atmosphere and weathering

Question 1

atmosphere

Answer 1

area of transparent gases surrounding earth

Question 2

weather

Answer 2

short term conditions of the atmosphere

Question 3

climate

Answer 3

long term average conditions in atmosphere

Question 4

incoming solar radiation

Answer 4

main energy input strongly influenced by cloud cover and latitude

Question 5

reflected solar radiation

Answer 5

albedo of a surface, proportion of sunlight reflected

Question 6

surface absorption

Answer 6

energy arriving has potential to heat up surface

Question 7

latent heat

Answer 7

liquid-water vapour, consumes considerable amount of energy

Question 8

sensible heat transfer

Answer 8

transfer of parcels of air to or from point at which energy budget is being assessed

Question 9

long wave radiation

Answer 9

1.emitted by earths surface - atmosphere

Question 10

mist

Answer 10

cloud at ground level, collection of water droplets

Question 11

fog

Answer 11

when visibility below 1000m, thicker cloud cover

Question 12

advection fog

Answer 12

warm moist air passes over cold surface = chilled, condensation happens = dew

Question 13

radiation fog

Answer 13

ground looses gear at night by LW radiation and so air above = cooled = condensation and fog

Question 14

dew

Answer 14

condensation of water on a surface

Question 15

temperature inversions

Answer 15

normally air temp drops with altitude BUT sometimes abnormal layer of warmer air above colder

Question 16

temp inversions - why happen?

Answer 16

during day, ground heated, heats air above it - emits LW radiation. at night, ground looses heat so just above ground = very cold as cools quicker

Question 17

sea breeze

Answer 17

differential heating of land and sea

Question 18

land breeze

Answer 18

occurs at night when land cools faster than sea

Question 19

net radiation

Answer 19

amount of sun received by an area

Question 20

insolation

Answer 20

radiation concentrated near equator , dispersed at poles

Question 21

poles

Answer 21

negative budget - SHOULD be colder

Question 22

tropics

Answer 22

positive budget - SHOULD be warmer

Question 23

HIGH air pressure

Answer 23

air pushing down , little cloud formation = better weather

Question 24

LOW air pressure

Answer 24

air moving up, more cloud formation = wetter weather

Question 25

Hadley cell

Answer 25

30 degree latitude - responsible for trade winds in the tropics and control low-latitude weather

Question 26

Polar cell

Answer 26

60-70 degrees N&S - air sinks over highest latitudes and flows out towards the lower latitudes

Question 27

Ferrell cell

Answer 27

mid-latitude - warm air from tropics get fed north by the surface winds of this cell

Question 28

Rossby waves

Answer 28

large-scale fast ‘rivers of air’ formed by westerly winds

Question 29

throughs

Answer 29

low pressure systems

Question 30

ridges

Answer 30

high pressure systems

Question 31

jet streams

Answer 31

strong and regular winds which blow in upper atmosphere as part of Rossby waves

Question 32

air rising

Answer 32

low pressure

Question 33

air descending

Answer 33

high pressure

Question 34

corriolos effect

Answer 34

deflection of moving objects caused by rotation of earth. deflects objects to left in NH and left in SH

Question 35

difference in climate due to : latitude

Answer 35

decrease in temp between equator and poles, shine concentrated at equator

Question 36

difference in climate due to : altitude

Answer 36

for every 100m temp drops by 1 degree, pressure dries as altitude increase = less dense and cooler

Question 37

difference in climate due to : prevailing winds

Answer 37

air at equator = rises, when cooled = sinks

Question 38

difference in climate due to : ocean currents

Answer 38

warm from hot areas = rise temp
cool areas = cool temp
flow in same direction SO affect same places

Question 39

difference in climate due to : distance from sea

Answer 39

land heats up and cools more quickly than the sea

Question 40

condensation nuclei

Answer 40

tiny particles where vapour can condense on e.g. dust

Question 41

absolute humidity

Answer 41

amount of water vapour in atmosphere

Question 42

relative humidity

Answer 42

amount of water vapour in atmosphere expressed as a % of max. amount of water air can hold at that temp

Question 43

cloud

Answer 43

visible mass of condensed water vapour/ice particles floating in the atmosphere

Question 44

cloud classicised according to : altitude

Answer 44

below 2,000m = low
between 2000-20000m = ALTO
above 6000m = CIRRO

Question 45

cloud classicised according to : shape

Answer 45

cumulus - heavy/lumpy/fluffy
cirrus - wispy
starts - vast sheets

Question 46

cloud classicised according to : bring precipitation ?

Answer 46

nimbus = yes 
nimbostratus = flat/wide rain clouds
cumulonimbus = taller/denser clouds , thunderstorms

Question 47

Orographic rainfall

Answer 47

air forced to rise over barrier, as rises cools/condenses = rain, rain shadow effect where reward slope = v. little rain

Question 48

convection rainfall

Answer 48

when land = v. hot = heats air above it, air expands and rises, cools and condenses, continues to rise = rainfall
TROPICAL AREAS

Question 49

frontal rainfall

Answer 49

warm air meets cool air at a front, warm air lighter = rises above condenser. as rises cools and condenses = rain
MID - LATITUDES

Question 50

hail

Answer 50

frozen pellets of rain formed by raindrops being carried up/down in vertical air

Question 51

snow and sleet

Answer 51

form when temp. below freezing and sublimation occurs

Question 52

frost

Answer 52

occurs on cloud free nights when radiation cooling to below freezing