GEOG 1221: Introduction to Physical Geography 1

Assignment 3: Radiation Balance and the Thermal

Environment (Unit 2); Atmospheric
Circulation (Unit 3); Moisture, Air Masses,
and Storms (Unit 4) (100 Marks; 10%)
Remember that the assignment answers must be based on both the
course material and the required textbook readings.

PART 1: Multiple-Choice Questions (10 marks total; 1 mark each)

Please answer the following questions by indicating the correct answer.
1. When it comes to conditions outdoors, the measure of human comfort
that we use in the winter is known as:
a) Relative humidity.
b) Absolute humidity.
c) The wind chill index.
d) The dew point.
e) The heat index.
2. The annual migration of the subsolar point occurs within which of the
following latitudes?
a) Tropics
b) Subarctic latitudes
c) Midlatitudes
d) Arctic and Antarctic
e) High latitudes
3. As water evaporates from the ocean, energy is transferred to the
atmosphere in the form of:
a) Clouds.
b) Sensible heat.
c) Precipitation.
d) Latent heat.
e) Humidity.

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4. Where would you find high sun angles and intense solar radiation all
year long?
a) Low-latitude coastal locations
b) Midlatitude coastal locations
c) High-latitude coastal locations
d) Midlatitude continental locations
e) High-latitude continental locations
5. The climates of northeast Canada and northeastern Asia are under the
influence of:
a) Heavy moisture.
b) Significant amounts of latent energy.
c) Continentality.
d) Maritime effects.
e) None of these
6. Which of the following is true?
a) The Earth absorbs shortwave radiation from the sun and emits
energy as shortwave radiation.
b) The Earth absorbs shortwave radiation from the sun and emits
energy as longwave radiation.
c) The Earth absorbs longwave radiation from the sun and emits
energy as shortwave radiation.
d) The Earth absorbs longwave radiation from the sun and emits
energy as longwave radiation.
e) The Earth does not emit energy.
7. Which of the following statements is false?
a) The Antarctic ozone hole forms every spring in the southern
hemisphere because a polar vortex develops during the previous
winter that traps air within it.
b) During the existence of the polar vortex, the air becomes very cold
and thin clouds of ice crystals form.
c) The thin clouds of ice crystals help facilitate the destruction of
ozone by UV radiation.
d) The peak loss of ozone occurs in September–October.
e) They are all true.
8. What region has the largest variation in solar insolation?
a) The Arctic
b) The equator

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GEOG 1221: Introduction to Physical Geography 3

c) The midlatitudes
d) The tropics
9. Urban surface temperatures tend to be warmer than rural
temperatures during the day because:
a) Drier surfaces are cooler than wet soils.
b) Drier surfaces have less water to evaporate than do moist soils.
c) Paved surfaces reflect so much heat away into the air.
d) Paved surfaces absorb little solar insolation.
10. Which of the following does not describe land?
a) Low specific heat
b) Heats slowly
c) Radiation does not penetrate the surface
d) No mixing between warmer and cooler
e) Low evaporation rate

PART 2: Atmospheric Processes (15 marks)

Please answer the following questions.

You may wish to answer the following questions and quantitative

problems in point form and use diagrams where appropriate. You
will receive lower marks for a simple précis or for copying the
glossary or textbook definitions.

11. Define and explain the following terms (1 mark each):

a) Adiabatic process
b) Dry adiabatic lapse rate
c) Environmental lapse rate
d) Level of condensation
e) Wet adiabatic lapse rate
12. Why are the wet and dry adiabatic lapse rates different (5 marks)?
13. Calculate the relative humidity for air with the following
parameters. Use Figure 4.2 in Unit 4 to calculate saturation vapour
pressure. (5 marks)

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Saturation Vapour
Vapour Pressure Temperature
Pressure Relative
Humidity
(mb) (C)
(mb)
20 30
10 15
7 5
15 25
5 5

Please show how you derived your values.

