Meteo 431 – Atmospheric Thermodynamics
Study guide for the midterm exam on 27 February



If you know all the concepts in the list below, you should be able to do well on the midterm exam. Memorize the equations given in bold letters .  Be sure to review your quizzes and your homework problems.  The exam will ask for definitions, short explanations, and straight-forward problem solving.  

  1. Newton's Second Law:. F= ma = m dv/dt
  2. Energy and work: concepts, relation to force, and units.
  3. Working and heating: concepts, relation to power, similarities and differences between working and heating.
  4. The equation for working: W = - p dV/dt.
  5. The First Law of Thermodynamics: concept and equation (including the meaning of each term). dU/dt= Q + W
  6. The definition of temperature: concept and equation. 1/3<mv 2> = kT
  7. Ideal gas law: equation in two forms. pV = NkT and p = rho RT.
  8. The concept of flux and of pressure as a momentum flux.
  9. Temperature scales: Fahrenheit, Celsius, and Kelvin.
  10. Variation with height of atmospheric temperature, pressure, and density.
  11. Atmospheric scale height: concept and equation. H=kT/mg
  12. The Maxwell Boltzmann distribution: concept and general equation. N/No = exp(-energy/kt)
  13. Dalton's Law: concept and equation. p = p1 + p2 + p3 ...
  14. Heat capacity at constant volume and heat capacity at constant pressure: concepts and equations. Cv = dU/d T, and Cp = dH/ dT
  15. Enthalpy: concept and equation. H=U+pV
  16. The relationship between heat capacity at constant pressure and heat capacity at constant volume.
  17. Adiabatic processes: concept and use.
  18. Poisson's relations: equations and how to use them.
  19. Dry adiabatic lapse rate.
  20. Stability and buoyancy: concepts and relation to lapse rate.
  21. Mixing of parcels: temperature and water vapor in the mixed parcel.
  22. Entropy: concept and equation. dS/dt = Q/T (in reversible process for which W=-pdV/dt)
  23. Reversible and irreversible processes: concepts and examples.
  24. The Second Law of Thermodynamics.
  25. Potential temperature: concept and equation. Theta = T (po /p) (gamma -1)/ gamma
  26. Relationship between potential temperature and stability.
  27. How a barometer works.
  28. How to take an average of a quantity for a distribution.
  29. Ways to increase entropy
  30. Dry static energy: concept