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ENVS > ENVS 203- Test 2 > Flashcards

ENVS 203- Test 2 Flashcards

1
Q

Why is there wind?

A
  • energy imbalances, especially between higher and lower latitudes
  • energy surplus at the equator
  • Energy deficit at poles
  • this leads to differences in atmospheric pressure.
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2
Q

What is the relationship between atmospheric pressure and both altitude and temperature?

A
  • pressure decreases with altitude

- warm air is less dense than cool air

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3
Q

What are the relative nature of high/low pressure zones?

A

-High and low pressure are relative terms - higher/lower than surrounding area

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4
Q

Pressure gradient…what is it and how does it relate to pressure differences?

A
  • pressure gradient: horizontal rate of pressure change

- larger the pressure difference gradient

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5
Q

What are the three main forces/phenomena that produce our wind patterns?

A
  • pressure gradient
  • earths rotation/coriolis effect
  • friction
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6
Q

How does pressure gradient relate to wind speed and direction?

A
  • winds generated from high pressure ->low pressure
  • larger the pressure difference, larger the pressure gradient
  • wind speed is directly proportional to pressure gradient
  • winds generated perpendicular to isobars from high -> low
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7
Q

How does the coriolis force affect wind speed and direction?

A
  • once generated the wind is turned by earth’s rotation= coriolis effect
  • deflects to the right in northern hemisphere, left in southern
  • strongest effect at poles, zero at equator
  • effect is proportional to wind speed
  • effect influences direction only, not speed
  • will turn winds 90 degrees to pressure gradient
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8
Q

How does friction affect wind speed and direction?

A
  • friction with the ground slows speed, thus decreasing coriolis effect
  • results in winds crossing isolines at 30 degree angle
  • friction extends to a height of about 1600 ft
  • increases with roughness of a surface
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9
Q

Draw the net result of these forces on wind direction at the surface or aloft

A

-Look in slides/chapter about wind (lecture slides 9, page 14)

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10
Q

Cyclonic vs. anticlonic circulation. Relation to pressure and direction of air movement both horizontally and vertically

A
  • anticyclone= high-pressure system. circulation body of air outward. descending air. clockwise circulation in northern hemisphere.
  • cyclone= low-pressure system. circulating body of air inward. rising air. counterclockwise in northern hemisphere
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11
Q

What is the idea of a constant isobaric surface? (ridges and troughs)

A

-an elevated surface in the atmosphere on which all points have the same pressure, usually 500 mb. along this constant pressure surface, isobars mark the paths of upper-air winds

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12
Q

Equatorial low-pressure through? (location, climate, how these shift from jan to jul)

A
  • location:intertropical convergence zone
  • thermal
  • warm/wet
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13
Q

Subtropical high-pressure? (location, climate, how these shift from jan to jul)

A
  • dynamic
  • hot/dry
  • produce westerlies
  • exist above deserts
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14
Q

Subpolar low-pressure? (location, climate, how these shift from jan to jul)

A
  • dynamic
  • cool/wet
  • polar front is area of contrast between cold air from higher latitudes battling with warm air from lower latitudes
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15
Q

Polar high-pressure? (location, climate, how these shift from jan to jul)

A
  • thermal
  • cold/dry
  • polar easterlies
  • higher latitudes near antarctica
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16
Q

Trade winds? (model of atmospheric circulation)

A

-northeast and southeast winds that converge in the equatorial low pressure trough, forming the inter tropical convergence zone

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17
Q

Westerlies? (model of atmospheric circulation)

A

-the predominant wind flow pattern fro the subtropics to high latitudes in both hemispheres

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18
Q

Polar esterlies? (model of atmospheric circulation)

A

-a variable weak, cold and dry wind moving away from the polar region; an anticyclonic circulation

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19
Q

Hadley cells, mid-latitude cells, polar cells (model of atmospheric circulation)

A

-

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20
Q

ITCZ (atmospheric circulation)

A

-a thermally caused low pressure area that almost girdles earth, with air converging and ascending all along its extent

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21
Q

Polar front (model of atmospheric circulation)

A

-cold polar air meet warm tropical air

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22
Q

Jet streams (model of atmospheric circulation)

A

-the most prominent movement in upper level westerly wind flows; irregular, concentrated, sinuous bands of geostrophic wind

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23
Q

Describe the direction of flow of the major ocean gyres?

A
  • indian ocean
  • north atlantic
  • north pacific
  • south atlantic
  • south pacific
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24
Q

Explain land/sea breezes, mountain-valley breezes, and monsoons?

A
  • land-sea breezes= daily heating/cooling patterns. onshore/offshore flow
  • mtn-valley breezes=daily heating/cooling patterns. up valley/downvalley flow.
  • monsoons=seasonal heating/cooling patters. high->low
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25
Q

Describe the latent heat exchanges associated with each phase change of water? (know whether heat is real eased or absorbed and the relative amount of heat involved)

A
  • latent heat of melting; +80 calories (absorbed)
  • latent heat of vaporization; +540 calories (absorbed)
  • latent heat of condensation; -540 calories (released)
  • latent heat of freezing; -80 calories (released)
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26
Q

Relative humidity?

