Review and Unit Quiz

This unit presented readings on atmospheric stabilities, and presented these topics:

1. stable atmospheres: an atmosphere in which a parcel of air returns to its original position if moved by some external force. The concepts of positive and negative buoyancy were presented in this reading
2. neutral atmospheres: an atmosphere in which the environmental lapse rate (observed) is the same as the dry adiabatic lapse rate (9.8 degrees C per kilometer of height)
3. unstable atmospheres: an atmosphere in which a parcel of air, once moved by a lifting force, continues to move once the lifting force no longer exists
4. conditional instabilities: a measure of the stability of the atmosphere that uses the rule: saturated adiabatic lapse rate (5.8 degC/km) < environmental lapse rate (observed) < dry adiabatic lapse rate (9.8 degC/km)
5. convective instabilities: a measure of the stability of the atmosphere following the lifting of an entire layer of air
6. influencing factors, such as the non-static environment and entrainment