1. INTRODUCTION TO THE ATMOSPHERE. Introduction. Weather and Climate. The Earth''s Major Surface Features. Making an Atmosphere: Gases and Gravity. Atmospheric Evolution and Composition. Trace Gases and Aerosols.
Box 1.1: Most Air is Lighter Than Dry Air. Carbon Dioxide Cycle. Hydrologic Cycle. Methane. Chlorofluorocarbons. Aerosols. Atmospheric Pressure and Density.
Basic Concepts. Pressure and Altitude. Box 1.2: The Ideal Gas Law. Dividing up the Atmosphere. Box 1.3: Why Do Your Ears Pop? An Introduction to Weather Maps. Basic Concepts.
The Station Model. Time Zones. Weather Watches, Warnings, and Advisories. Summary. Key Terms. Review Questions. Web Activities. 2.
THE ENERGY CYCLE. Introduction. Force, Work, and Heat. Transferring Energy in the Atmosphere. Conduction: Requires Touching. Convection: Hot Air Rises. Heat Advection: Horizontal Movement of Air. Latent Heating: Changing the Phase of Water.
Adiabatic Cooling and Warming: Expanding and Compressing Air. Diabatic Cooling and Warming: Adding and Subtracting Heat. Radiative Heat Transfer: Exchanging Energy with Space. Box 2.1: Ozone. The Sun Supplies Energy to Earth. Radiative Properties of the Atmosphere. The Greenhouse Effect.
Greenhouse Warming: The Basics. The Global Average Energy Budget: Heat Is Transferred from the Surface to the Atmosphere. Box 2.2: Monitoring the Earth''s Energy Budget. Summary. Key Terms. Review Questions. Web Activities.
3. TEMPERATURE. Introduction. Surface Temperature. Surface Energy Budget. Temperature Cycles. Annual Temperature Cycle. Interannual Temperature Variations.
Box 3.1: Volcanoes and Temperature. Diurnal Temperature Cycle. Box 3.2: Record Cold and Record Heat Across the United States. Temperature Variation with Height. Lapse Rates and Stability. Temperature Inversions Near the Ground.
Wind-Chill Temperature. Temperature and Agriculture. Box 3.3: Temperature and Your Health. Summary. Key Terms. Review Questions. Web Activities.
4. WATER IN THE ATMOSPHERE. Introduction. Evaporation. The Source of Atmospheric Water. Measuring Water Vapor in the Air. Mixing Ratio. Vapor Pressure.
Relative Humidity. Box 4.1: Atmospheric Moisture and Your Health. Dew Point/Frost Point. Condensation and Deposition: Cloud Formation. Solute and Curvature Effects. Nucleation. Cloud Particle Growth by Condensation and Deposition.
Fog Formation. Lifting Mechanisms That Form Clouds. Cloud Classification. Low Clouds. Precipitating Clouds. Middle Clouds. High Clouds. Clouds and the Greenhouse Effect.
Cloud Composition. Precipitation. Precipitation Growth in Warm Clouds. Box 4.2: Controlling the Weather. Precipitation Growth in Cold Clouds. Precipitation Types. Clouds and Precipitation Near Mountains.
Summary. Key Terms. Review Questions. Web Activities. 5. OBSERVING THE ATMOSPHERE. Introduction. Meteorological Observations.
Direct Measurements of Surface Conditions. Box 5.1: The Meteogram. Temperature. Humidity. Pressure. Wind. Precipitation.
Direct Measurements of Upper-Air Weather Observations. Indirect Methods of Observing Weather. Laws of Reflection and Refraction. Box 5.2: Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star. Scattering. Box 5.3: Multiple Scattering and Climate Change.
ASOS Indirect Sensors. Meteorological Satellite Observations. Interpreting Satellite Images. Radar Observations. Atmospheric Optics. Mirages. Halos. Dispersion of Light.
Green Flash. Sundogs. Sun Pillar. Rainbows. Coronas, Glories, and the Brocken Bow. Summary. Key Terms. Review Questions.
Web Activities. 6. ATMOSPHERIC FORCES AND WIND. Introduction. Magnitude and Direction of Forces. Laws of Motion. Newton''s First Law: Law of Inertia. Newton''s Second Law: Law of Momentum.
Forces That Move the Air. Gravitational Force. Box 6.1: Planes and Pressure Differences. Pressure Gradient Force. Coriolis Force. Box 6.2: Down the Drain with the Rossby Number--Clockwise or Counterclockwise? Centrifugal Force/Centripetal Acceleration.
Frictional Force. Putting Forces Together: Atmospheric Force-Balances. Hydrost.