A

a ratio of the amount of water vapor that is actually in the air compared to the max amount of water vapor possible at a given temp

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27
Q

Saturation?

A

-when a mass of air reaches 100% relative humidity

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28
Q

Dew point?

A

-temp at which a given mass of air becomes saturated

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29
Q

vapor pressure?

A

-the amount of pressure exerted by H2O only (expressed in mb)

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30
Q

Specific humidity?

A
  • mass of water vapor (in grams) per mass of air (in kilograms) at any specified temp
  • not affected by changes in temp or pressure
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31
Q

Relative humidity’s relationship with temperature, times of day with lowest/highest relative humidity?

A
  • as air temp increases, relative humidity decreases

- relative humidity is highest at dawn and lowest during late afternoon

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32
Q

Relationship between temperature and saturation vapor pressure?

A

-warmer air can hold more vapor

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33
Q

Dew and frost - how they form?

A
  • dew formation=radiative cooling at night until the dew point is reached at the surface
  • frost is when dew point is below freezing
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34
Q

Normal lapse rate, dry adiabatic lapse rate, and moist adiabatic lapse and explain why those aren’t all the same number?

A
  • normal lapse rate= 3.5* (degrees) F / 1000ft
  • dry adiabatic rate-<100%RH= 5.5*F/ 1000ft
  • moist adiabatic rate-100%RH= 3.3*F/1000ft
  • adiabatic refers to the warming and cooling rates for a parcel of expanding or compressing air-depends on moisture conditions in the parcel of air
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35
Q

Explain the concepts of stable vs unstable atmospheric conditions?

A
  • unstable= ELR>DAR &MAR

- stable=ELR<DAR & MAR

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36
Q

What is heating by compression and cooling by expansion for air parcels?

A
  • compression-heats up a gas (air)
  • -increase pressure and warms air mass
  • -relative humidity will decrease as the air warms
  • expansion-cools a gas(air)
  • -decrease pressure and cools air mass
  • -relative humidity will increase as the air cools
  • -saturation occur at the dew point
  • -condensation occurs producing clouds
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37
Q

Explain what is required for clouds to form?

A
  • air must be saturated

- condensation nuclei

38
Q

Describe and provide example locations for the four lifting mechanisms.

A
  • covergent lifting=low pressure area
  • convectional=local surface heating
  • orgraphic=physical barrier
  • frontal lifting=contrasting air masses
39
Q

Where are global precipitation patterns (high/low areas) and how these relate to lifting mechanisms?

A
  • high=around equator

- in summer=less and higher, then works it;s way down

40
Q

Cumulus?

A
  • vertically developed
  • puffy or cotton
  • unstable (rising) air
41
Q

Stratus?

A

-layered- nimbostratus if raining, not much vertical movement

42
Q

Cirrus?

A
  • high, thin clouds
  • wispy in appearance
  • composed of ice crystals
43
Q

Lenticular?

A

-wave cloud formed as moist air blows over mtns

44
Q

Cirro-, alto-, nimbo(us)?

A
  • cirro=high
  • alto=mid
  • nimbo(us)=rain
45
Q

How does fog form? Where is it very common?

A
  • fog forms when surface air is saturated
  • radiation
  • steam
  • valley
  • upslope
46
Q

What is the difference between advection and radiation fog?

A
  • advection fog=warm air flows over a cooler surface-air cools to saturation
  • radiation fog=radiative cooling of land surface chills air above dew point
47
Q

What is an air mass?

A

-a large body of lower atmosphere with uniform conditions of temperature, moisture, and stability

48
Q

How do we classify air masses? (c/m, A/P/T/E) What are the properties associated with each? (temp, moisture, stability)

A

-an air mass is a large body of lower atmosphere with uniform conditions of temp, moisture, and stability.
Moisture content=
1. c-continental-dry
2.m-maritime-moist
-Latitude of source region (surface temp)
1.A or AA=Arctic or Antarctic(cold, dry, stable)
2.P-polar(cold, dry, stable)
3.T-tropical(hot, dry, unstable)
4.E-equatorial

49
Q

What are the main classes of airmass that influence North America? How do these change between summer and winter?

A
  • maritime polar, continental polar, maritime tropical, arctic, continental tropical.
  • from winter to summer=maritime polar, continental polar move out and maritime tropical move in (north)
50
Q

Describe how cold, warm, and occluded fronts form, what they look like on a weather map, and what weather conditions are associated with each.

A
  • cold=cooler, more dense air into warmer more moist air
  • warm=warmer, less dense, air into cooler, more dense air
  • occluded=cold front into a warm front
51
Q

What is a midlatitude cyclone? Which direction do midlatitude cyclones move and circulate?

