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Astronomy9-13,24 (Els) > Chapter 10 > Flashcards

Chapter 10 Flashcards

1
Q

atmospheric structure

A

The layering of a planetary atmosphere due to variations in temperature with altitude. For example, Earth’s atmospheric structure from the ground up consists of the troposphere, stratosphere, thermosphere, and exosphere.

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2
Q

troposphere

A

The lowest atmospheric layer, in which convection and weather occur.

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3
Q

atmosphere

A

A layer of gas that surrounds a planet or moon, usually very thin compared to the size of the object.

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4
Q

ozone depletion

A

The decline in levels of atmospheric ozone found worldwide on Earth, especially in Antarctica, in recent years.

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5
Q

oxidation

A

Chemical reactions, often with rocks on the surface of a planet, that remove oxygen from the atmosphere.

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6
Q

Coriolis effect

A

The effect due to rotation that causes air or objects on a rotating surface or planet to deviate from straight-line trajectories.

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7
Q

carbon dioxide cycle (CO2 cycle)

A

The process that cycles carbon dioxide between Earth’s atmosphere and surface rocks.

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8
Q

feedback processes

A

Processes in which a small change in some property (such as temperature) leads to changes in other properties that either amplify or diminish the original small change.

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9
Q

circulation cells (or Hadley cells)

A

Large-scale cells (similar to convection cells) in a planet’s atmosphere that transport heat between the equator and the poles.

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10
Q

ozone hole

A

A place where the concentration of ozone in the stratosphere is dramatically lower than is the norm.

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11
Q

greenhouse gases

A

Gases, such as carbon dioxide, water vapor, and methane, that are particularly good absorbers of infrared light but are transparent to visible light.

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12
Q

snowball Earth

A

Name given to a hypothesis suggesting that, some 600–700 million years ago, Earth experienced a period in which it became cold enough for glaciers to exist worldwide, even in equatorial regions.
Prev

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13
Q

magnetosphere

A

The region surrounding a planet in which charged particles are trapped by the planet’s magnetic field.

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14
Q

exosphere

A

The hot, outer layer of an atmosphere, where the atmosphere “fades away” to space.

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15
Q

bar

A

The standard unit of pressure, approximately equal to Earth’s atmospheric pressure at sea level.

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16
Q

climate

A

The long-term average of weather.

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17
Q

charged particle belts

A

Zones in which ions and electrons accumulate and encircle a planet.

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18
Q

thermal escape

A

The process in which atoms or molecules in a planet’s exosphere move fast enough to escape into space.

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19
Q

deuterium

A

A form of hydrogen in which the nucleus contains a proton and a neutron, rather than only a proton (as is the case for most hydrogen nuclei).

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20
Q

runaway greenhouse effect

A

A positive feedback cycle in which heating caused by the greenhouse effect causes more greenhouse gases to enter the atmosphere, which further enhances the greenhouse effect.

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21
Q

carbonate rock

A

A carbon-rich rock, such as limestone, that forms underwater from chemical reactions between sediments and carbon dioxide. On Earth, most of the outgassed carbon dioxide currently resides in carbonate rocks.

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22
Q

weather

A

The ever-varying combination of winds, clouds, temperature, and pressure in a planet’s troposphere.

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23
Q

global warming

A

An expected increase in Earth’s global average temperature caused by human input of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases into the atmosphere.

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24
Q

ice ages

A

Periods of global cooling during which the polar caps, glaciers, and snow cover extend closer to the equator.

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25
Q

aurora

A

Dancing lights in the sky caused by charged particles entering our atmosphere; called the aurora borealis in the Northern Hemisphere and the aurora australis in the Southern Hemisphere.

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26
Q

ionosphere

A

A portion of the thermosphere in which ions are particularly common (because of ionization by X rays from the Sun).

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27
Q

thermosphere

A

A high, hot, X-ray-absorbing layer of an atmosphere, just below the exosphere.

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28
Q

Milankovitch cycles

A

The cyclical changes in Earth’s axis tilt and orbit that can change the climate and cause ice ages.

29
Q

greenhouse effect

A

The process by which greenhouse gases in an atmosphere make a planet’s surface temperature warmer than it would be in the absence of an atmosphere.

30
Q

light gases (in solar system theory)

A

Hydrogen and helium, which never condense under solar nebula conditions.

31
Q

ozone

A

The molecule O3, which is a particularly good absorber of ultraviolet light.

32
Q

atmospheric pressure

A

The surface pressure resulting from the overlying weight of an atmosphere.

33
Q

gas pressure

A

The force (per unit area) pushing on any object due to surrounding gas. See also pressure.

34
Q

global wind patterns (or global circulation)

A

Wind patterns that remain fixed on a global scale, determined by the combination of surface heating and the planet’s rotation.

35
Q

stratosphere

A

An intermediate-altitude layer of Earth’s atmosphere that is warmed by the absorption of ultraviolet light from the Sun.

36
Q

precipitation

A

Condensed atmospheric gases that fall to the surface in the form of rain, snow, or hail.

37
Q

List the terrestrial worlds in order from the thickest atmosphere to the thinnest atmosphere. (Note: Mercury and the Moon are considered together in this question.)

