GEOG 120 Lecture Notes - Lecture 9: Hydrosphere, Water Cycle, Altocumulus Cloud
Document Summary
Module 5: weather development and atmosphere dynamics hydrological cycle. Today: the hydrological cycle overview, atmospheric humidity and precipitation processes, intense weather systems. Include all of earth"s water, in all forms (ice, liquid water, water vapor) Distributed throughout major storage pools . Constant exchange between the atmosphere and other realms. Powered mainly by solar energy and gravity. A closed system at global scale: (p=e+r) Precipitation = evapotranspiration + runoff. Humidity: vapor content of air. Water- holding capacity depends on temperature (temperature based capacity of the atmosphere) As temperature changes, the ability to hold water goes up or down. Specific humidity is the actual amounts as grams/kilogram (grams of water per kilogram of air) Relative humidity indicates a percent of maximum capacity at a given temperature. Energy is required to melt ice, and to evaporate liquid water. It is released on condensation, freezing or decomposition of vapor as ice.
