Climate Change

Question 1

define weather

Answer 1

The short-term condition of atmosphere at a given place & time.

Question 2

define climate

Answer 2

Long-term, average weather conditions for a location, calculated over long periods of time (generally 30 years).

Question 3

define heat budget

Answer 3

Balance of solar radiation entering & leaving the earth.

Question 4

define hydrological cycle

Answer 4

Continuous movement of water as a liquid, gas + solid throughout the land, oceans + atmosphere.

Question 5

list the 5 key elements of the hydrological cycle

Answer 5

1. evaporation
2. condensation
3. precipitation
4. infiltration
5. transpiration

Question 6

define evaporation

Answer 6

Process of water changing its physical state from liquid to gas.

Question 7

define condensation

Answer 7

Process of water changing from gas to liquid.

Question 8

define precipitation

Answer 8

Occurs when rain, snow or hail falls from the sky.

Question 9

define infiltration

Answer 9

Occurs during precipitation when some of the water that falls to Earth soaks into the ground.

Question 10

define transpiration

Answer 10

Evaporation of water from pores in plant’s leaves.

Question 11

define climate change

Answer 11

long-term change in the statistical distribution of global weather patterns over a period of time, ranging from decades to millions of years.

Question 12

define atmospheric circulation

Answer 12

large-scale movement of air around the earth responsible for distribution of thermal energy across surface of earth

Question 13

define runoff

Answer 13

Occurs when water doesn’t soak into ground & flows across land instead.

Question 14

define natural greenhouse effect

Answer 14

Process where greenhouse gases absorb some terrestrial radiation released by Earth’s surface & re-radiate heat in all directions, including back towards ground.

Question 15

define carbon cycle

Answer 15

Continuous movement of carbon compounds between land, oceans, atmosphere, & living organisms in its various states.

Question 16

define insolation

Answer 16

Short wave solar radiation

Question 17

list the 3 large atmospheric cells circle planet both north + south of equator:

Answer 17

1. hadley cells
2. ferrel cells
3. polar cells

Question 18

what are the 2 key elements of the carbon cycle?

Answer 18

1. processes that remove + store co2 from atmosphere
2. processes that release it back into atmosphere

Question 19

where is most of the earth’s carbon stored?

Answer 19

in rocks, with remainder in oceans, atmosphere, plants + soil

Question 20

how much has CO2 increased by since the industrial revolution?

Answer 20

48%

Question 21

how much have temperatures warmed since the industrial revolution?

Answer 21

1.1˚C

Question 22

what type of radiation enters the Earth?

Answer 22

short-wave radiation (insolation)

Question 23

what type of radiation exits Earth?

Answer 23

long-wave terrestrial radiation

Question 24

of the solar energy that arrives at top of the atmosphere how much is reflected back into space?

Answer 24

30%
- 20% by clouds
- 6% by atmospheric particles
- 4% by bright surfaces e.g. snow

Question 25

of the solar energy that arrives at top of the atmosphere how much is absorbed by Earth’s systems?

Answer 25

70%
- 19% absorbed in atmosphere & clouds
- 51% passes through atmosphere & is absorbed by land & oceans

Question 26

what influences rainfall?

Answer 26

• latitude
• distance from sea
• mountain barriers = orographic effect

Question 27

what influences temperature?

Answer 27

• latitude
• altitude
• albedo

Question 28

define albedo

Answer 28

surface reflectivity