HINT:

PART 3: Air Masses and Weather Systems (15 marks)

Please answer the following questions.
14. What are the air masses, and characteristics of the source areas of
those air masses, that affect the weather of British Columbia? Look
ahead to the section on BC climatic regimes in Unit 5 for help with
this question. (5 marks)
15. Assignment Figure 3.1 is a generalized map of surface isobars over
British Columbia and adjacent ocean and continental areas. Note the
large high-pressure systems (anticyclones) over the Yukon and the
NWT. (10 marks total)
a) Applying the principles of wind flow covered in Unit 3, indicate on
the map the main directions of wind flow. You should aim for about
20 arrows indicating direction over the whole area of the map. You
can use the draw tools in Word, or print and then scan/take a
picture and attach to or insert in the assignment. (5 marks)
b) For the four stations shown by heavy black circles, indicate the
compass direction of the wind (i.e., N, SE, etc.). Note that this is
the direction the wind is from. (5 marks)

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GEOG 1221: Introduction to Physical Geography 5

Assignment Figure 3.1: A generalized map of surface isobars over British

Columbia and adjacent ocean and continental areas © TRU

PART 4: Field Exercise—Weather Observations (40 marks)

Please answer the following questions.
16. For this part of the assignment, you are asked to keep a “cloud
diary” for your study area for at least three consecutive days. To do
well, you must:
 Describe the sequence of cloud types and associated weather for
three consecutive observation days.
 Make the observations from the same point at the same time, three
times each day (e.g., morning, midday, and evening). Submit
photos of the observations at the three times.
 Explain what you see by referring to the daily weather maps of
your region, which you can obtain from television’s “Weather
Network,” radio, or the Internet (this is an essential part of the

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assignment and prepares you for using a range of current sources

in Assignment 1).
 You may wish to include your own photographs of the cloud types
and sequences that you observe.
 Submit the rough daily notes from your observation, together with
links to any Internet weather maps or other sources used for the
observation period.
Follow the instructions below and enter your observations. Use
additional pages for other comments and explanations, where necessary.
a) Description of observation site (4 marks)
For this part of the assignment, you must note:
 The observation period (day, month, year, times of observation).
 Whether the site is rural or urban.
 Approximate latitudinal and longitudinal coordinates and elevation.
 Proximity to ocean, lakes, or mountains.
 Information on other factors that may influence local and regional
weather.
 You may wish to include a location map.

b) Day One: _______________________________ (8 marks)

Other
Estimated
Time of Comments (e.g.,
Cloud Forms Cloud Base
Observation winds,
(metres)
temperature)

Explanation: (4 marks)

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c) Day Two: _______________________________ (8 marks)

Other
Estimated
Time of Comments
Cloud Forms Cloud Base
Observation (e.g., winds,
(metres)
temperature)

Explanation: (4 marks)

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d)Day Three: _______________________________ (8 marks)

Other
Estimated
Time of Comments
Cloud Forms Cloud Base
Observation (e.g., winds,
(metres)
temperature)

Explanation: (4 marks)

PART 5: Review of Units 2, 3, and 4 (20 marks; 10 marks each)

Answer two of the following questions. Your answer should be no longer
than 250 words for each question. Illustrate your answers with relevant
diagrams, tables, and references.
17. Outline the flow and balance of solar and terrestrial radiation.
18. Discuss, with examples, the major ways in which topography can
influence insolation, temperature, and air movements at the Earth’s
surface.
19. What is a tropical cyclone? What atmospheric and oceanic
conditions are necessary for it to develop, and where do these occur?
20. What atmospheric and oceanic conditions are necessary for the
development of El Niño and La Niña events, and where do these
occur?
21. Give a reasoned account of the main ways in which stable air can
be forced to rise, and discuss the following:

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a) Processes involved in forcing air to rise

b) Associated cloud cover
c) Precipitation patterns
d) Other weather phenomena

This is the end of Assignment 3. If you are following a 15-week

schedule, you should submit this assignment no later than the end
of Week 7.

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