO NEXT PAGE
Adiabatic Cooling and Warming
atmos.umd.edu
Whenever air ascends or descends its temperature changes. This is known as the
adiabatic process which means without the gain or loss of heat. As air rises and
expands, the molecules spread through a greater volume of space. As the molecules
spread farther away from each other, their frequency of collision decreases, creating a
decrease in temperature. The inverse occurs when air descends in the atmosphere then
begins to warm. The temperature of the air in the troposphere decreases with altitude,
and the rate of this temperature decrease with height is referred to as the lapse rate.
With the available moisture in the atmosphere for any given time, we use the following
lapse rates to compute the changes in an air parcel as it ascends or descends. The
standard atmospheric lapse rate or normal lapse rate is 6.5 degrees C / km or 3.5 F/
1000ft. The dry lapse rate (dry air) is 5.5 F/ 1000ft and the moist (moist air) is 3.3 F/
1000ft.
Normal lapse rate is
6.5o C / km or 3.5o F/ 1000ft.
Dry lapse rate (dry air) is
5.5o F/ 1000ft
Moist lapse rate (moist air) is 3.3o F/ 1000ft.
Example: Using the Normal lapse rate. What is the temperature at 5000 ft.? Using a
surface temperature of 70o F
Normal lapse rate is
6.5o C / km or 3.5 F/ 1000ft.
So take 5000 ft. / 1000 ft. (lapse rate per 1000 ft.) = 5
Now take resultant 5 and multiply by 3.5o F (the Normal lapse rate) which = 17o F
Since the temperature decreases with height you just subtract the change in
temperature (17o F) from the surface temperature of (70o F) which = 53o F
So the temperature at 5,000 feet is 53o F
What is the temperature at the specified altitude using the following lapse
rates:
( 2 Points Each)
1. Using the Normal lapse rate. What is the temperature at 5000 ft.? Using a surface
temperature of 80o F
(Altitude ft.) / 1000 ft. = ____
Now take resultant and multiply by lapse rate which = ____o F (delta temp)
Since the temperature decreases with height you just subtract the change in
temperature from the surface temperature which = _____o F
2. Using the Dry lapse rate. What is the temperature at 6000 ft.? Using a surface
temperature of 63o F
(Altitude ft.) / 1000 ft. = ____
Now take resultant and multiply by lapse rate which = ____o F (delta temp)
Since the temperature decreases with height you just subtract the change in
temperature from the surface temperature which = _____o F
3. Using the Moist lapse rate. What is the temperature at 9000 ft.? Using a surface
temperature of 80o F
(Altitude ft.) / 1000 ft. = ____
Now take resultant and multiply by lapse rate which = ____o F (delta temp)
Since the temperature decreases with height you just subtract the change in
temperature from the surface temperature which = _____o F
4. Using the Normal lapse rate. What is the temperature at 10,000 ft.? Using a
surface temperature of 77o F
(Altitude ft.) / 1000 ft. = ____
Now take resultant and multiply by lapse rate which = ____o F (delta temp)
Since the temperature decreases with height you just subtract the change in
temperature from the surface temperature which = _____o F
5. Using the Moist lapse rate. What is the temperature at 18,000 ft.? Using a surface
temperature of 35o F
(Altitude ft.) / 1000 ft. = ____
Now take resultant and multiply by lapse rate which = ____o F (delta temp)
Since the temperature decreases with height you just subtract the change in
temperature from the surface temperature which = _____o F
LAB 4
RELATIVE HUMIDITY MIXING RATIO DEW POINT
RELATIVE HUMIDITY, MIXING RATIO, DEW POINT:
1000thingsaboutjapan.blogspot.com
Relative Humidity
Relative humidity is the ratio of the current absolute humidity to the highest possible
absolute humidity. A relative humidity of 100 percent means that the air is totally
saturated with water vapor and cannot hold any more. It must be 100 percent where the
clouds are forming for precipitation to occur, however, the relative humidity near the
ground can be much less. The water vapor capacity of air at a given temperature is also
referred to the saturation mixing ratio. The water vapor capacity of air depends almost
nearly on temperature. As temperature increases, the water vapor capacity also
increases.
Saturation mixing ratio table (at 1000 mb)
Saturation Mixing Ratio
Temperature Degrees Celsius
(g) per Kilogram
of Dry Air
1.7
4.4
7.2
10.0
12.8
15.6
18.3
21.1
23.9
4.3
5.2
6.2
7.6
9.3
11.1
13.2
15.6
18.8
26.7
22.3
Simple approximation for Relative Humidity
RH = Relative Humidity
𝑴𝒊𝒙𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝑹𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐
𝑹𝑯 = (
) 𝒙 𝟏𝟎𝟎
𝑺𝒂𝒕𝒖𝒓𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏 𝑴𝒊𝒙𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝑹𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐
Mixing Ratio
The mixing ratio is the weight of water vapor in a specified air parcel (volume) to the weight of
dry air in that same volume.
Dew Point
The dew point temperature is the temperature at which the air can no longer hold all of its water
vapor and some of the water vapor will condense into liquid water. The dew point temperature is
lower than (or equal to) the air temperature. If the air temperature cools to the dew point,
then dew, fog or clouds will begin to form. At this point where the dew point temperature
equals the air temperature, the relative humidity is 100%. Dew point can be computed using
this simple formula.
Simple approximation
This formula will be accurate to within about ±1 °C as long as the relative humidity is above
50%.
RH = Relative Humidity
T = Temperature
Td = Dew Point
1. Complete the following table chart. (Round off relative humidity to the
nearest percent ) Use the Saturation mixing ratio table and Relative
Humidity formula.
Saturation mixing ratio table (at 1000 mb)
Saturation Mixing Ratio
Temperature Degrees Celsius
(g) per Kilogram
of Dry Air
1.7
4.4
7.2
10.0
12.8
15.6
18.3
21.1
23.9
26.7
4.3
5.2
6.2
7.6
9.3
11.1
13.2
15.6
18.8
22.3
Mixing Ratio
(g/kg)
Air Temp
(o C)
2.8
5.3
2.2
7.2
10.0
12.8
Saturation
Ratio (g/kg)
Rel Humidity
(%)
11.1
7.9
18.3
23.9
( Each blank 1 point)
RH = Relative Humidity
𝑴𝒊𝒙𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝑹𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐
𝑹𝑯 = (
) 𝒙 𝟏𝟎𝟎
𝑺𝒂𝒕𝒖𝒓𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏 𝑴𝒊𝒙𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝑹𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐
2.
Complete the following table using these relative humidity values and
calculate for dew point.
RH = Relative Humidity
T = Temperature
Td = Dew Point
Air Temp
(o C)
Rel Humidity
(%)
7.2
10.0
12.8
18.3
23.9
10
55
89
23
77
Dew Point
(o C)
( Each blank 2 points)
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