EAS212 Lecture Notes - Lecture 6: Adiabatic Process, Vapor Pressure, Density Of Air

• School: University of Alberta
• Department: Earth and Atmospheric Sciences
• Course: EAS212
• Professor: Paul Myers

Document Summary

Eas lec 6: introduction to the atmosphere. Earth"s seaso(cid:374)s: elliptical orbit does not cause seasons, axis 23. 5 degrees with respect to plane of the ecliptic, plane of the ecliptic: pla(cid:374)e tra(cid:272)ed (cid:271)y earth"s or(cid:271)it arou(cid:374)d the su(cid:374) Temperature variation in the atmosphere: troposphere: lowest layer of the atmosphere. 2 factors: salinity based on latitudes, circular patterns (gyres) in large scale upper ocean currents (except for antarctica) To understand both of these factors, we must consider how water vapour behaves in the atmosphere: Behaves similar to sugar in water: you can only dissolve a certain amount of sugar in your water, the maximum amount it can hold increases with temperature. Saturation vapour pressure: the maximum amount of water than can be held as vapour in the air. Water evaporates water molecules rise (lighter than air) Moist air density < dry air density. Moist air rises until it reaches an equilibrium level.