The amount of water vapor in the air is referred to as humidity. The more water that is in the air there is, the higher we say that the humidity has risen. Humidity can be measured in a number of ways. These include absolute humidity, specific humidity, and relative humidity. Absolute and specific humidity measure […]
The process of water molecules escaping the surface of the Earth and entering the atmosphere is known as evaporation. Evaporation takes place as molecules of water escape from a collective body of water. This can be a puddle, a lake, a stream, or just a droplet of water. As water molecules evaporate, they take with […]
The amount of water gas or vapor in the air varies greatly from location to location. In some areas, such as deserts, the amount of water vapor in the air can be almost zero. In other locations, such as in rain forests and above the oceans, the amount of water vapor in the air can […]
Moisture in the air is something that almost all of us are familiar with. We see its effects practically on a daily basis. Moisture or water in the atmosphere causes clouds to form, fog to cover the landscape, and humidity to thicken the air. It also causes rain, snow, hail and sleet to form. Indeed, […]
In areas where there are mountains and valleys we see a type of wind pattern known as mountain breezes and valley breezes. During the day, the surface of the mountain heats the air high up in the atmosphere, quicker than the valley floor can. As the warmer air expands a low pressure is created […]
During the day, land gets heated by the Sun much quicker than does water. As the land becomes warmer, it heats the air in the atmosphere above it. This causes the air to expand, becoming less dense, and thus creating a low pressure. Because water heats up much less quickly, air above the ocean also […]
While wind direction and speed change from one moment to the next, and from one location to the next, it is however possible to identify general patterns that affect the entire surface of the globe. This is especially true the higher one travels into the atmosphere. Subtropical Highs Each of the major oceans contains a […]
Many of the forces within our atmosphere are easily recognized by us. This is due to the fact that we can use our senses to feel these forces. We can, for example, quickly determine the approximate temperature outside simply by stepping outside. We immediately know whether it is cold, warm or hot. Likewise, we […]
Lapse Rate The higher one travels into the troposphere, or the first layer of the atmosphere, the lower the temperature becomes. The rate at which the temperature drops is known as the lapse rate. On average, the lapse rate of the troposphere is 3.6 degrees per 1,000 feet, or 6.5 degrees celsius for every 1,000 […]
Like an unbalanced teeter-totter falling to one side or the other, the Earth is constantly trying to balance temperature differences. The cooler areas attract warm air, while the warmer areas push air outward in an attempt to cool itself down, until a perfect balance is reached everywhere. Due to the unequal heating of the Earth’s […]