A

Venus, Earth, Mars, Moon/Mercury

38
Q

Which planet(s) have an atmosphere that consists mostly of carbon dioxide?

A

Venus and Mars

39
Q

Suppose we represent Earth with a basketball. On this scale, most of the air in Earth’s atmosphere would fit in a layer that is _________.

A

about the thickness of a sheet of paper

40
Q

Why does atmospheric pressure decrease as you go higher in altitude on Earth?

A

The weight of the atmosphere above you decreases with altitude.

41
Q

In the context of a planetary atmosphere, what is a bar?

A

A unit of pressure roughly equal to the atmospheric pressure at sea level on Earth.

42
Q

What is the most basic definition of a greenhouse gas?

A

a gas that absorbs infrared light

43
Q

Suppose that Earth’s atmosphere had no greenhouse gases. Then Earth’s average surface temperature would be _______.

A

well below the freezing point of water

44
Q

List the layers of Earth’s atmosphere from the ground upward.

A

troposphere, stratosphere, thermosphere, exosphere

45
Q

Why is the sky blue (on Earth)?

A

Because molecules scatter blue light more effectively than red light.

46
Q

What is a magnetosphere?

A

a region of space around a planet in which the planet’s magnetic field can trap charged particles

47
Q

What is the difference between weather and climate?

A

Weather refers to short-term changes in wind, rain, and temperature, while climate refers to the long-term average of weather.

48
Q

What important change in the Sun over the past four billion years is thought to be very important to understanding the climates of Venus, Earth, and Mars?

A

a gradual brightening with time

49
Q

Which of the following best describes the nature and origin of the atmospheres of the Moon and Mercury?

A

They have thin exospheres only, with gas coming from impacts of subatomic particles and photons.

50
Q

Why is Mars red?

A

Chemical reactions between surface rock and atmospheric oxygen literally rusted the surface.

51
Q

What do we mean by a runaway greenhouse effect?

A

a greenhouse effect that keeps getting stronger until all of a planet’s greenhouse gases are in its atmosphere

52
Q

How did molecular oxygen (O2) get into Earth’s atmosphere?

A

It was released by life through the process of photosynthesis.

53
Q

What is the importance of the carbon dioxide (CO2) cycle?

A

It regulates the carbon dioxide concentration of our atmosphere, keeping temperatures moderate.

54
Q

Suppose that Earth’s ice caps melted, but everything else about the Earth’s surface and atmosphere stayed the same. What would happen to Earth’s average surface temperature?

A

The surface temperature would increase.

55
Q

What is the primary reason why the surface of Venus today is some 450°C hotter than the surface of Earth?

A

Venus has a much stronger greenhouse effect than Earth.

56
Q

In very general terms, how do the temperature structures of the atmospheres of Venus and Mars differ from that of Earth?

A

They lack ultraviolet-absorbing stratospheres.

57
Q

Does Venus have auroras around its poles, like Earth? Why or why not?

A

No, because it lacks a global magnetic field.

58
Q

What explains why convection can occur in the troposphere but not in the stratosphere?

A

Temperature declines with altitude in the troposphere but increases with altitude in the stratosphere.

59
Q

Why is the Coriolis effect so weak on Venus?

A

Because Venus rotates so slowly.

60
Q

Why do we think that Venus has so much more atmospheric gas than Earth?

A

Most of the gases that have been released from volcanoes on Earth later returned to the surface.

61
Q

Why is thermal escape of atmospheric gas much easier from the Moon than from Earth?

A

Because the Moon’s gravity is so much weaker than Earth’s.

62
Q

Observations indicate that the Moon has water ice in craters near the poles. Where do scientists suspect this water came from?

A

Ice brought by comet impacts long ago.

63
Q

What makes us think that Mars must once have had an atmosphere that was warmer and had higher surface pressure?

A

The atmosphere is too cold and thin for liquid water today, yet we see evidence of flowing water in the past.

64
Q

What would happen to Earth if we somehow moved our planet to the orbit of Venus?

A

Earth would suffer a runaway greenhouse effect and become as hot or hotter than Venus.

65
Q

Deuterium is much more abundant on Venus than Earth. What do we think this fact tells us about Venus?

A

That it has lost a tremendous amount of water as a result of molecules being split by ultraviolet light and the hydrogen escaping to space.

66
Q

Why does Earth have so little carbon dioxide in its atmosphere compared to Venus?

A

Earth has just as much carbon dioxide as Venus, but most of it is locked up in carbonate rocks rather than being free in the atmosphere.

67
Q

Suppose Earth were to cool down a little. How would the carbon dioxide cycle tend to restore temperatures to normal?

A

Cooler temperatures lead to slower formation of carbonate minerals in the ocean, so carbon dioxide released by volcanism builds up in the atmosphere and strengthens the greenhouse effect.

68
Q

According to current science, why didn’t oxygen begin to accumulate in the atmosphere for more than a billion years after life appeared on the Earth?

A

Oxygen released by life was removed from the atmosphere by chemical reactions with surface rocks until the surface rock could absorb no more.

69
Q

Earth has been gradually warming over the past few decades. Based on a great deal of evidence, scientists believe that this warming is caused by _____.

A

human activities that are increasing the concentration of greenhouse gases in Earth’s atmosphere

Astronomy9-13,24 (Els) (6 decks)

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