Atmosphere

Question 1

How is a Polar Cell formed?

Answer 1

The remainder of the air travels North over the surface as westerlies to converge at about sixty degrees North and South.
Cold air sinking at the poles and flowing outwards.
This convergence causes the air to rise - some of this air flows in the atmosphere to the poles where it sinks.

Question 2

How is a Ferrell cell formed?

Answer 2

The remainder of the air from the upper atmosphere travels south and sinks at thirty degrees north and south.

Question 3

How is a Hadley Cell formed?

Answer 3

Warm air rises at the equator, travels in the upper atmosphere to 30 degrees North and South, cools and sinks.
Some of this air returns as surface North East or South East trade winds to the equator.

Question 4

For every 100 units of energy that the earth receives what gets reflected?

Answer 4

31 units are reflected back into space
17 from clouds
8 from gases and dust
6 from the earths surface

Question 5

For every 100 units of energy that the earth receives how many are absorbed?

Answer 5

23 units are absorbed by clouds, water vapour, dust and various gases
46 left over are reflected by the earths surface land and water

Question 6

Why there is a surplus at the tropics of solar energy

Answer 6

At the tropics Ray’s are more concentrated over a smaller surface area
Ray’s strike vertically and so more energy is received at the tropics
Tropics have more insolation due to having more vegetation, which has a lower albedo

Question 7

Why there is a deficit of solar energy at the poles

Answer 7

Suns Ray’s spread out over a larger surface area as they strike at an angle
More atmosphere to travel through as air at the poles is denser
More insolation reflected and absorbed before reaching the poles
Earth is tilted on its axis, poles receive less daylight
North Pole dark continuously for six months
Insolation reflected by icy surfaces which have a higher albedo

Question 8

Movement of ocean currents in the North Atlantic

Answer 8

Water in the Gulf of Mexico expands and spreads out towards poles - the Gulf Stream
Deflected to the right by Coriolis effect
As this reaches Europe - deflected south - cold canary current - returns to Gulf of Mexico
Completes one loop - gyre
Remaining warm water is deflected as North Atlantic drift
As it passes Norway it meets North Westerly winds
and gets dragged South
Currents form a figure of eight pattern