Climate - Chp. 2 Energy Transfer

Question 1

What is solar energy

Answer 1

• radiant energy
• transmitted as electromagnetic waves
  source of almost all of earths energy

Question 2

What is thermal energy

Answer 2

• energy possessed by a substance die to kinetic energy of molecule or atoms
• temp is a measure of thermal energy

Question 3

What is insolation

Answer 3

• amount of solar energy received by a region of the earths surface
• depends on latitude, characteristics of lithosphere, atmosphere and hydrosphere

Question 4

What is the angle of incidence

Answer 4

• angle between a ray falling on a surface and the line perpendicular to that surface
• angle of incoming solar radiation increases as you move to the equator to the poles due to earths curvature
• Increased angle means solar energy is spread out over greater area and regions has less year round isolation

Question 5

What is the angle of inclination

Answer 5

degree earths poles are tilted from perpendicular plane of orbit (23.5)

Question 6

What causes seasonal changes

Answer 6

• earth’s angle of inclination, and resulting changes in angle of incidence

Summer Solstice in Northern Hemisphere
- north pole is tilted closest to the sun
- decreased angle of incidence
- greater isolation
- more hours of daylight

Winter Solstice in Northern Hemisphere
- north pole tilted away from sun
- greater angle of incidence
- less isolation
- less hours of daylight

• Latitudes near equator see little seasonal changes in isolation and hours of daylight

Question 7

What is Albedo

Answer 7

• percent of solar radiation that a surface reflects
• light, shiny surfaces reflect more energy than darker ones
• average albedo is 30%
• varies with the seasons

Question 8

What is Net Radiation Budget

Answer 8

• The difference between the amount of incoming radiation and outgoing radiation from earths surface and atmosphere
• incoming - outgoing
• when energy reaches earths atmosphere, it may be reflected or absorbed by particles of matter
• when reflected, they change the rays direction
• when absorbed, the energy is converted into another form
• substances at higher temps than surroundings will re-emit energy as infrared radiation

Incoming radiation - all solar energy that reaches earths surface, not including what is reflected by the albedo of the surface
Outgoing radiation - thermal radiation that is re-emitted by earths surface and atmosphere that is not absorbed by greenhouse gases

• net radiation budget is balanced
• regions near the poles have deficit and regions by the equator have a surplus
• thermal energy is transferred from latitudes with a surplus to ones with a deficit

Question 9

What is the natural greenhouse effect

Answer 9

• some radiant energy that is absorbed by the earth’s surface is re-emits as infrared radiation that keeps temps to sustain life
• natural effect os the absorption of outgoing thermal energy by water vapour, carbon dioxide, and other gases
• results in average temps being 33 degrees warmer
• water vapour is mostly responsible for the effect

Question 10

What are the different types of thermal energy transfer

Answer 10

• movement of thermal energy from high temp to lower temp

Radiation - emission of energy as particles or waves that may be reflected or absorbed
Conduction - transfer of thermal energy through direct contact between particles without moving particles (usually in solids)
Convection - transfer of thermal energy through movement from one place to another (liquids or gases)

Question 11

What causes Convection currents

Answer 11

• air moving from high to low pressure
• increased temps near equator makes gases less dense and rise
• low temps in poles result in denser and falling gases

Question 12

What is the Coriolis Effect

Answer 12

• deflection of object from straight-line path due to rotation of earth
• causes moving air to turn right in north and left in south

Question 13

What causes global wind patterns

Answer 13

result off unequal heating and cooling of earth and Coriolis effect

Question 14

What are jet streams

Answer 14

• fast moving air in stratosphere that form boundaries of hot and cold air
• flows west to east in both east and south
• bigger temp differences in winter result in larger and faster winters
• important in predicting weather changes

Question 15

what is the difference between land and sea breezes

Answer 15

Sea breeze - when the sun rises, the land warms faster than the water. warm air rises and cool air from over the water replaces it

Land breeze - at night, water cools slowly and land breeze reverses. warm air over the ocean rises and cool air from the land replaces it

Question 16

How is thermal energy transferred in the hydrosphere

Answer 16

• global winds and convection currents
• warm water from the poles goes towards the poles
• cooler water goes to the equator
• thermal energy is transferred vertically through convection currents

Question 17

What is specific heat capacity

Answer 17

• the amount of energy required to raise the temp of 1g of the substance 1°C
• water has a high specific heat capacity due to hydrogen bonds that form between the water molecules

Question 18

What is quantity of thermal energy

Answer 18

• amount of thermal energy absorbed of thermal energy absorbed or released when the temperature of a specific mass of substance changes by a certain number of degrees

Question 19

How does the hydrologic cycles work

Answer 19

water molecules are constantly moving and transferring thermal energy among the components of the biosphere

Question 20

What happens during a phase change

Answer 20

• The temperature of a substance doesn’t change
• additional thermal energy breaks bonds and removal forms new bonds

Question 21

What is the difference between latent heat of fusion and vaporization

Answer 21

fusion - solid to liquid
vaporization - liquid to vapour