Which is characteristic of stable air?
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 does stable air mean?
A stable atmosphere will have largely flat layers of cloud which, although they may exhibit some lumpiness, will not extend far upwards. There may be several such layers or occasionally, clear skies.
What happens stable air?
The atmosphere is considered to be stable if a rising parcel cools faster than the environmental lapse rate. This causes the air parcel to be cooler and more dense than its surroundings and, therefore, lose its buoyancy. Vertical motions tend to be restricted when the atmosphere is in stable equilibrium.
What makes air stable or unstable?
The atmosphere is conditionally unstable. A rising parcel of unsaturated air ends up cooler and denser than the surroundings. A parcel of saturated air, which cools at a slower rate, ends up warmer than the air around it. The condition for instability is that the air must be saturated.
What are characteristics of stable air quizlet?
Explanation: characteristics of stable air: stratiform clouds, continuous precipitation, smooth air, poor visibility.
Does stable air rise?
Air that has a tendency to sink is known as a stable air. If the air parcel's temperature is greater than the temperature of the surrounding air mass, the air parcel is less dense and tends to rise.
Is unstable air smooth?
The usual convection in unstable air gives a “bumpy” ride; only at times is it violent enough to be hazardous. In stable air, flying is usually smooth but sometimes can be plagued by low ceiling and visibility.
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.
Which is a characteristic typical of a stable air mass 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.
How does stable air differ from 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 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 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.
When an air mass is stable which of these conditions is most likely to exist?
When an air mass is stable, which of these conditions are most likely to exist? a heat exchange. What is indicated if ice pellets are encountered at 8,000 feet? They are nonfrontal and often contain severe, steady-state thunderstorms.
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.
What does it mean when air is unstable?
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 is the difference between a stable and an unstable atmosphere which of these two conditions favors vertical cloud development and why?
1. Stable air tends to resist upward vertical motions, clouds forming in a stable air will spread horizontally and have a stratified appearance. 2. An unstable atmosphere tends to favor vertical air currents and produce cumuliform clouds.
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)
Which of the following is true about the stability condition of the atmosphere?
The atmosphere is said to be absolutely stable if the environmental lapse rate is less than the moist adiabatic lapse rate. This means that a rising air parcel will always cool at a faster rate than the environment, even after it reaches saturation.
What affects air stability?
Three characteristics of the sounding then determine the stability of the atmospheric layer in which the parcel of air is embedded. These are: (1) The temperature lapse rate through the layer; (2) temperature of the parcel at its initial level; and (3) initial dew point of the parcel.
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.
What is stability of the atmosphere?
Atmospheric stability is a measure of atmospheric status which determines whether or not air will rise, sink, or be neutral. In general stability refers to air tendency to rise or to resist vertical motion (Salby 1996; Houghton 2002; Hewitt and Jackson 2003; Lutgens and Tarbuck 2009; Hantel 2013).
Which of the following conditions describes a stable atmosphere?
The atmosphere is said to be absolutely stable if the environmental lapse rate is less than the moist adiabatic lapse rate. This means that a rising air parcel will always cool at a faster rate than the environment, even after it reaches saturation.