Which characteristic is related to stable air in the atmosphere?
Stable air masses are also characterized by smooth, undisturbed air. This quality can be seen mainly by pilots or air travelers. People flying through stable air masses will not experience violent turbulence or disturbances as they would in unstable air masses.
What is a stable air?
Stable air means that the weather is likely to be calm. It may rain or snow slowly and steadily, it may be sunny, but the weather will not change quickly. Unstable air means that the weather might change quickly with very little warning. Unstable air leads to sudden thunderstorms.
What characteristics indicate unstable air?
Let's examine. Air is considered unstable, in the lowest layers of an air mass when the air is warmer and or more humid than the surrounding air. When this occurs the air will rise, as that air parcel is warmer than the air surrounding it. In an unstable environment, the weather can change suddenly and can be violent.
What makes air stable or unstable?
What makes air stable or unstable? It is the vertical profile of temperature, or lapse rate of the atmosphere, which determines whether an air mass is stable or not.
What are the characteristics of stable air pilot?
Stable Air vs Unstable Air
| Stable Air | Unstable Air | |
|---|---|---|
| Icing | Rime, freezing rain, or clear ice | Moderate to heavy clear ice |
| Visibility | Restricted for long periods | Good, outside areas of precipitation |
| Other | Frost; dew; temperature inversions; little or no turbulence | High and/or gusty winds; potential for turbulence; lightning |
What are characteristics of stable air quizlet?
Explanation: characteristics of stable air: stratiform clouds, continuous precipitation, smooth air, poor visibility.
What are characteristics of unstable air quizlet?
What are characteristics of unstable air? Turbulence and good surface visibility. Explanation: It is easy to associate turbulence with unstable air.
How is stable air formed?
If the air parcel is colder than the environment in its new position, it will have higher density and tend to sink back to its original position. In this case, the air is stable because vertical motion is resisted.
What is a characteristic of stable air clouds?
What are the characteristics of stable air? A—Good visibility; steady precipitation; stratus clouds. B—Poor visibility; steady precipitation; stratus clouds.
What conditions cause a stable air mass quizlet?
Indicates stability: stability of the atmosphere is determined by vertical movements of air. Warm air rises when the air above is cooler. Cooling from below: surrounding air is warmer, which would increase the stability of an air mass.
What is the difference between stable and unstable air quizlet?
stable air – happens when warm air stays above cold air. The weather is likely to remain calm. unstable air – happens when there is a quick change in temperature.
What is stable air mass?
Air mass having a stable stratification in its lower layer, and consequently free from convection, having a low degree of turbulence, and containing either stratiform clouds, fog, or no clouds at all.
How does stable air differ from unstable air?
Stable air resists upward movement, whereas unstable air does not. Clouds formed when stable air is forced to rise are generally thin and precipitation, if any, is moderate or light. Conversely, when unstable air rises, clouds are often towering and precipitation can be heavy.
What is a characteristic of stable air quizlet?
What is a characteristic of stable air? Stratiform clouds. Explanation: Stable air masses are calm; stratiform clouds are smooth and they do not build vertically like cumulus clouds.
Which air mass is more stable?
If warm air is over cold air, this is stable. If cold air is over warm air this is unstable. For this reason, tropical air masses are usually less stable than polar air masses.
How is the stability of air determined quizlet?
Stability is determined by comparing the density of air parcel to the environmental air surrounding the parcel. Air parcels displaced upward that become more dense than their environment will return to their original position indicating a stable environment.
What are characteristics of moist unstable air?
What are characteristics of a moist, unstable air mass? Turbulence and showery precipitation.
What measure can be used to determine the stability of the atmosphere?
The degree of stability or instability of an atmospheric layer is determined by comparing its temperature lapse rate, as shown by a sounding, with the appropriate adiabatic rate. A temperature lapse rate less than the dry adiabatic rate of 5.5°F.
What is atmospheric stability quizlet?
stability. -refers to the tendency of an air parcel, with its water vapor, either to remain in place or to change vertical position by ascending (rising) or descending (falling)
How can you determine the stability of an air mass quizlet?
Indicates stability: stability of the atmosphere is determined by vertical movements of air. Warm air rises when the air above is cooler. Cooling from below: surrounding air is warmer, which would increase the stability of an air mass.