AOSC 123 Lecture Notes - Lecture 7: Vapor Pressure, Water Cycle, Transpiration

• School: University of Maryland
• Department: Atmospheric and Oceanic Science
• Course: AOSC 123
• Professor: rachelpinker

Document Summary

Saturation vapor pressure: increasing with increasing temperature (maximum moisture in the atmosphere) When air is cool (morning), relative humidity is higher. When air is warm (afternoon), relative humidity is low. Rising air cools and sinking air warms. As water demand rises rapidly, some regions are withdrawing groundwater faster than it can recharge. Clouds are the most visible manifestation of atmospheric water, but even clear air contains water. Oceans supply 90% of the evaporated water that goes into the water cycle: the other 10% comes from plant transpiration. Evapotranspiration: water vapor is discharged to the atmosphere as a result of evaporation from the soil and transpiration by plants. Surface run off: precipitation that falls back onto land.