Climate Final Flashcards
Climate defintion
average weather conditions that occur in a region over a long period of time.
Open system
Both energy and matter are exchanged
closed system
Energy is exchanged between the system and the surroundings. Matter is not
Isolated system
neither energy not matter are exchanged between the system and surroundings.
What system is earth in?
Closed system
Biosphere defenition
thin layer of air, land, and water or near earths surface that supports life.
Atmosphere
air composed of a mixture of diff gases
what gases is the air composed of
78 percent nitrogen, 20 percent oxygen
Lithosphere
Land that extends about 100km below the surface
hydrosphere
All the water on earth, surfaces and ground water, clouds, frozen water
solar energy is a form of
radiant energy
Angle of inclination
earth rotating in a tilt.
equinox
2 points of earths orbit when the number of daylight hours is equal to the number of hours of night.
Angle of incidence
is the angle at which the sunlight hits the Earth. It’s the angle between the Sun’s rays and the ground
lower latitudes
incoming solarradiation is focused onto one point
higher latitudes
incoming solar radiation is spread over a large surface causing less heating
what are the 3 main climate zones
Tropical,temperate,Polar
tropical zones
nearly perpendicular, warm temp
Temperate zones
small angle of incidence, moderate temp
polar zones
smaller angle of incidence,cold temps all year round
Radiant energy that reaches the earths atmosphere can be
reflected or absorbed by al the components of the biosphere
what percent of the energy is reflected
30%
what percent of the energy is absorbed
70%
albedo affect
percent of solar radiation
greenhouse effect
solar radiation that was already absorbed can be trapped by greenhouse gasses in the atmosphere.
what are the greenhouse gases
H20, CO2, Ch2,N2O,O
all the re-immited energy is reffered to as
Thermal Infrared radiation
radiation
emission of energy as particles or waves
conduction
transfer of heat through direct contact
convenction
Transfer of heat through movement
Thermal energy transfer in the atmosphere occurs through
convection currents
are equatorial regions warmer or cooler?
warmer
are polar regions warmer or cooler?
cooler
what is the Coriolis effect
is the deflectiom of convection currents in the atmosphere by the spinning of the earth
jet streams
are currents of extremely fast moving air in the stratosphere formed by convection currents.
thermal energy transfers in the hydrosphere occurs through
ocean currents.
cool water travels
down towards the equator
warm water travels
upwards towards the poles
which way do water currents travel in the northern hemisphere
clockwise
moisture in the air can increase
precipitation and fog
sea breezes blow cool air towards the ____ during the ____
Land,Day
Warm air rising from the land is replaced by
cool air coming of the water
Land breezes blow cool ai towards the ___ during the ____
Sea, NIght
at night water stays
warm
at night land
cools down
Orographic precipitation
Moisture that is released from air that is pushed up the side of mountains by wind
The warm, fast, moving air on the other side of the mountain is called a
chinook
what system is a biome in
open
hierarchical organization of life
biosphere, biome, ecosystem, community, population, individual
what terrestrial biome has high precipitation with high temps
tropical rainforest
what terrestrial biome has high precipitation with moderate temps
decidous forest
what terrestrial biome has high precipitation with low temps
taiga
what terrestrial biome has low precipitation with high temps
desert
what terrestrial biome has low precipitation with moderate temps
grasslands
what terrestrial biome has low precipitation with low temps
Tundra
tundra characteristics and living species
-low temps
-artic foxes, polar bear
-artic willow
Grasslands characteristics and living species
-giraffe,zebra,grass
Deciduous forests characteristics and living species
-Rich in moisture
-loose leaves and soil ir rich in minerals
-Moose, Brown Bear, Mountains
taiga characteristics and living species
-high precipitaion
-long cold winters and short summers
-deer,moose, pine, spruce
tropical rain forest characteristics and living species
-hot, Moist,
-Toucan
-jaguar,Passionfruit