Atmosphere, the Earth, and the Sun Flashcards
What is atmospheric pressure?
The force exerted by the weight of air
Where is atmospheric pressure highest, at sea level or on top of a mountain?
At sea level
Whats the general rule for the troposphere?
As the altitude increases, the pressure decreases
With a higher altitude is there more or less oxygen available?
Less oxygen
What happens to temperature with change of altitude?
It varies with different altitudes, being cold at some and very hot at others. In the stratosphere and thermosphere, the temperature rises!
Where does the energy for all of the earth come from?
The sun
What is the chemical build up of the sun?
76% Hydrogen and 22% Helium
Where does the energy from the sun come from?
The sun is a big nuclear reactor. It converts Hydrogen to Helium by nuclear fusion, and gives off lots of energy in the process!
How does the energy get to the earth?
Through electromagnetic radiation (EMR)
What is electromagnetic radiation?
It is energy emitted by charged particles. It exhibits wave pattern as it travels through space.
What are the two rules of electromagnetic radiation?
- Everything gives off EMR
- Wavelength is determined by temperature. Hotter surfaces = shorter wavelength EMR. Cooler substances = longer wavelength EMR
What does most of the suns energy come to the earth as?
Short waves, that are a visible part of the spectrum
What does most of the energy leaving the earth go out as?
Earth’s EMR is the infrared range. It goes out as long waves.
What is incoming solar radiation called?
Insolation (Incoming SOLar radiATION)
What is the outgoing longwave *thermal infrared) radiation from the earth called?
Terrestrial Radiation
What part of the earth receives the most insolation?
The equator gets direct insolation (2.5 more energy than poles)
What part of the earth receives the least insolation?
The poles get the least amount of insolation
At high latitudes, how is incoming solar radiation spread? How much energy is per unit area?
It is spread over a larger area than at low latitudes, so energy per unit area is relatively low.
What are the two major controls on the potential insolation (i.e. energy) for any geographic location
- Sun angle (higher angle = more insolation NRG)
2. Day length (longer days = more insolation)
How do the two major controls for potential insolation vary and what are they determined by?
They both vary with latitude and are determined by Earth-Sun relationships.
What direction does the earth orbit around the sun
Counterclockwise
What the rotations and revolutions of all of the planets in the solar system?
Counterclockwise
What 3 planets rotate clockwise and what are the three called?
Venus, Pluto, and Uranus. Counterrevolutionaries
What is aphelion?
North Hemisphere Summer
What is perihelion?
North Hemisphere Winter
What is the Plane of the Ecliptic?
The imaginary plane containing the Earth’s orbit around the sun.
What is the reason for seasons?
Earths Tilt and axial parallelism
What are solstices?
North Hemisphere Summer and North Hemisphere Winter. It is the circle illumination that touches arctic and antarctic circles
What are equinoxes?
It is from March 20-September 22. It is when the circle of illumination touches all of the poles equally. This means there is a 12 hour day and night at all latitudes!
What is axial parallelism?
As the earth orbits the sun, axis stays tilted in the same direction (pointed toward Polaris, the North Star)
What is the Quaternary period?
The last two million years of glacial episodes, “ice ages”
What is the Pleistocene Epoch?
2,000,000 - 10,000 BP
What is the Holocene Epoch?
Last 10,000 years - Present (interglacial)
Why do we have these glacial/ interglacial cycles?
One of the major known causes is changes in Earth-Sun Geometry over time
What are changes in the Earth’s orbital parameters known as?
Milankovitch Cycles (this is a mathematical explanation of climate change)
What are the three major parameters of the Milankovitch Cycles?
- Orbital Eccentricity
- Axial tilt, varies from 22.5º-24.5º
- Precession: earth’s “wobble”, change in direction of tilt, timing of the equinox
What makes Milankovitch Cycles important?
The asymmetry of earth’s landmasses. It’s all about the Northern Hemisphere.
When/where does aphelion (farthest from the sun) occur?
It occurs in the North Hemisphere summer (July 4) when the Northern Hemisphere is tilted toward the sun.
What dates make up the Solstice?
June 21 and Dec 22. 24 hour day and night at poles
What dates make up the equinoxes?
Mar 21 and Sept 22. 12 hour days all over the globe
Make sure you look at the way the earth rotates around the sun and how that affects season!!!!
Look in your book or powerpoint!
During the North Hemisphere Winter solstice, what are the annual day lengths at different altitudes?
Equator - 12 hours the entire time 15ºN - 11 hours to 13 hours 30ºN - 10 hours to 14 hours 45ºN - 9 hours to 15 hours 60ºN - 5 hours to 19 hours
