Some Weather Systems Test Help

ertyuioplk: can you explain fronts to me?
ertyuioplk: i totally dont get the picture i drew
eescilsm: what do you need to know about fronts?
ertyuioplk: okay well just how they work
ertyuioplk: apparently from what i see here...mT travels up...then there is a cloud thats raining and yeah
eescilsm: what is the definition of a front?
ertyuioplk: i dont know
eescilsm: look on the air mass h/o
ertyuioplk: k got it
eescilsm: what are fronts?
ertyuioplk: prevailing winds cause air masses and fronts that form between them to move. If warm air replaces cold air, it is called a warm front. If cold air replaces warm air, it is called a cold front.
eescilsm: or even simpler:
eescilsm: "Fronts are the boundaries between air masses, marking the edges of individual air masses.
ertyuioplk: lol but that hardly makes sense to me
eescilsm: think of your house
eescilsm: it has rooms
eescilsm: (i hope)
ertyuioplk: lol no we have a studio
ertyuioplk: (kidding)
eescilsm: ok, think of the school
ertyuioplk: haha alright then
eescilsm: have we established that buildings may have rooms?
eescilsm: it has walls that separate the rooms
eescilsm: the rooms are the air masses
ertyuioplk: okay
eescilsm: the walls between them are the fronts
ertyuioplk: okay
eescilsm: the analogy breaks down now because air masses move
eescilsm: if the rooms of my house moved, i'd sue my builder
ertyuioplk: hahaha
eescilsm: what happens at a front depends on which way its moving
eescilsm: in both cases the warmer air goes up, cooler air stays on the ground
ertyuioplk: right
ertyuioplk: hmm okay that makes sense
ertyuioplk: warm air rises
ertyuioplk: and then equalizes
ertyuioplk: and forms condensation (if it reaches its dew point)
eescilsm: you got it
ertyuioplk: :-D
ertyuioplk: whew
ertyuioplk: im feeling confident
eescilsm: so what happens at a cold front?
ertyuioplk: the cold air stays on the ground
ertyuioplk: i know that much
ertyuioplk: the warm air rises above it?
eescilsm: yes, but how does the warm air move upward compared to a warm front?
ertyuioplk: the warm air rises straight up...?
ertyuioplk: im looking at my pic
eescilsm: and in a warm front?
ertyuioplk: a warm front kind of gradually rises horizontally
eescilsm: yep
eescilsm: and how does that produce different kinds of weather?
ertyuioplk: cold fronts have tornadoes and lightning and such
ertyuioplk: warm fronts really only have precipitation
eescilsm: why?
ertyuioplk: the warm air goes directly into the cloud it appears
ertyuioplk: that has to cause some kind of trouble
eescilsm: yep - all the condensation is stacked up in a tall cloud - lots of enrgy released over one place - stronger storm
ertyuioplk: mm makes sense
eescilsm: so what can we expect as the warm front on todays weather map moves over us tonight? http://www.oocities.org/capecanaveral/7639/atmosphe re/natwthrm.htm
ertyuioplk: well where is the front?
eescilsm: the line with the half circles on one side
ertyuioplk: hm..fog?
eescilsm: and clouds and maybe a little rain
eescilsm: and what about the weather tomorrow after the warm front is past?
ertyuioplk: i dont know how to tell
eescilsm: why is it called a warm front?
ertyuioplk: because warm air replaces cold air
eescilsm: so...
ertyuioplk: so...
ertyuioplk: ?
ertyuioplk: does that mean its going to get warmer?
eescilsm: what kind of weather?
eescilsm: yep
ertyuioplk: ohhh
ertyuioplk: duh
ertyuioplk: and precipitation right?
eescilsm: probably not much - this will be a wimp front
ertyuioplk: hahah
ertyuioplk: okay
ertyuioplk: well then a "bully" front would have really curvy lines?
eescilsm: curvy?
ertyuioplk: see the map?
