climate Flashcards
weather
specific conditions ina specific area
climate
average of weather ina specific area over the course of 30 years or more
- shows a trend
limits of tolerance
environmental conditions required for the survival of living things
optimum range
conditions favour survivability
zones of stress
conditions are survivable but not as successful/prefered
zones of intolerance
organisms cannot survive
the sun
- energy travels in waves
- the source of all energy on earth
biosphere
- atmosphere
- lithosphere
- hydrosphere
thin layer of earth that can support life
atmosphere
layer of gases
- exosphere
- thermosphere
- mesosphere
ozone layer
- stratosphere
- troposphere
air
n2 - 78%
o2 - 21%
co2, h20, ch4, noble gases - 1%
the hydrosphere
total amount of water on the planet
- solid
- liquid
- gas phases
the lithosphere
solid part of the earth
incoming solar radiation
solar energy is radiant energy that is transmitted as electromagnetic waves
* neglibible effect
lines of latitude
- parallel to the equator
equator: 0 degree latitude
poles: 90 degree latitude
insolation
the amount of solar energy recieved by a region
angle of incidence
sun ray’s hit the earth at different angles
- this manipulates the intensity of energy
the angle at which the sun strikes the surface of the earth
angle of inclination
- 23.5 degree tilt
- affects hours of sunlight a region gets
seasons
- due to the earths tilt
- depend on the amount of sunlight and insolation
solstice
- when the poles are tilted towards or away from the sun MOST
- longest and shortest days of the year
equinox
the number of daylight and night hours are the same (12h)
march 21st and september 21st
albedo
high: high reflectivity
low: low reflectivity
net radiation budget
balance between incoming and outgoing energy
formula: incoming - outgoing
*entire earth should have NRB = 0
the greenhouse effect
- traps reflected heat energy
greenhouse gases
- methane
- carbon dioxide
- nitrous oxide
- water
- ozone
- increase temperature *
CO2 in oceans
oceans become more acidic
air convection currents
transfers heat by moving air or water particles from one location to another
- hot to cold
coriolis effect
the deflection of wind and water from a stright line path by the rotation of the earth
jet stream
high speed, high altitude winds moving from west to east
ocean convection currents
- NH: travels clockwise
- SH: travels counter-clockwise
heating curve of water
- potential energy stored during phase changes
- solid –> liquid at 0 degrees
- liquid –> vapour at 100 degrees
molar mass of water
18.02 g/mol
biome
a community of plants and animals that share common characteristics for thier environment
boreal forest
-10 to 20 degrees
ppt = 22 - 75 mm
desert
12 to 35 degrees
ppt = 3 - 30 mm
grassland
7 to 22 degrees
ppt = 40 - 100 mm
temperate deciduos forest
7 to 25 degrees
ppt = 50 - 200 mm
tropical rainforest
7 to 25 degrees
ppt = up to 300 mm
tundra
-15 to 10 degrees
ppt = 18 - 80 mm
ice core samples
- how and why climate as changed
tree ring analysis
- shows yearly growth
aerosols
- small particles in the air that help with cloud formation and reflectivity
- decrease temperature
ozone depletion
increase temperature
land use
decrease tempereature
volcanic activity
negligible effect
montreal protocol
- 197 countries
- to heal the ozone layer by using HFC’s instead of CFC’s
- 1987
kyoto protocol
- 192 countries
- emission reduction to reduce CO2
- 1997 but began in 2005
paris agreement
- 195 countries
- meeting every 5 years
- keep global temp. below 2 degrees above pre-industrial levels
- 2015
european climate law
- environmental protection laws
-1970s
