ATMO 203: STUDY GUIDE FOR
TUTORIAL 17
1) Know what two processes most affect the temperature of an air parcel away from the ground.
2) If you haven’t done so by now, memorize the dry adiabatic lapse rate.
3) Know how to plot a temperature and pressure point on a sounding diagram.
4) Know why the temperature lines on a sounding diagram are tilted.
5) Be able to use a sounding diagram to determine the temperature of a dry parcel as it moves vertically in the atmosphere.
6) Know how the moist adiabatic lapse rate relates to temperature, pressure, and the dry adiabatic lapse rate. Know why the moist adiabatic lapse rate is different from the dry adiabatic lapse rate.
7) Be able to use a sounding diagram to determine the temperature of a saturated parcel as it moves vertically in the atmosphere.
8) Know what the mixing ratio is a measure of and what units it is typically reported in.
9) Be able to use a sounding diagram to determine the temperature and pressure at which a partially saturated parcel (given the parcel’s dew point) will become saturated as it ascends. Be able to determine the temperature of this parcel as it moves vertically in the atmosphere.
10) Be able to identify all the lines on a complete sounding diagram.
11) Know how to identify the cloud base (in millibars) using a sounding. Know the approximate millibars to meters conversion for determining cloud base.
12) Know what the Chinook wind
is, how it is formed, and what parts of the