ertyuioplk: how the line curves
ertyuioplk: well dips
eescilsm: thats the warm front
ertyuioplk: lol i know
ertyuioplk: what would a big front look like
ertyuioplk: same thing?
eescilsm: a big front?
ertyuioplk: you said wimp front
eescilsm: ah
eescilsm: well what should we expect when that cold front reaches us?
ertyuioplk: some lightning
ertyuioplk: heavy storms
ertyuioplk: cold weather
eescilsm: usually not in the winter
eescilsm: yes, yes
ertyuioplk: lol blizzard then?
eescilsm: depends on the temps in the cold air mass
ertyuioplk: mm yeah
eescilsm: now see if the weather service agrees with your forecast: http://www.region10ct.org/LSM/weather/reg10wthr.htm
ertyuioplk: hey this is fun lol
ertyuioplk: yeah it totally does
ertyuioplk: i guessed fog
ertyuioplk: you said ice and showers
eescilsm: i should double my fee
eescilsm: oh well
ertyuioplk: what fee?
eescilsm: you didn't know i charge $50/hour for online one on one tutoring?
ertyuioplk: hahaha
ertyuioplk: im sure.
ertyuioplk: ;-)
eescilsm: any other questions before i collapse from lack of sleep?
ertyuioplk: goodness its not that late
eescilsm: it is when you're as old and feeble as i am
ertyuioplk: ehh you're not too shabby for an ex rockstar
eescilsm: i hate to disappoint a fan, but i was not in a rock band
ertyuioplk: psh dont deny it
eescilsm: ok
ertyuioplk: haha
ertyuioplk: well whatever you say mr. mitchell
ertyuioplk: now i think we both need some sleep
ertyuioplk: i have 2 exams tomorrow
ertyuioplk: not fun.
eescilsm: bleah
eescilsm: see you tomorrow
ertyuioplk: see ya!
ertyuioplk: wish me luck
eescilsm: good luck
ertyuioplk: thanks
ertyuioplk: night
eescilsm: goodnight
ertyuioplk: sleepwell
eescilsm: zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
ertyuioplk: lol
eescilsm: bye

lkjhgfdsa: hi mr. mitchell, ------  here... I got a question...
eescilsm: ok
lkjhgfdsa: warm air has high air pressure b/c it spreads out when it rises right?
eescilsm: nope
lkjhgfdsa: why....
eescilsm: air pressure is loweer under rising air
lkjhgfdsa: ??Confused??
lkjhgfdsa: i thought that bc it spreads out when it rises it is like less condensed or what not and that makes it have low pressure.....
lkjhgfdsa: im in big trouble aren't i
eescilsm: um - lets try it the other way first - tell me about high pressure areas
lkjhgfdsa: uhhh the air spins clockwise....and ummm....
eescilsm: what is the air doing over high pressure areas?
lkjhgfdsa: rising?? i dont know?....
eescilsm: sinking air causes higher pressure
lkjhgfdsa: are you serious?! you mean I got this whole thing backwards?!?
eescilsm: i guess so
lkjhgfdsa: o wait... now i get it
lkjhgfdsa: nevermind, i get it mow
lkjhgfdsa: now*
lkjhgfdsa: i have another question...
eescilsm: ok
lkjhgfdsa: why don't air masses rise into the stratosphere?
eescilsm: why does air rise?
lkjhgfdsa: well, warm air rises but i guess i don't know why...
eescilsm: warm air is less dense than cold air
lkjhgfdsa: ok...
eescilsm: in order to rise what temp does a blob of air have to be compared with air above and around it?
lkjhgfdsa: it has to be warmer than the surrounding air
eescilsm: right, now tell me about the temps in the stratosphere
lkjhgfdsa: thats the weird are right? where it goes the other way?
lkjhgfdsa: area*
eescilsm: right
lkjhgfdsa: so... what does the temp have to do with it?
eescilsm: describe the temps in the stratosphere
lkjhgfdsa: i really have no idea
eescilsm: what does it show on the graph of temps?
lkjhgfdsa: evrything from 10 to -100, at about 10-50 km....
