CHAPTER 7 AND 8: FINALS REVIEW Flashcards
What is the atmosphere?
The layer of air surrounding the Earth?
What is the atmosphere composed of?
78% N
21% O
1% pollen, soot, Carbon dioxide, Ar, suspended particles, etc.
What is atmopsheric pressure?
the pressure of the air in the atmosphere
What is the average level of atmospheric pressure at sea level?
101.3KPa
Even though there are 10 tons of atmospheric pressure on you at all times, how has it not crushed you?
Air presses in all directions, the air inside of our bodies pushes out with the same force as the air pushing inwards
How is atmospheric pressure affected?
- # of particles
- gravity
- temperature
- water vapour
What are the layers of the atmosphere from highest altitude to lower altitude?
Exosphere, thermosphere, mesosphere, stratosphere, troposphere
What is atmospheric circulation?
Global-scale movement of the layer of air surrounding the Earth
How is air circulated in THEORY WITHOUT the coriolis effect?
Hot air will rise creating a vacuum that will be replaced by dense cold air that will travel beneath the hot light air
What is the corilois effect?
deflection of winds due to the rotation of the earth
How does the coriolis effect affect winds in the Northern and Southern hemisphere?
Winds deviate to the right in the Northen Hemisphere
Winds deviate to the left in the Southern Hemisphere
What are the three circulation cells?
Polar cell, ferrel cell, hadley cell
what are circulation cells,in short?
loops of winds with regular movement
What are jet streams? what are the two types of jet streams?
strong winds that blow W to E
- polar jet stream
- subtropical jet stream
What are prevailig winds?
winds created near the surface of circulation cells that blow in specific directions according to global patterns of movement
What are the different types of prevailing winds?
Polar easterlies, Westerlies, North east trade winds, South east trade winds
What are air masses?
large expanse of air with uniform temperature and humidity
what are the different types of air masses?
Continental arctic, continental polar, continental maritime, continental tropical, continental tropical
What are fronts? What is a difference between a cold and warm front?
Fronts are boundaries caused by warm and cold air masses
Warm front - forms when a warm air mass moves towards a cold one. Causes nimbostratus clouds, lengthly showers, low pressure areas, temperature increase
Cold front- forms when a cold air mass moves towards a warm one. Causes cumulonimbus clouds, breif showers, cool temperatures, high pressure areas , clearing skies
What are characteristics of a front?
Pressure change, temperature change, directional changes in winds, cloud formation
What is the difference between an anticyclone and a depression?
Anticyclone (H): clockwise in the Northern Hemisphere, area of atmospheric circulation surrounding a high-pressure centre,cold air falls,clear skies, sunny weather
Depression (L): counterclockwise in the Southern Hemisphere, area of atmospheric circulation surrounding a low-pressure centre, warm air rises, precipitation
Explain the greenhouse effect
- The sun’s rays are absorbed by the ground
- Once heated, the ground emits infrared radiation
- Infrared rays are captured by gases such as carbon dioxide, methane, water vapour, and nitrous oxide
What does the greenhouse effect?
Natural process that allows the Earth to retain heat given to it by the sun
How have humans impacted the greenhouse effect?
Due to augmented levels of greenhouse gases through the combustion of fossil fuels, digestion of farm animals, manure storage and management, rice farming, burning garbage, and fertilizers, the earth has been retaining too much heat, causing global warming
What are the contaminants of the atmosphere?
- Sulphur dioxide and nitrous oxides: causes smog and acid rain
- Heavy metals (Hg,Pb,As)
- chloroflurocarbons (CFCs): destroy the ozone layer (came from refrigerators, aerosol products, and plastic foams)
- Dust and airborne particles
What is smog?
thick mixture of fog, troposhperic ozone (created by NOx reacting witht he sun), smoke, and atmospheric pollutants,
What energy resources are derived from the atmosphere?
Wind energy, Solar energy, Tidal energy
What are the pros and cons of wind energy?
Pros: - Renewable - no greenhouse gas emissions Cons: - eye sores - not reliable - loud - expensive
What is the sun made of? How does it emit light and what electromagnetic waves does it give to them Earth
- 75% H 25% He
- The nuclear fusion that occurs emits light and gives off radioation using electromagnetic waves such as infrared radiation, UV rays, and visible light (all rays that are transported to earth)
What are the three ways that solar energy is taken in? breifly explain each
Passive heating systems: Making houses face south so they can take in maximal light and heat, using concrete since it absorbs heat from the sun
Photovolatic cells: Made of Si (e- move due to the sun = energy), supplies homes and appliances with electrical energy
Solar collectors: Large panels made of glass, captures the sun’s rays and provides homes with warm water and air using Cu pipes
What are the pros and cons of solar energy?
Pros: No greenhouse gas emissions Good for isolated areas Renewable Cons: Expensive Not reliable
What is the difference between spring tides and neap tides?
Spring tides: When the Sun and the moon are parallel with eachother with the Eath between them (full moon) or the moon and sun on the same side (new moon). Causes tides to be at their maximum and minimum due to the gravitational pull of the moon, sun, and earth all together
Neap tides: When the sun and moon are perpendicular with eachother. This causes tides to neutralize all the way around, causing not too high, but not too low tides
What are tides?
The rise and fall of ocean and seawater due to the gravitational pull of the earth and sun
What are the pros and cons of tidal energy?
Pros: Renewable No greenhouse gas emissions Reliable Cons: complex and costly in construction can only be acquired with tidal range of at least 5m
What is the carbon cycle?
Bigeochemical cycle involving the exchanges of C on Earth
Why is carbon important?
carbon is basic a element in the proteins,lipids, and carbohydrates that make up the tissues of a living organism. Carbon is also present in carbon dioxide and methane
How is carbon taken in ?
Photosynthesis, ingestion, creation of shells and skeletons, carbonate rock, creation of fossil fuels
How is carbon released into the atmosphere?
Burning fossil fuels (human activity), manure storage and management (human activity), deforestation (human activity), decomposition, forest fires, volcanic eruptions
