3.1 - Overview of Unit 3

Introduction:

This Unit is perhaps the most challenging of the Semester. You will be learning all of the basics of weather. Studying weather is really a series of building blocks, where one concept builds on the concepts which come before it. For that reason, you want to make sure that you understand each component of weather before you move onto the next. You have many resources: the Canvas content, the lectures I prepare and office hours. Please take advantage of all of these resources.

What you will learn

Weather is a function of Temperature, Air Pressure, Wind and Moisture.

• How Sun Angles influence Temperature
• How to calculate Sun Angles and use an Analemma
• About the nature of solar energy and the electromagnetic spectrum
• About the composition of the atmosphere and its impact on solar radiation
• About the Earth's Energy Budget
• The Controls on Temperature and the global patterns of Temperature.
• About Atmospheric Pressure; how it is measured, what causes differences in pressure from place to place around the world
• The differences between high and low pressure
• How to draw isobars
• About the relationship between Pressure and Wind
• About the factors that impact wind direction and speed
• About the General Circulation of the Atmosphere
• About regionally important winds
• About local winds
• About the properties of water
• About the phase changes of water
• About Adiabatic Processes
• How to calculate adiabatic cooling and warming
• About clouds, fog, dew and frost
• About atmospheric stability
• About the global distribution of precipitation

What you will be doing

• Read the Canvas Content for each Section
  
• Watch the lectures for each Section
• Take four quizzes (quizzes 3 - 6, Quizzes may be skipped by Instructor)
• Complete three assignments
• Take the Unit 3 Exam