eescilsm: do they warmer or colder as you go up?
lkjhgfdsa: colder
eescilsm: in the stratosphere?
lkjhgfdsa: i mean warmer.. oops!
eescilsm: so rising air cools off as it rises, then..?
lkjhgfdsa: not in the stratosphere
lkjhgfdsa: but in the troposphere, yes
eescilsm: in both
lkjhgfdsa: huh?
eescilsm: not the air already there, i mean a column of rising air
lkjhgfdsa: im lost
eescilsm: do you have the Atmosphere structure handout handy?
lkjhgfdsa: yes its right in front of me
eescilsm: hold on - lemme find it
eescilsm: in ques 8: where did the air stop rising?
lkjhgfdsa: 5 km
eescilsm: why?
lkjhgfdsa: because the temperature of the rising air equaled the temp of the surrounding air
eescilsm: right - the air will only rise if its warmer than the air around it
eescilsm: but as it rises it cools off - what if it rose to 10 km or so and cooled to -65?
lkjhgfdsa: it would sink?
eescilsm: not yet - will it stop rising there?
lkjhgfdsa: ummmm.... yes?
eescilsm: why?
lkjhgfdsa: because it isn't warmer than the surrounding air anymore
eescilsm: right - but what if the air started out so hot that it only cooled to -60 by the time it rose to 20km? what is the avg air temp up there?
lkjhgfdsa: really really cold..?
eescilsm: look at the graph
lkjhgfdsa: i am but im not seeing what you mean...its right at that small line ot the left?
eescilsm: do you see that the temp stays around -65 as you go from 10 km to 20 km?
lkjhgfdsa: yes
eescilsm: then what happens? what is the temp above that?
lkjhgfdsa: it gets warmer
lkjhgfdsa: instead of cooler
eescilsm: right - could our -60 air rise into -55 air?
lkjhgfdsa: not in the stratosphere....OHHHHHHHH it all makes sense
eescilsm: whew
lkjhgfdsa: thanks:-)
eescilsm: are you sure you got it?
lkjhgfdsa: im sure
eescilsm: so what kind of air pressure would be under that rising air?
lkjhgfdsa: low
eescilsm: yea
eescilsm: and what would be under that air where it eventually sank to the ground?
lkjhgfdsa: high pressure
eescilsm: yeah!
lkjhgfdsa: woowho!!
eescilsm: and howwould the air flow out of the high pressure area?
lkjhgfdsa: clockwise
eescilsm: you get an A
lkjhgfdsa: can i get that in writing?
lkjhgfdsa: haha
eescilsm: i'm looking up something - hold on
eescilsm: look at the weather map at http://www.oocities.org/capecanaveral/7639/atmosphere/natwthrm.htm
lkjhgfdsa: ok...
lkjhgfdsa: i see it
eescilsm: hold on
eescilsm: see the low over the midwest?
lkjhgfdsa: yea
eescilsm: what is the wind direction in southern illinois?
lkjhgfdsa: counterclockwise
eescilsm: from what direction?
lkjhgfdsa: ummm, the east
eescilsm: directly?
lkjhgfdsa: i sont know... not really
lkjhgfdsa: dont*
eescilsm: A. NW B. SE C. NE D. SW
lkjhgfdsa: b
eescilsm: now look at the current conditions there at http://www.crh.noaa.gov/ifps/MapClick.php?MapType=3&site=LSX&CiTemplate=1&map.x=230&map.y=103
lkjhgfdsa: ok.....
eescilsm: find it?
lkjhgfdsa: yup
eescilsm: what does say?
lkjhgfdsa: well, its not a map, its a page with the forecast on it
lkjhgfdsa: am i looking at the right thing?
eescilsm: see over on the right where it says wind speed? it also gives direction
lkjhgfdsa: SE
eescilsm: Yes! she keeps her A!
lkjhgfdsa: yippee!
eescilsm: anything else?
lkjhgfdsa: nope i think i got it
lkjhgfdsa: thanks a lot
lkjhgfdsa: i have to go get some sleep for your big test in the morning
eescilsm: you're welcome
lkjhgfdsa: bye
eescilsm: hold on a min - i want to show you something on the web site
lkjhgfdsa: ok
eescilsm: check out our latest web page at http://www.oocities.org/CapeCanaveral/7639/atmosphere/weahelp.htm
lkjhgfdsa: haha thats cool
eescilsm: oops - i have to take out your name
eescilsm: there
lkjhgfdsa: thanks for everything
lkjhgfdsa: gotta go bye
eescilsm: ok see you tomorrow
lkjhgfdsa signed off at 10:36:41 PM.

