chapter 3 and 5 ecology Flashcards
the event that happens twice a year when the sun is at its greatest distance from the earth’s equator
Solstice
June 21 and December 21 (longest and shortest day of the year)
lots of sunlight- summer solstice
very little sunlight-winter solstice
all the living organisms on the Earth, plus the environments in which they live
biosphere
an observed day to day variation in physical factors that make up the world
- what happens on any given day
weather
- is dictated by climate, but it is much harder to predict
an expected pattern in the physiological factors that make up the world (ex. wind, heat, precipitation)
climate
an event that occurs twice a year when the Sun crosses the equator, resulting in nearly equal day and night across the planet
- the greatest amount of direct sunlight hits the equator at two times during the year
March 20, September 22 (beginnin of spring and autumn)
which weights more, a volume of hot air or the same volume of cold air
cold air weights more (heat rises)
where is there more atmospheric pressure, at the ocean’s surface or high on a mountain top?
at the ocean’s surface
when you go on an airplane, the bag of chips has more pressure than the airplane air
so the bag of chips expands because the air wants to escape from the bag, as pressure decreases, volume of the gas increases
when air is compressed, does it heat up or cool down
what about when it expands
compressed: heat up
expands: cool down
what holds more water, warm air or cold air
warm air
airflow from the equator to 30degrees north and 30 degrees south
hadley cells
air mass that circulates approximately between latitudes of 30degrees and 60degrees north and south
ferrel cell
air mass that circulates approximately between latitudes of 60degrees and 90 degrees north and south
polar cells
a phenomenon that causes moving objects to appear to be deflected to the right in the Northern Hemisphere and to the left in the Southern Hemisphere. This effect is due to the rotation of the Earth and is most noticeable in large-scale movements, such as winds, ocean currents, and the paths of airplanes or missiles.
coriolis effect
a dry region on the leeward side of a mountain range, where precipiation is significatnly reduced compared to the windward side.
this phenomenon occurs because mountaints block the passage of moist air and cause it to lose most of its moisture on one side
rain shadows
an increase in the range of seasonal average temperatures with distance from the regulating climatic effects of any large body of water. lead to much hotter summers and colder winters inland than on the coast
continental effects
