El nino, la nina, latitude, seasons, layers of atmosphere, rain shadow effect, ocean currents, and Coriolis effect Flashcards
Where do the suns rays shine directly on on June 21?
Tropic of Cancer (23 1/2 degrees north)
Where do the suns ray shine directly on March and September 21?
The equator (0 degrees)
Where do the suns rays shine directly on on December 21?
The Tropic of Capricorn (23 1/2 degrees south)
What degree is the axis of the earth tilted at?
23 1/2 degrees
What is latitude?
The distance north of south from equator
What is latitude measured in and how many miles is one equal to?
Degrees; 70 miles
What is longitude?
The distance east or west from prime meridian
What is longitude measured in and how many miles is one equal to?
Degrees; 70 miles
How does latitude effect warming on earth?
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
What is the average albedo on earth?
30%
What is the percent of Nitrogen in the atmosphere?
78%
What is the percent of Oxygen in the atmosphere?
21%
What is the percent on misc. gasses in the atmosphere?
1% (CO2, methane, hydrogen, water vapor, etc.)
What do misc. gasses do to the earth?
Make it significantly warmer
What are the layers of the atmosphere from lowest to highest?
Troposphere, stratosphere, mesosphere, thermosphere, exosphere
Facts about the troposphere
Densest, where the weather takes place
Facts about the stratosphere
Warms with height due to ozone, where planes fly, where the jet stream is
Facts about the mesosphere
The coldest atmosphere level
Facts about the thermosphere
Second least dense
facts about the exosphere
Least dense
What way do storms in the northern hemisphere rotate?
Counterclockwise
What way do storms in the southern hemisphere rotate?
Clockwise
Why do storms rotate in a certain way in different hemispheres?
The Coriolis effect
How does the Coriolis effect work?
It makes things travelling long distances around the earth appear to move in a curve rather than a straight line
What does the Coriolis effect affect?
Weather patterns, ocean currents, and airplanes
Which part of Earth rotates faster?
The equator
Why do storms spin counterclockwise in the northern hemisphere and clockwise in the southern hemisphere?
Placement of low pressure zones and the high rotation of the equator
What drives ocean currents?
Temp, gravity, prevailing winds, Coriolis, salinity, and location of continents
True or false: The Earths surface is warmed unevenly by the sun
True
Does the atmosphere absorb and store more heat than the ocean?
No, the ocean absorbs and stores more heat than the atmosphere
Does the atmosphere move heat quickly or slowly?
The atmosphere moves heat quickly and the ocean moves it slowly
What drives currents at the oceans surface?
Winds
What is the “Ocean Conveyor Belt” also known as?
Thermohaline circulation
What are deeper ocean currents driven by?
Density
What is an eddy and what major role do they play?
An eddy is a circular body of water that spins off a main current. They play a major role in transporting heat and nutrients
What does El Nino trade winds bring to North and South America?
Warmer air and water
What does la Nina trade winds bring to North and South America?
Colder air and water
What can El Nino winters lack and what does it limit?
The “polar” jet and can limit storms in New England
What does El Nino winters bring to the Southern US?
Storms due to the southern jet stream
What do la Nina winters involve?
The polar jet, but can lack the southern jet
What do la Nina winters often look like in the Northern US?
Stormy
