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ENVIRO & ECOLOGY > Atmosphere, Climate, Weather > Flashcards

Atmosphere, Climate, Weather Flashcards

1
Q

Define weather

A

the hourly/ daily conditions in our surroundings – include wind, temperature and rainfall

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2
Q

Define climate

A

the average weather pattern in a particular terrestrial region over a long period of time (typically more than 30 years)

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3
Q

What are 3 variations in climate?

A 
Seasonal cycles
El ninos (yearly cycles)
long term cycles (i.e: ice age)
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4
Q

Name 5 factors that affect climate

A
  • Atmospheric composition
  • Sunlight
  • Ice sheets
  • Oceans
  • Altitude
  • Latitude
  • Distance from the sea
  • Prevailing winds
  • Aspect
  • Cloud cover
  • Human activities
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5
Q

How does the atmosphere affect climate?

A

Stops heat escaping

Allows sunlight through

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6
Q

What are the 4 main greenhouse gases

A

CO2
Nitrous Oxides
Methane
CFCs

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7
Q

How much of the atmosphere is composed of nitrogen

A

78%

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8
Q

How much of the atmosphere is composed of O2

A

21%

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9
Q

How much of the atmosphere is composed of Argon

A

0.9%

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10
Q

What are the 6 things that comprise the atmosphere?

A 
Nitrogen
O2
Argon
Trace gases
Water vapour
Solid particles
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11
Q

How much of the atmosphere is water vapour?

A

0-4%

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12
Q

How much of the atmosphere is trace gases

A

0.037%

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13
Q

Why does pressure decrease with height?

A

Because gravity pulls atmospheric molecules closer together (denser, more concentrated)
So the higher an object, the less close particles are together

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14
Q

How does air pressure at the top and bottom of mount everest differ?

A

70% less pressure at top (particles more spaced out)

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15
Q

What are the 4 main layers of the atmosphere

A

Troposphere
Stratosphere
Mesophere
Thermosphere

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16
Q

What is a pause?

A
  • Top boundary of each layer
    where the temperature profile abruptly changes
     
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17
Q

Which sphere does weather happen

A

Troposphere

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18
Q

which sphere do we live in

A

troposphere

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19
Q

where is 80% of the atmospheric mass

A

troposphere

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20
Q

What mainly heats the troposhere?

A

Earth’s surface - not the sun

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21
Q

How do we know the earth heats the troposphere and not the sun?

A

Because heat decreases with height in troposphere

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22
Q

Where are jet streams found

A

troposphere

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23
Q

What is a jet stream

A

ribbon of air/ very strong winds (5-7 miles up, 100s miles across, 200 mph) – marks the highest point that weather can occur

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24
Q

What causes a jet stream

A

temperature differences between tropical air masses and polar air masses

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25
Q

What is the boundary between the troposphere and stratosphere called?

A

Tropopause

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26
Q

Which sphere contains the ozone layer?

A

Stratosphere

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27
Q

How does the ozone layer protect earth

A

Absorbs harmful UV rays

Keeps earth warm

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28
Q

what is the uppermost layer of the atmosphere

A

thermosphere

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29
Q

how high up is the stratopause?

A

~31 miles

30
Q

How high up is the mesopause?

A

~ 52 miles up

31
Q

how high up does the thermosphere go to?

A

~75 miles up (but no clear separation between thermosphere and space)

32
Q

what is space also known as?

A

exosphere

33
Q

what heats the thermosphere?

A

the sun

34
Q

what happens to the temperature in thermosphere?

A

It INCREASES with height

- because it is directly heated by the sun

35
Q

des the mesosphere increase or decrease with height?

A

decreases - still only heated by earth’s surface NOT direct from the sun

36
Q

which layer has the highest temperature

A

thermosphere

- due to high energy radiation being absorbed by gases

37
Q

what % of solar radiation passes through the Earth’s surface?

A

~74%

38
Q

how much solar radiation do clouds absorb?

A

~19%

39
Q

how much visible solar radiation is reflected back into space by atmosphere and clouds?

A

26%

40
Q

what do O2 and nitrogen do to solar radiation

A

selectively absorb is and turn it into heat energy

41
Q

where is most solar energy absorbed

A

Ozone layer (by O3 gas in stratosphere)

42
Q

which areas on earth receive most solar input and why?

A

areas near equator because earth is spherical therefore they are closer to the sun

43
Q

What are the 3 hemispheres of the earth?

A

Northern
Equator (tropical)
Southern

44
Q

How much is the Earth’s axis tilted?

A

23.4 degrees

45
Q

What drives wind patterns

A

sunlight

46
Q

what happens to warm air at the equator

A

it rises

47
Q

where does cool air move towards

A

the poles (because it is cooler)

48
Q

What happens to cool air on the way to the poles?

A

It drops as rain

49
Q

How are deserts created?

A

Cool, dry air absorbs heat and moisture from the land at around 30 degrees in the southern and northern hemisphere

50
Q

Where do surface currents go?

A

Warm tropical currents move polewards along East Coasts - (this brings heat from the tropics forming temperate climates nearer the poles)

Cool water from high latitudes is forced towards equator along West Coasts

51
Q

Where do deep currents occur

A

Through Earth’s rotation and temperature differences, forming upwellings

52
Q

What is the gulf stream

A

A stream carrying warm water from tropical regions of Atlantic

53
Q

How often do El ninos occur

A

every 3-7 years - unpredictable

54
Q

What is an el nino

A

A climate pattern that describes the unusual warming of surface waters in the eastern tropical Pacific Ocean, dramatically affecting distribution and abundance of marine and terrestrial life

55
Q

Name a positive effect El ninos can have on terrestrial plants

A

Abnormal amounts of precipitation in the Americas (increases populations of plants and therefore animals)

56
Q

What is a negative effect El ninos can have on marine life

A

Disrupt phytoplankton upwellings - causes food chain to collapse
Fish stocks reduce

57
Q

How does solar energy drive hydrological cycles

A

Solar energy causes condensation and precipitation - affects evapouration and transpiration

58
Q

What is the Collision-Coalescence Process

A

merging of water droplets to form rain

59
Q

How do water droplets form rain?

A

Collision-Coalescence Process

60
Q

What is the Bergeron Process

A

Formation of ice crystals that attract more water vapour

61
Q

What is the formation of ice crystals known as?

A

Bergeron Process

62
Q

What are the 3 types of rainfall

A

Relief
Convectional
Frontal

63
Q

What are the 5 types of clouds

A 
Stratus / strato
Cumulus/ cumulo
Cirrus/ cirro
Alto
Nimbus/ Nimbo
64
Q

What are rain shadows

A

When mountains act as a physical barrier forcing warm air to rise - as air temp cools, rain falls on windward side

65
Q

What is an air mass

A

a large body of air moving in a particular direction, with the same temperature, pressure and humidity throughout

66
Q

What brings warm, dry weather to the UK

A

Tropical continental air mass

67
Q

What brings cold, heavy snow showers to the UK

A

Polar continental air mass

68
Q

What brings a mixture of sunshine, rain, hail and sleet (mixed weather) to UK

A

Polar maritime air mass

69
Q

What does tropical continental air mass bring to the UK

A

Warm dry weather

70
Q

What does polar maritime air mass bring to UK

A

Mixed weather

71
Q

What does polar continental air mass bring to UK

A

Cold, heavy snow showers

ENVIRO & ECOLOGY (24 decks)

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