chapter28 Flashcards
troposphere
a layer extending am average of 12 km above earth’s surface
temperature inversion
occurs when air temperature increases with altitude and the air becomes stable
greenhouse effect
is a natural process in which certain gases in the atmosphere warm a planet as the absorb and emit infrared radiation
how are the atmosphere be divided into layers
differences in composition and temperature
what gas makes up the majority of the atmosphere
nitrogen
what gas makes up 21 percent of the atmosphere
oxygen
what is the remaining 1 percent remaining gases in the earth’s atmosphere
trace gases and argon
does altitude increase or decrease in the troposphere
decrease
how many layers are in the earth’s atmosphere
5
what are the layers called of the atmosphere closet from furthest
troposphere, stratosphere, mesosphere,, thermosphere, exosphere
what layer is the o-zone layer found in
stratosphere
within the mesosphere does the temperature increase or decrease
decrease
does the thermosphere and exosphere effect the weather
no
how much solar radiation does the earth absorb
50 percent
how much radiation is reflected by land and sea surface
5 percent
how much radiation is absorbed by particles
20 percent
how much radiation reflected back by clouds
25 percent
what are the three basic clouds types
stratus, cumulus and and cirris
describe stratus
layered sheet like clouds associated with rain
describe cumulus
fluffy
describe cirrus
wispy high altitude clouds
what is the process called where water moves from the land to the atmosphere
water cycle
jet stream
is a narrow band of fast moving, high altitude air
Coriolis effect
the apparent deflection of an object due to earth’s rotation
air mass
is a large volume of air with uniform moisture and temperature throughout
weather front
air mass interact in zones
how many jet streams are there in the world
4
how many pressure systems
2
a low pressure system is known as
a low L
which way does a air flow of a low pressure system
counterclockwise
what are the results of a low pressure system
causes the air to rise which results in cloud formation and precipitation
what is a high pressure system known as
a high H
which way does a high pressure system rotate
clockwise
what are the results of a high pressure system
causes the air to sink which results in clear skies
how is a cold front created
cold air forces warm air up
how are warm fronts created
warm air rises gently above cold air
how are warm fronts represented
red semi cirlce
how are stationary fronts created
cold and warm air masses meet
maritime climate
a climate that is 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
what is climate
is the climate long term average of weather conditions
what is weather
is the day to day outside condition
what are the 5 spheres that make up the earth’s system
atmosphere, biosphere, cryposphere, hydrosphere, and lithosphere
what is the atmosphere
the air around us
what is biosphere
everything organic
what is hydrosphere
liquid water
what is troposphere
frozen water in snow, ice, and glaciers
what is lithosphere
earth’s outermost layer
what is the primary factor that affect climate of any given location
latitude
where is solar radiation most intense
equator
at what angles do thy sun raise hit thy tropical zone
90 degrees
what angle sun rays hit the temperate zone
45 degrees
what angel does the sun rays hit the polar zone
30 degrees
what factors determine climate
mountain precipitation and water
on the windward side what are the conditions like
cool and wet lots of vegetation
what are the conditions like on the leeward side
warm and dry little vegetation dry air
what is land breeze
the wind comes from the land and goes to the water at night
what type of climate zone and vegetation does Lamar have
warm and semi arid and grassland
global warming
earth’s surface ocean
el nino
warming the pacific
la nina
oppiste of el nino which occurs when trade winds in the pacific are usually strong and surface water is colder
what are the two changes that earth’s climate under goes
seasonal and long-term changes
how do seasonal changes change
as the earth moves around the sun
what hemisphere experiences summer
the hemisphere tilted towards the sun
how long did the earth reach it current pattern
3,000 year ago
what factors could prevent a climate change
earths tilt and the distance from the sun
time zone
is an area 15 degrees wide in which the time is the same
rotation
is the spinning of earth on its axis
revolution
is the motion if earth in an elliptical orbit around the sun
ecliptic
is defined as the plane of earth’s orbit around the sun
solstice
occurs when earth’s rotational axis is toward orway
equinox
earth’s rotational axis is perpendicular to a line drawn form the center of the earth to the center of the sun
