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Geology > Ch. 2 Temperature and Cloud Formation > Flashcards

Ch. 2 Temperature and Cloud Formation Flashcards

1
Q

What is radiation?

A

emmision of energy

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2
Q

What is the electromagnetic spectrum?

A

a range of all possible frequencies of electromagnetic radiation

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3
Q

Group types of radiation?

A

Radio, micro, infrared, visible light, ultraviolet, x-rays, gamma

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4
Q

What role does temperature play in the amount and type of radiation emitted by any object?

A

The more radiation given off, the higher the temperature

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5
Q

Why is the sun hotter than the Earth?

A

The sun gives off visible light, UV, and short wavelength infrared. The Earth gives off long wavelength infrared.

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6
Q

How does our atmosphere interact with radiation from the sun?

A

The surface of the atmosphere is warmed

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7
Q

What is the difference between ‘transmission’, ‘reflection, and ‘absorption’ of radiation?

A

Some radiation is transmitted through our atmosphere, reflected or absorbed

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8
Q

How does earth’s atmosphere differ from the surface in terms of how each interacts with solar radiation?

A

The earth both absorbs and reflects solar radiation. A lot having to do with the greenhouse effect

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9
Q

What are ‘greenhouse’ gases and how do they influence the escape of terrestrial radiation?

A

Gases that absorb infrared radiation. The escape of terrestrial radiaion is slowed by Earth’s atmosphere

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10
Q

What is the relationship
between the angle at which solar radiation strikes earth’s surface and the amount of energy absorbed?

A

The higher the angle of radiation, the more energy is absorbed.

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11
Q

What is
‘insolation’ and what factors control insolation values?

A

Insolation is a measure of solar radiation energy received on a given surface area and recorded during a given time. Factors include angle of incoming radiatoin and tilt of earth

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12
Q

What is the subsolar point?

A

the point at which the sun hits at local noon

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13
Q

What is local noon?

A

the point in the day where sun is directly over earth

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14
Q

How do changes in
insolation values affect daily temperatures?

A

The higher the insolation value, the warmer the temperature, the lower the insolation value, the cooler the temperature

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15
Q

What is the significance of the Tropics of Cancer and Capricorn in
terms of seasonal insolation values?

A

The insolation values are higher at tropics because the sun hits the at a steeper angle

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16
Q

What factors are the dominant controls on seasonal changes in
temperature?

A

The tilt of the earth

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17
Q

Why are Earth’s polar regions generally cooler than its tropical regions?

A

The polar regions don’t get the same levels of incoming radiation because of the way the Earth is tilted

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18
Q

What is meant by air pressure?

A

how dense the air is

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19
Q

What role does altitude play in controlling temperature and why?

A

The higher the altitude, the lower the air pressure. The higer the air pressure, the warmer the air

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20
Q

What factors contain daily variations in temperatures?

A

Changing insolation values, changing angle of incoming solar radiation, presence or absence of clouds, movement of air from polar and tropics

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21
Q

What factors control annual temperature changes?

A

changing insolaion values, changing angle of incoming radiation, length of day and night, solstice, equinox, and subsolar point

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22
Q

What factors control long term temperature changes (climate)?

A

greenhouse gases

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23
Q

What is the largest reservior of water on this Earth?

A

Lake Kariba - 43 cubic miles (180 km³) in Zambia and Zimbabwe

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24
Q

Largest reservoir of fresh water?

A

groundwater

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25
Q

What is the hydrologic cycle?

A

evaporation, condensation, precipitation, infiltration, run off and subsurface flow

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26
Q

What process releases energy?

A

High energy state to a low energy state

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27
Q

What process absorbs energy?

A

A low energy state to a high energy state

28
Q

Which of the processes can be considered heating processes?

A

Freezing

29
Q

Which of the processes would be considered a cooling process?

A

Melting

30
Q

What is latent heat?

A

the heat required to convert a solid into a liquid or vapor, or a liquid into a vapor, without change of temperature.

31
Q

What is evaporation?

A

liquid to gas

32
Q

what is condensation?

A

gas to liquid

33
Q

What is sublimation?

A

Solid to gas

34
Q

What is deposition?

A

gas to solid

35
Q

What is relative humidity?

A

the amount of water vapor present in air expressed as a percentage of the amount needed for saturation at the same temperature.

36
Q

What adds water to the atmosphere?

A

Evaporation and sublimation

37
Q

What removes water vapor from the atmosphere?

A

Condensation and deposition

38
Q

Th molecules the more ___?

A

heat

39
Q

What is dew point?

A

the temperature needed for dew to form as a result f condensation

40
Q

The difference between dew point and frost point?

A

Dew point is the temperature needed for dew to form. Frost point is the temperature needed for frost to form.

41
Q

What factor controls the dew point for any given body of air?

A

The amount of condensation

42
Q

How do temperature changes affect relative
humidity?

A

The higher the temperature, the lower the humidity. the lower the temperature, the higher the humidity.

43
Q

What is meant by ‘saturation’ of air?

A

The condition under which the amount of water vapor in the air is at the maximum possible for the existing temperature and pressure

44
Q

What makes up a cloud?

A

condensed water

45
Q

What is adiabetic temperature change?

A

process deals with the changing temperature of a parcel of air due to the air rising adiabatically or sinking adiabatically

46
Q

What is rising air?

A

Warm air that rises due to less air pressure

47
Q

What is sinking air

A

Cold air that sinks due to greater air pressure

48
Q

What is condensation level?

A

The altitude at which a rising air parcel reaches saturation, usually the cloud base height.

49
Q

What is saturated air?

A

moist air in which the partial pressure of water vapour equals the vapour pressure of water at the existing temperature

50
Q

What is unsaturated air?

A

Moist air which is not saturated.

51
Q

What is stable atmosphere?

A

calm weather

52
Q

What is unstable atmosphere?

A

violent weather

53
Q

High layered clouds?

A

Cirrus, cirrostratus, cirrocumulus

54
Q

Middle layered clouds?

A

Altostratus, altocumulus

55
Q

Lower layered clouds?

A

Stratus, Stratocumulus, Nimbostratus

56
Q

Vertical Clouds

A

Cumulus, cumulonimbus

57
Q

High pressure Systems?

A

cooler temperatures, clear skies

58
Q

Low pressure systems?

A

warmer temperatures that produce rain and storms

59
Q

What are cyclones?

A

a system of winds rotating inward to an area of low atmospheric pressure

60
Q

What is an anticyclone?

A

a weather system with high atmospheric pressure at its center

61
Q

What are fronts?

A

air masses at bounderies

62
Q

What are air masses?

A

large body of air

63
Q

What is net evaporation?

A

liquid water to water vapor

64
Q

What is Net Condensation?

A

Water vapor to liquid

65
Q

How are dew point values affected?

A

Proximity to coast, latitude and atmospheric circulation

66
Q

What is temperature?

A

functions of incoming radiation and sunlight

67
Q
A

Geology (2 decks)

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