xcvbnmlkjhgfddsa: hey
eescilsm: hi
xcvbnmlkjhgfddsa: i dont understand why air pressure and tempurature decrease with altitude
eescilsm: do you remember the analogy of the crumpled newspapers in the cardboard box?
xcvbnmlkjhgfddsa: yeah
eescilsm: what would they be like at the bottom of the box?
xcvbnmlkjhgfddsa: flater and more squished then the ones on top
eescilsm: so would they be squished closer together?
xcvbnmlkjhgfddsa: yes
xcvbnmlkjhgfddsa: oh so i get it
eescilsm: air does the same thing
eescilsm: more air molecules are at the bottom of the atmosphere
eescilsm: more air = more pressure
eescilsm: ok?
xcvbnmlkjhgfddsa: yup
xcvbnmlkjhgfddsa: thanks
eescilsm: and temp?
xcvbnmlkjhgfddsa: becuase they are movieng around more it is warmer.. right?
eescilsm: why are they moving faster = warmer?
xcvbnmlkjhgfddsa: becuase they are causing friction
xcvbnmlkjhgfddsa: and there is more air so it bumps into each other more
eescilsm: friction has nothing to do with it
xcvbnmlkjhgfddsa: oh
xcvbnmlkjhgfddsa: :-\
eescilsm: what is the source of heat for the atmosphere?
xcvbnmlkjhgfddsa: the sun?
xcvbnmlkjhgfddsa: what do yo u mean
eescilsm: what heats the heats the air?
xcvbnmlkjhgfddsa: the sun and the ghgs and the convection and stuff
eescilsm: does sunlight heat the air as it passes through it?
xcvbnmlkjhgfddsa: no it does when it hits the ground or something
eescilsm: right - then?
xcvbnmlkjhgfddsa: well when the air raises it cools but when it sinks it heats up
eescilsm: how and where does the air get warmer?
xcvbnmlkjhgfddsa: in the lower part of the troposphere
eescilsm: the sunlight heats the surface, then how does the heat get into the air?
xcvbnmlkjhgfddsa: with the circles that i drew on my paper that were supposed to mean something
eescilsm: umm
eescilsm: does conduction sound familiar?
xcvbnmlkjhgfddsa: yes..yes it does
eescilsm: heat is conducted from the surface to the air that touches it
xcvbnmlkjhgfddsa: then what are the circles for
xcvbnmlkjhgfddsa: withthe convection
eescilsm: the air that touches the surface then rises up - thats convection
xcvbnmlkjhgfddsa: oh
xcvbnmlkjhgfddsa: i knew that
xcvbnmlkjhgfddsa: kind of
eescilsm: so the source of heat for the atmosphere is the surface
xcvbnmlkjhgfddsa: yes
eescilsm: so the farther you get from the source of heat....?
xcvbnmlkjhgfddsa: the cooler it is
eescilsm: right
xcvbnmlkjhgfddsa: ok thanks
xcvbnmlkjhgfddsa: is it all multiple choice and no essay?
eescilsm: thats right
xcvbnmlkjhgfddsa: is there any part where we have to draw a diagram?
xcvbnmlkjhgfddsa: liek to label the warm and cold and air movement
eescilsm: nope, but you may have to look at one, or a graph of some kind
xcvbnmlkjhgfddsa: oh ok
xcvbnmlkjhgfddsa: ok good night
eescilsm: good night

(Return to top of page)