chapter 28 Flashcards
a layer extending an average of 12 km above earth’s surface
troposhere
when air temperature increases with altitude and the air become stable
temperature inversion
a natural process in which certain gases in the atmosphere warm a planet as they absorb and emit infrared radiation
green house effect
How are the earth’s atmospheric layers divided?
They are based off of composition and temperature
What gas makes up the majority of Earth’s atmosphere?
Nitrogen (78%)
What is the second most abundant gas found in the atmosphere?
oxygen (21%)
What is the other 1% of the gasses called?
Trace gasses (mainly argon)
in the troposphere does temperature increase or decrease with altitude?
It decreases
How many layers are in Earth’s atmosphere?
5 layers
What are the names of the atmospheric layers starting closest to Earth’s surface?
troposphere, stratosphere, mesosphere, thermosphere, and exosphere.
What layer is the ozo layer found in?
the second one (the stratosphere)
Does the temperate increase of decrease with higher altitude
It increases
Does the temperature increase or decrease within the mesosphere
decreases until it gets to a higher level then it starts to increase again
does the thermosphere and the exosphere impact weather?
no
what percentage of of solar radiation is absorbed by earth’s surface?
50%
what percent of solar radiation is reflected off of earth’s surface?
5%
what percent of solar radiation is absorbed by particles in the atmosphere?
20%
what percent of solar radiation is reflected back by particles in the atmosphere
25%
what are the three basic cloud types.
stratus, cumulus, and cirrus
explain stratus clouds.
stratus clouds are layered, sheet-like clouds associated with rain.
explain cumulus clouds.
Cumulus clouds are puffy in shape and occur in fair weather.
Explain cirrus clouds.
cirrus clouds are wispy, high-altitude clouds.
jet stream
a narrow band of fast-moving, high altitude air
coriolis effect
the apparent deflection of an object due to Earth’s rotation
air mass
a large volume of air with uniform moisture and temperature throughout
weather fronts
air masses interact in zones called _____?
Is there only one jet stream in the world?
No, there are 4
how many pressure systems are there?
There are 2
what is the low pressure system also known as?
A low
what direction does a low system pressure flow?
counterclockwise
what are some results that a low pressure system cause?
Air rises. clouds form, and creates precipitation
what is a high pressure system also known as?
A high
what is a high pressure system also known as?
A high
what do high pressure systems cause?
air sinks, causing clear skies
what are the four weather fronts?
cold front, warm front, stationary front, occluded front
what causes a cold front?
cold air forces warm air upward in a fast and chaotic manner, forming cumulus clouds
what is a cold front represented by on the news?
they are represented by blue triangles
how are warm fronts created?
warm air rises gently above cold air
what is the warm front represented as on the news?
half looking circles
how are stationary fronts created?
cold and warm air masses meet and neither from advances
how are stationary fronts represented on the news?
alternated semi red circles blue triangles
how is an occluded front created?
a fast moving cold front overtakes a slow warm front
how are occluded front represented on the news
purple semi circle and triangles
maritime climate
a climate strongly affected by an ocean
continental climate
a climate that is not directly affected by an ocean
sea breeze
blows from over the water toward land in the afternoon when the land is warmer than the water
What is climate?
a long-term average of weather conditions
what is weather?
the day to day outside conditions
what are the 5 spheres that make up Earth’s system ?
Atmosphere, cryosphere, biosphere, hydrosphere, lithosphere
what is the atmosphere?
the air around us
what is the biosphere?
everything that is organic
what is the hydrosphere?
liquid water
what is the crysophere?
frozen water in snow, ice and glaciers
what is the lithosphere?
Earth’s outermost layer
what is the primary factor that influences climate at a given location?
latitude
where is the solar radiation most intense on Earth?
the equator
at what degrees do the sun rays hit earths surface at the tropic zone
90 degrees
at what degrees does sun rays hit earths surface at the temperate zone
45 degrees
what degrees do the sun rays
what degrees do the sun rays hit the polar zones
30 degrees
what zone are we located in?
temperate zone
what other factors determine climate?
precipitation, mountains, and water
what is the windward like in a mountain range?
the air is cool and wet with a lot of vegetation
what is the leeward side like in a mountain range?
warm and dry and little to no vegetation
global warming
an increase in the average temperatures of Earth’s near-surface air and oceans
El Nino
the warming of the pacific ocean off the coast of western south america that occurs every 3 to 10 years
La Nina
occurs when trade winds in the Pacific are unusually strong and surface water is colder than normal
what are two climate changes that Earth undergoes?
seasonal and long term changes
how do seasonal changes happen?
it revolves around the sun
which hemisphere is in summer
the hemisphere that it tilted toward the sun
which hemisphere is in winter
the hemisphere tilted way from the sun
what is the period of time when earths surface was covered in ice?
an ice age
how long ago did the current climate did the world reach its current pattern ?
3,000 years ago
what are some factors that cause climate change?
tilt of Earth’s axis of rotation, the shape it its orbit, and the timing of the seasons
how do humans create climate change
energy consumption, deforestation, industrial and agricultural practices
what is deforestation
the clearing of large areas of forest land
what are the two ways the carbon cycle is effected?
deforestation and loss of vegetation
sphere
a round, three-dimensional object
