chapter 3 solar energy and seasons

Question 1

urban heat island

Answer 1

cities heat up as they absorb sunlight and retain heat

Question 2

temperature

Answer 2

the average speed of molecular movement within a substance or an object

Question 3

heat

Answer 3

the energy transferred between materials or systems due to their temperature differences

Question 4

three ways heat moves:

Answer 4

conduction- the process by which energy is transferred through a substance or between objects in direct contact
convection- the transfer of heat through movement of mass within a fluid
radiation- the process by which wave energy travels through the vacuum of space or through a physical medium

Question 5

advection

Answer 5

the horizontal movement of some property of the atmosphere, such as heat

Question 6

radiant energy

Answer 6

energy that is propagated in the form of electromagnetic waves

Question 7

electromagnetic spectrum

Answer 7

the full range of wavelengths of radiant energy

Question 8

wiens law

Answer 8

objects with higher temperatures emit more photons at shorter wavelengths than objects with lower temperatures

Question 9

stefan-boltzmann law

Answer 9

objects with higher temperatures emit photons at higher rates than objects with lower temperatures

Question 10

longwave vs shortwave radiation

Answer 10

long- electromagnetic radiation greater than 4 micrometers ex. earth radiation
short- less than 4 micrometers ex. sun radiation

Question 11

UV radiation is divided into __ categories based on ___

Answer 11

3 (UV-A, UV-B, UV-C)

wavelength

Question 12

visible light

Answer 12

the portion of the electromagnetic spectrum which we can see

Question 13

infrared radiation

Answer 13

has wavelengths longer than visible light between .75 and 1 000 micrometers

Question 14

thermal infrared

Answer 14

wavelengths that are longer than near infrared, we can feel it as warmth and measure it with a thermometer

Question 15

insolation (incoming solar radiation)

Answer 15

fraction of the suns energy that the earth intercepts. is transmitted, scattered, reflected and absorbed as it encounters earth

Question 16

transmission

Answer 16

the unimpeded movement of electromagnetic energy through a medium such as air water or glass

Question 17

scattering

Answer 17

the redirection of SWR in random directions after it strikes an object

Question 18

albedo

Answer 18

the reflectivity of a surface, shown as a percentage

earths albedo is 31%

Question 19

radiative equilibrium temperature

Answer 19

temperature of an object resulting from the balance between incoming and outgoing energy

Question 20

the greenhouse effect

Answer 20

process by which the atmosphere is warmed as greenhouse gases and clouds absorb and counterradiate heat

Question 21

global heat engine

Answer 21

the movement of heat from low to high latitudes and low to high altitudes as a result of heating inequalities across earths surface

Question 22

astronomical unit (AU)

Answer 22

the average distance between earth and sun

Question 23

seasons are caused by _____, not by ____.

Answer 23

the tilt of the earths axis

the changing distance between earth and the sun

Question 24

plane of the ecliptic

Answer 24

the flat plane that the orbital paths of the planets trace

Question 25

Earth is closer to the sun in ___ (perihelion) than it is in ___ (aphelion).

Answer 25

january

july

Question 26

subsolar point

Answer 26

the single point at which the suns rays are perpendicular to earths surface at or near noon

Question 27

circle of illumination

Answer 27

the line separating night from day where sunrise and sunset occur

Question 28

solstices

Answer 28

december- subsolar point at the tropic of capricorn

june- subsolar point at the tropic of cancer

Question 29

equinoxes

Answer 29

march- subsolar point crosses the equator
september- subsolar point crosses the equator
on this day there is 12 hours of day and night everywhere

Question 30

continental effect

Answer 30

increase in seasonality with distance from the oceans

Question 31

continental effect is based on 4 factors of the water:

Answer 31

1. specific heat
2. evaporation
3. mixing of water
4. transparency

Question 32

specific heat

Answer 32

heat required to raise temperature of any object or material by a given amount
it takes 1 calorie of energy to heat 1 gram of water 1 degree C

Question 33

prevailing winds

Answer 33

generally from the west, so west coasts have maritime climates and east coasts have continental climates

Question 34

renewable energy

Answer 34

energy that comes from sources are nor depleted when used

Question 35

photovoltaic cells

Answer 35

semiconductor that converts sunlight to electricity