EARTHSC 2GG3 Lecture 10: Natural Disasters Lecture 10- Atmosphere and Severe Weather
16 Jun 2016
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Document Summary
Atmospheric processes involve huge amounts of energy. Three main types of energy: potential stored energy, kinetic energy of motion, heat energy of the random motion of atoms and molecules. Two types of heat important in atmospheric process: sensible heat that mat be sensed or measured, latent heat that is either absorbed or released when a substance changes phase. Latent heat allows molecule to move quickly enough to break the attractive bonds with other water molecules and more freely as a gas. Conduction: transfer through a substance by atomic or molecular interaction, requires a difference in temperate within the substance. Convection: transfer by the movement of a fluid, such as water or air, an important process in transferring heat in thunderstorms. The equilibrium between incoming and outgoing energy. Earth intercepts only a fraction of total energy emitted by the sun. Solar energy drives the hydrologic cycle, ocean waves currents, and global atmospheric circulation.
