Atmosphere (yr1) Flashcards
Absorption
When one substance gets mixed or completely absorbed in another substance
Albedo
The proportion of light reflected from a surface
Anthropogenic
Environmental change caused or influenced by humans
Carbon footprint
The amount of carbon dioxide emissions associated with all the activities of a person or an entity
Climate modelling
A simulation of the build up of greenhouse gases centuries in the future
CFC
Chlorofluorocarbon
Any compound composed of carbon, fluorine and chlorine
Cryosphere
The frozen water part of the earth
ICE
El Nino
A warming of the ocean surface in the central and eastern tropical pacific ocean
Enhanced greenhouse effect
The impact on the earth that the additional heated retained in the atmosphere due to increased amounts of greenhouse gases caused by humans
Greenhouse gases
Gases in the earths atmosphere that trap heat
Infrared
A type of energy that is invisible to the human eye but that can be felt as heat
Insolation
The amount of solar radiation received by the earths surface
Methane
Colourless, odourless gas that occurs abundantly in nature as a product of certain human activities
Montreal protocol 1987
An international agreement to stop the productiom of ozone depleting substances and reduce their concentration in the atmosphere
Negative feedback
An original effect happens that causes a second effect that in turn reduces the original effect, it maintains a balance
North Atlantic circulation
A large system of ocean currents that carry warm water from the tropics northwards into the northern Atlantic
NOx
Nitrous oxide
a colourless gas
Ozone
O3
highly reactive gas which is composed of 3 oxygen atoms
Polar vortex wind
A strong type of westerly wind which forms in the stratosphere above the poles of earth
Positive feedback
An original effect that causes a second effect that increases the original effect
Proxy data
Preserved physical characteristics of the environment that can be used to reconstruct past climate conditions
Stratosphere
- The second layer of the atmosphere
- Temperatures increase with altitude
Thermal stratification
An oceanic circulation pattern that drives the mixing of surface water and deep water
Thermohaline circulation
Parts of the ocean circulation which is driven by flushes of heat and freshwater across the sea surface and subsequent mixing of heat and salt
Transmission
When a disease moves from one individual to another or one cell to another body
Tropospheric ozone
A highly reactive greenhouse gas found in the troposphere
How does UV interact with ozone and what is its importance?
- Absorbed by ozone
- UV stimulates vitamin d production
How does visible light interact and what is its importance?
- Converted to chemical
- In photosynthesis it splits the water molecule, essential for light to be converted to chemical energy
How does infrared and visible interact and what is its importance?
- Thermal stratification
- Solar exposure varies leading to different water levels having different temperatures, creates niches/biodiversity
How does UV interact with ozone and what is its importance?
- Greenhouse effect
- Infrared emitted from Earth is trapped by greenhouse gas layer which absorbs it and traps heat, maintaining conditions needed for life.
Relative effects of methane?
25
Relative effects of carbon dioxide?
1
Relative effects of oxides of nitrogen?
160
Relative effects of CFC’s?
2500 (typically)
Relative effects of tropospheric ozone?
2000
What releases/produces methane?
- Farming/agriculture/anaerobic respiration
- Produced in formation of fossil fuels
- Released by ventilation of coal mines, natural gas field leaks and pipelines
What releases/produces Carbon Dioxide?
- Combustion of fossil fuels/wood
- Ploughing
- Marshes
- Peat bog draining
What releases/produces oxides of nitrogen?
- O+N react at high temperature in vehicle engines
- Power station reactions
- Released in exhaust gases
- Fertiliser use
What releases/produces CFC’s?
- Aerosol propellants
- Fridge coolants
- Fire extinguishers
- Solvents
- Expanding plastics
What releases/produces tropospheric ozone?
-Photochemical breakdown of NO2 and subsequent reactions with oxygen
What are 2 ways that the sea level is rising?
- Thermal expansion - increased kinetic energy between water molecules
- Ice melt - large volumes of land ice flow into the sea
Changes in weather patterns?
Drought - More evaporation because of temperature increase but doesn’t condense + precipitate in that area as its too hot so vegetation dies- then affects the animals. Rain precipitates elsewhere so vegetation grows where it should not.
Changes in frequency/velocity of wind?
- Storms (cause damage)
- Changes in rainfall patterns
How does cryosphere changes affect glacier movements?
- Warmer temperatures so front melts quicker than moves forward to create a retreating effect.
- Meltwater flows through cracks - lubricates - moves quicker
How does changes to the cryosphere affect ice lakes?
-Water collects on the glacier surface to form lakes. If the front wall breaks then water is released quickly and the surrounding area floods.
How do changes to the cryosphere affect reduced ice/snow cover?
-Reduced albedo on ground, more radiation is absorbed, so area is hotter - melts
How do changes to the cryosphere affect ice shelves?
- More loss, they break to form icebergs. Sea levels rise and they break more easily and allow accelerated land ice movement towards the sea
- Rising sea levels further
Changes to ocean circulation?
Cold water sinks in the north Atlantic, it draws up warm water from the south. As artic ice melts, freshwater flows into North Atlantic and could disrupt the Gulf Stream, leading to much colder waters.
