Ch 4

Question 1

Transmission:

Answer 1

The uninterrupted passage of shortwave and longwave energy through either the atmosphere or water

Question 2

Kinetic energy

Answer 2

Energy of motion, like when you walk, run, or ride a bike. The vibration energy of molecules

Question 3

Potential energy

Answer 3

stored energy, ready to do work under the right condition

Question 4

Heat:

Answer 4

Heat flows from high temp to low temp and stops when the amount of kinetic energy and temp become equal

Question 5

Sensible heat

Answer 5

Heat humans can feel as temperature because of kinetic energy of molecular motion

Question 6

Latent heat

Answer 6

energy gained or lost when a matter switches form, like liquid to gas (humans do not feel it), as long as a physical change occurs, the substance itself does not change temperature

Question 7

Conduction

Answer 7

molecule to molecule transfer of heat energy as it diffuses through a substance

Question 8

Convection

Answer 8

the transfer of heat energy by mixing or circulation

Question 9

Why is insulation not equal everywhere, and where is it more and less.

Answer 9

factors that keep consistent insulation values are consistent daylength and high sun altitude.

Insulation decreases around the poles, but is greater in lower altitude deserts

Question 10

Scattering

Answer 10

When atmospheric gases as well as dust, cloud droplets, water vapor, and pollutants physically interact with insulation to redirect radiation changing its direction of the light’s movement but without altering its wavelength

Question 11

Diffuse radiation

Answer 11

the incoming energy that has been touched by all gases, dust, etc, and its wavelengths are traveling all over the place

Question 12

Ray Leigh scattering

Answer 12

when radiation scattered by small gas molecules effects the light, that is why the sky is blue (apparently), also causing a red/orange sky in sunset/ sun rise

Question 13

refraction

Answer 13

the change of medium occurring when insulation passes from air to water. That changes the speed, and direction of insulation. A rainbow is created when insulation passes through Myriad raindrops and is then refracted and reflected towards the observer at a specific angle

Question 14

Mirage:

Answer 14

When light waves are refracted by layers of air at diff temperatures and densities. Like when the sun is setting, it needs to penetrate more air then when it is up high in the sky

Question 15

Albedo

Answer 15

the reflective quality, or brightness of a surface. We report it by the amount of insulation that is reflected back

Question 16

The green house effect:

Answer 16

ZBD: when some of the longwave radiation in earth is absorbed by green house gases emitting them or reradiating them back to earth.

Think of our atmosphere like a green house. Shortwave radiation outside the glass, and longwave radiation inside with the plants. Clouds especially High-altitude, ice-crystal clouds reflect only about 50% of incoming insulation. So these clouds act as insulation, trapping all the longwave radiation in the earth causing its temperature to go up. So the green house effect is basically the green house gases interacting with radiation causing it to have a delayed deflection back to the atmosphere and being trapped in earth because of the Cirrus clouds acting as insulation.

Question 17

Cloud green house forcing

Answer 17

high altitude ice crystal clouds reflect only about 50% of incoming insulation, and they trap longwave radiation from earth causing a rise in temperature

Question 18

Urban heat island

Answer 18

Urban areas are similar deserts since they both lack vegetation.

Areas with buildings, concrete, and high density tent to have higher temperatures than areas with more vegetation.

Concrete, bricks, asphalt tend to conduct more heat then soil and grass.