Chapter 3 Climate Change Flashcards
Three main gases in the Earth’s atmosphere are …
Nitrogen (78%), oxygen (20%), water vapour
Layers of the atmosphere (from the ground (1) up (4))
*Note: remember that there is a pause between each layer: the Tropopause, Mesopause, and Stratopause.
- Troposphere (12km) - where all weather occurs, what we can see.
- Stratosphere (36km) - the ozone layer here.
- Mesosphere (32km)
- Thermosphere (53km)
Absorbed solar energy:
about 1/4 is reflected by clouds;
about 1/4 absorbed by the gases in the atmosphere
about 1/2 reaches the Earth’s surface
some is reflected back
Albedo is
reflected solar energy
What are the five physical conditions of the atmosphere that determine the weather?
- temperature
- air pressure
- humidity
- wind speed and direction
- cloudiness.
What condensation?
warm air and water rises.
Weather vs. Climate
weather: hot/cold/windy (temp. and precip.) day to day events; short-lived and localised. Whereas,
climate: the long-term patterns of temp. and precip.
What is the Coriolis Effect?
produces a deflection of a moving object (wind) to the right of the Northern Hemisphere, and to the left of the Southern Hemisphere. It occurs as a result of the Earth rotation.
Cold front vs. Warm front
Cold front: cooler air displaces warmer air (more rain); whereas,
Warm front: warmer air displaces cooler air (less rain).
Convection currents:
check the diagram in workbook of L5.3.
The importance of seasonal rain …
it affects the harvest and agriculture. Seasonal rain supports tropical rainforests and fill rivers (especially those like the Ganges in India).
ENSO stands for
El Nino Southern Oscillation
ENSO changes winds and water currents; what does it do to the east coast of Australia and the west coast of South America?
El Nino pushes warmer water towards the east coast of Australia and the cooler water to the west coast of South America. It results in droughts and reduced rainfall, and warmer weather. In the summer of 2020, we were in the El Nino cycle; remember when the waters were warmer and resulted in a mass coral bleaching?
In comparison to ENSO, what does La Nina do to Australia?
Increased rainfall in Australia and warmer trade winds.
What is the process of the Greenhouse effect?
the rebounded energy doesn’t always leave the atmosphere, most of it rebounds and remains in our atmosphere; thus, warming the Earth. Think of it like a greenhouse.
