El nino, la nina, latitude, seasons, layers of atmosphere, rain shadow effect, ocean currents, and Coriolis effect

Question 1

Where do the suns rays shine directly on on June 21?

Answer 1

Tropic of Cancer (23 1/2 degrees north)

Question 2

Where do the suns ray shine directly on March and September 21?

Answer 2

The equator (0 degrees)

Question 3

Where do the suns rays shine directly on on December 21?

Answer 3

The Tropic of Capricorn (23 1/2 degrees south)

Question 4

What degree is the axis of the earth tilted at?

Answer 4

23 1/2 degrees

Question 5

What is latitude?

Answer 5

The distance north of south from equator

Question 6

What is latitude measured in and how many miles is one equal to?

Answer 6

Degrees; 70 miles

Question 7

What is longitude?

Answer 7

The distance east or west from prime meridian

Question 8

What is longitude measured in and how many miles is one equal to?

Answer 8

Degrees; 70 miles

Question 9

How does latitude effect warming on earth?

Answer 9

Angle variation at which the rays of the sun strike earth, variation in the amount of surface area over which the suns rays are distributed, some areas on earth reflect more solar energy than others - referred to as its albedo

Question 10

What is the average albedo on earth?

Answer 10

30%

Question 11

What is the percent of Nitrogen in the atmosphere?

Answer 11

78%

Question 12

What is the percent of Oxygen in the atmosphere?

Answer 12

21%

Question 13

What is the percent on misc. gasses in the atmosphere?

Answer 13

1% (CO2, methane, hydrogen, water vapor, etc.)

Question 14

What do misc. gasses do to the earth?

Answer 14

Make it significantly warmer

Question 15

What are the layers of the atmosphere from lowest to highest?

Answer 15

Troposphere, stratosphere, mesosphere, thermosphere, exosphere

Question 16

Facts about the troposphere

Answer 16

Densest, where the weather takes place

Question 17

Facts about the stratosphere

Answer 17

Warms with height due to ozone, where planes fly, where the jet stream is

Question 18

Facts about the mesosphere

Answer 18

The coldest atmosphere level

Question 19

Facts about the thermosphere

Answer 19

Second least dense

Question 20

facts about the exosphere

Answer 20

Least dense

Question 21

What way do storms in the northern hemisphere rotate?

Answer 21

Counterclockwise

Question 22

What way do storms in the southern hemisphere rotate?

Answer 22

Clockwise

Question 23

Why do storms rotate in a certain way in different hemispheres?

Answer 23

The Coriolis effect

Question 24

How does the Coriolis effect work?

Answer 24

It makes things travelling long distances around the earth appear to move in a curve rather than a straight line

Question 25

What does the Coriolis effect affect?

Answer 25

Weather patterns, ocean currents, and airplanes

Question 25

Which part of Earth rotates faster?

Answer 25

The equator

Question 26

Why do storms spin counterclockwise in the northern hemisphere and clockwise in the southern hemisphere?

Answer 26

Placement of low pressure zones and the high rotation of the equator

Question 27

What drives ocean currents?

Answer 27

Temp, gravity, prevailing winds, Coriolis, salinity, and location of continents

Question 28

True or false: The Earths surface is warmed unevenly by the sun

Answer 28

True

Question 29

Does the atmosphere absorb and store more heat than the ocean?

Answer 29

No, the ocean absorbs and stores more heat than the atmosphere

Question 30

Does the atmosphere move heat quickly or slowly?

Answer 30

The atmosphere moves heat quickly and the ocean moves it slowly

Question 31

What drives currents at the oceans surface?

Answer 31

Winds

Question 32

What is the “Ocean Conveyor Belt” also known as?

Answer 32

Thermohaline circulation

Question 33

What are deeper ocean currents driven by?

Answer 33

Density

Question 34

What is an eddy and what major role do they play?

Answer 34

An eddy is a circular body of water that spins off a main current. They play a major role in transporting heat and nutrients

Question 35

What does El Nino trade winds bring to North and South America?

Answer 35

Warmer air and water

Question 36

What does la Nina trade winds bring to North and South America?

Answer 36

Colder air and water

Question 37

What can El Nino winters lack and what does it limit?

Answer 37

The “polar” jet and can limit storms in New England

Question 38

What does El Nino winters bring to the Southern US?

Answer 38

Storms due to the southern jet stream

Question 39

What do la Nina winters involve?

Answer 39

The polar jet, but can lack the southern jet

Question 40

What do la Nina winters often look like in the Northern US?

Answer 40

Stormy