Chapter 11 (Final) Flashcards
what are the layers of the atmosphere?
troposphere, stratosphere, mesosphere, thermosphere, exosphere
what does the troposphere contain (4)?
nitrogen, oxygen, water vapor, air pollutants
what does the stratosphere contain?
the ozone layer
what does the ozone layer do?
absorbs 95% of UV radiation
pollutants in the ozone layer
supersonic transports, aerosol sprays, and nuclear weapons
what does the mesosphere do/temperature
protection zone against incoming small meteors/cold
what does the thermosphere do/temp
absorbs both X-rays and UV radiation from the sun/hot, home to ISS
exosphere
outermost layer of atmosphere
ozone
A gas (O3) located within the troposphere and stratosphere. It contributes to smog in the troposphere and absorbs 95 percent of ultraviolet radiation coming into the stratosphere
what gases maintain the earth’s temperature?
carbon dioxide (CO2), nitrous oxide (N2O), methane (CH4), water (H2O), and ozone (O3)
albedo
reflectivity on a surface on a scale of 0 to 1, the higher the albedo score, the greater the reflectivity
weather vs. climate
daily vs. long term
meteorology
study of the atmosphere
how weather cells work
https://resized-images.flatworldknowledge.com/shostell_1-31754/1600/shostell_1-31754-fig706.png
Coriolis effect
Movement of the air in large convection cells is deflected due to the force of the Earth’s spinning from west to east: wind belts
trade winds
air moving towards the equator
hurricanes
violent circulating windstorms; also known as a tropical cyclones.
El Niño
northeast trade winds weaken and the warm waters of the Pacific swash back to South America (warm)
Milankovitch cycles
Periodic wobbling of the Earth and a change in its axis tilt, in predictable incidences every 41,000 or 100,000 years.
anthropogenic GHG emissions….
magnify warming effect b/c surpass natural emissions
Greenhouse effect
traps greenhouse gases in atmosphere and keep from escaping into space, positive feedback cycle
GHGs released by society
CO2, methane, nitrous oxide, fluorinated gases, carbon dioxide is most
origins of GHGs released by society
fossil fuels, fertilizers, manufacturing, consumer purchases
CO2 emissions from
Emissions from burning of fossil fuels in transportation, electricity, industry, residences
methane originates from
second most common/more warming potential: originates from landfills, agriculture (rice), livestock, natural gas
hadley cells
equator and 30 degrees N and S
ferrel cells
between 30/60 degrees
polar cells
between 60 and poles
why are there deserts?
60 degree latitudes, descent of cool, dry air
nitrous oxide from where/potency
laughing gas, 300 times warming power, third most abundant, agricultural sector
fluorinated gases
most potent, developed as replacements for HCFCs, cooling equipment
aerosols
solid/liquid particles in the atmosphere of natural/anthropogenic origin
types of aerosols
sulfates/black carbon
sulfates
reflecting ability
black carbon
absorb solar radiation, contribute to climate change
climate change effects (9)
global warming, ocean acidification, melting of ice sheets, flooding, changing of ocean currents, increase of storm events, heat waves, longer droughts, more precipitation
thermal expansion
the expansion of volume due to warming; a significant cause of rising sea levels
how will species distribution change?
poleward shift to too cold lands, lakes will decrease in size, depth, and number, larger, warmer, deeper oceans will offer new habitats
ocean acidifcation
co2 reacts with water and forms carbonic acid, releases hydrogen ions/lowers pH
urban heat island effect
Air temperatures are higher in cities relative to surrounding rural areas.
natural pollutants
volcanoes, forest fires, the ground, ozone, sea spray, and dust storms
acid rain
originates from the release of sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides into atmosphere upon combustion of fossil fuels, undergo chemical reactions to form sulfuric and nitric acid, fall back to Earth
ozone holes why?
result of CFCs release from cooling/solvents/aerosol spray cans/Styrofoam puffing agents
smog
A mixture of air pollutants including ozone due to fossil fuel combustion; originally considered as a combination of smoke and fog.
air inversion
A layer of cold air near the ground becomes trapped by a layer of warmer air above.
radon gas
An indoor toxin emanating from the natural breakdown of uranium in soil and bedrock. It enters buildings through drains and through cracks in foundations.
how are weather patterns determined?
earth’s distance from the sun, tilt relative to rotational axis, distribution of water/landmasses on surface, composition of gasses in the atmosphere
what does solar radiation do?
warms surface, drives hydrologic/biogeochemical cycles, produces climate
how much of energy produced by sun reaches the Earth?
barely any
when/what direction does the sun tilt towards the earth?
March-Sept = northern hemisphere, other is opposite
differences in precipitation depend on…
amount of water in the atmosphere, equatorial uplift, geographic location, topographic features
equatorial uplift
water evaporates from warm areas of the ocean
rain shadow
dry on one side of mountain away from wind b/c of air temp. cooling as it rises, raining on the other side
temp increase by 2100
2.0-5.5 C
mitigation of climate change?
forests as carbon sinks, fuel economy of motor vehicles, separate and capture CO2 produced during fossil fuel combustion
mitigation of rising sea level?
move settlements/seawalls, rivers channeled to prevent saltwater intrusion, find substitute crops, city planning
greenhouse gas
absorbs infrared radiation
Montreal protocol
50% reduction of CFC production by 1998, ozone continued
acid deposition
sulfur dioxide/nitrogen oxide react with water vapor in the atmosphere that return to surface as either dry or wet deposition
effects of acid deposition
thin-shelled eggs, decline in aquatic animal populations, forest decline
atmosphere composition
78% nitrogen, 21% O2
ecosystem services performed by atmosphere
protects Earth from most radiation, greenhouse gases absorb reradiated heat, atmosphere maintained by living organisms, cellular respiration/photosynthesis
atmospheric convection
solar heating of ground causes air to warm, producing updraft of less dense, warm air
