28 Flashcards
troposphere
a layer extending an average of 12 km above earths surface
temperature inversion
when air temperature increases with altitude and the air becomes stable
greenhouse effect
natural process in which certain gases in the atmosphere warm a planet as they absorb and emit infrared waves
how are the earths atmospheric separated
based off of composition and temperature
what gas makes up the majority of earths atmosphere
nitrogen 78%
what is the second most abundant gas in the atmosphere
oxygen 21%
what is the other 1% that makes up the atmosphere called
trace gases
mainly is argon
in the troposphere does the temperature increase or decrease
5 layers in earths atmosphere
what are the names of atmosphere layers starting closest to earths surface going up
troposphere, stratosphere, mesosphere, thermosphere, exosphere
where is the O zone layer found
stratoshpere
does the temperature increase or decrese in the stratoshpere
increase
does the temperature increase or decrease within the mesophere
decrease
do they impact weather, the last two layers?
no
where does 100 percent ofour solar radiation come from
the sun
what percentage of solar radiation is absorbed by Earth
50
what percent is reflected off of earths surafce
5
what percentage is absorbed by particles in the atmosphere
20
what percent of solar radition is absorbed by particles
25
what are the 3 basiccloud types
stratus, cumulus, cirrus
explain stradus clouds
layered, sheet-like clouds assosiacted with rain
explain cumulus clouds
puffy in shape and occur in fair weather
explain cirrus clouds
wispy, high altitude clouds
what is a serioes of process called where water from the land enters the atmosphere and eventually falls back to the land
water cycle
what are all the steps to the water cycle
evaporation and transporation, condensationprecipation, runoff, infilitration
jet stream
narrow band of fast-moving, high altitude air
coriolis effect
the apparent deflection of an object due to earths rotation
air mass
large volume of air with uniform moisture and temperature throughout
weather fronts
air masses interact in zones
is there only one jet stream in the world
4
how many pressures are there
2
what is the low pressure system also known as
a low (l)
which direction does a low pressure system flow
counterclockwise
what is the result of low pressure system
air rises, clouds form, created precipitation
what is a high pressure system also known as
a high (h)
which direction does a high pressure system flow
clockwise
what is the result of high pressure systems
causes air to sink which results in clear skies
which stystem do high pressure sytems flow
away from center
what are the 4 weather fronts
cold front, warm front, stationary front, occluded front
what are cold fronts caused by
cold air forces warm air upward in a fast chaotic manner
what is a cold front represented by on the news
by blue triangles
how are warm fronts caused
warm air rises gently above cold air
what is the warm front represented by on the news
red cicles
how are staionary fronts formed
cold and warm air masses meet and neither front advances
how are stationary fronts represented on the news
half circle triangle
how are occluded fronts formed
fast moving cold front overtakes a slow warm front
how are occluded fronts represented on the news
purple triangle and half circle
maritime climate
a climate that is strongly affected by the ocean
continental climate
a climate that is not directly affected by an ocean
sea breeze
blows from over the water toward land in the afternoon when the land is warmer than the water
what is climate
the long term average of weather condition
what is weather
day to day outside condition
what are the 5 spheres for earths system
atmosphere biosphere crosophere lithosphere hydrosphere
what is the atmosphere
air around us
what is the biolsphere
everuthing organic
what us the hydrosphere
liquid water
what is the crosphere
frozen water in snow,ice, and glaciers
what is lithosphere
earths outermost layer
what is the primary factor that influences climate at a given loactaion
latitude
where is solar radioation recieved greatest
eqautor
at what degrees do the sun rays hit earth surface at the tropic zone
90 degrees
at what degrees do the sun rays hit earth surface at the temperate zone
45 degrees
at what degrees do the sun rays hit earth surface at the polar zone
30 degrees
what zoneare we located in
temperate
what other factors determine climate
precipitation, mountains, and water
what is the windward side like in a mpointain range
air cool and wet
lots of vegitation
what is the leeward side like in amountain arnge
warm and dry
what is alandbrezze
air from land goes to water
which climatr zone and whch tyep of vegitation does colorado have
glassland, warm semi-arid
what are the two climate that undergoes
seasonal
how do seasonal changes occur
as earth revolves round the sun
which hemisphere is in summer
tilted toward the sun
what is the period of time taht earth was covered in ice
ice age
how long ago did the worldreach its current pattern
3000 years ago
what are factors that causeclimate change
axis,shape,timing,distance
how do humans create climate change
energy consumptio, deforestation, industrial and agricultureal practice
what is deforestation
where trees get knocked ovef
how can deforestation cause climate change
trees remove carbon dioxide