A
  • a cyclone is any circulation around low pressure (counterclockwise in N. hemisphere)
  • move west-east pushed by the jet stream
52
Q

How old is the earth? Oldest rocks? Most landforms?

A
  • 4.6 billion years
  • oldest rock= 3.8-4.28 billion years
  • most landforms formed during quaternary, last 1.8 million years
53
Q

What is the difference between an atom, element, mineral, and rock?

A
  • element= substance that can’t be broken into any other substances by ordinary chemical means
  • atom=smallest particle of an element that retains the properties of that element
  • minerals=a substance that is naturally occurring, nonliving, solid, chemical element or compound of elements. Has a specific chemical composition and an ordered internal structure or arrangement of atoms
54
Q

What are the most common elements in earth’s crust?

A
  • Oxygen
  • silicon
  • aluminum
  • iron
  • calcium
  • sodium
  • potassium
  • magnesium
55
Q

What are silicate minerals? What are the differences between felsic and mafic silicates?

A
  • united of silicon and oxygen
  • felsic=light color, generally less dense, continental)
  • mafic=dark color, generally more dense, oceanic
56
Q

What are the mains zones of earths internal strucure? Which are solid/liquid/plastic?

A
  • core: inner core=solid. outer core= liquid
  • mantle=solid but able to flow at very slow rates
  • asthenosphere=plastic
  • lithosphere=cooler and less dense
57
Q

What is plate tectonics? How many tectonic plates are there?

A
  • theory that earth’s crust consists of plates that move individually and collectively
  • allows us to explain location of mtn ranges, earthquakes, volcanoes and other landforms
  • 14+ plates
58
Q

*What are the different types of plate boundaries and where do they occur?

A
  • convergent
  • divergent
  • transform
59
Q

What is subduction?

A

-an area where two plates of crust collide and the denser oceanic crust dives beneath the less dense continental plate, forming deep oceanic trenches and seismically active regions

60
Q

Where is the oldest and youngest oceanic crust?

A

-

61
Q

Mid-ocean ridges?

A

a long, seismically active submarine ridge system situated in the middle of an ocean basin and marking the site of the upwelling of magma associated with seafloor spreading.

62
Q

Rift valleys (diverence)?

A

a large elongated depression with steep walls formed by the downward displacement of a block of the earth’s surface between nearly parallel faults or fault systems.

63
Q

What are hot spots?

A

-a point of upwelling material originating in the asthenosphere and tending to remain fixed relative to migrating plates(e.g. yellowstone)

64
Q

Igneous, sedimentary, metamorphic rocks… what is different about how they form? What are some common rock types from each?

A
  • igneous= from magma/lava; crystallize from molten rock material
  • sedimentary= from sediment and chemical precipitation from seawater
  • metamorphic= from other rocks that recrystallize under high pressure and/or temp
65
Q

Igneous intrusive vs igneous extrusive rocks…what is different about how they form and their appearance?

A
  • igneous intrusive(plutonic)=rocks crystallize as molten magma cools at depth within the crust or mantle
  • igneous extrusive(volcanic)=rocks solidify from lava at the earth’s surface often after a volcanic eruption
66
Q

Sedimentary rocks.. how do they form? What are their steps involved in their formation?

A
  • are formed at or near the earth’s surface by:
    1. weathering of pre-existing rock
    2. transportation of sediment
    3. sorting and rounding of sediment grains
    4. deposition of sediment in layers
    5. chemical deposition (precipitation)
    6. lithification into solid rocks
67
Q

Clastic vs chemical vs organic sedimentary rocks…know the difference and an example of each.

A
  • clastic sediment = from weathering and erosion of rock or mineral fragments. (sandstone)
  • chemical sediment=from solution and mineral precipitates (limestone)
  • organic sediment= from carbon-based organic matter= (coal)
68
Q

Metamorphic rocks…know how and where they form and a few examples?

A

-metamorphic rocks= have undergone changes in texture and/or mineralogy through heat, pressure, and chemically active fluids (shale->slate->schist; limestone->marble; sandstone->quartzite)

69
Q

Topography vs relief?

A
  • topography=the configuration of the earth’s surface

- relief= a difference in election

70
Q

Continental shields?

A

-generally an old, low-elevation heartland of region of continental crust; various cartons and ancient mtns exposed at the surface

71
Q

How does new crust form?

A
  • residual mtns and stable continental cratons
  • tectonic mtns and landforms
  • volcanic features
72
Q

How are mtns built?

A

-orogeny=mtn building event

73
Q

What are the three types of orogenesis?

A
  • oceanic-continental
  • oceanic-oceanic
  • continental-continental
74
Q

new crustal formation and accretion of existing material?

A

-

75
Q

Normal vs reverse vs strike-slip faults? (what sort of strain and surface expression do you see with each?

A

-normal=tensional stress and pull away (apart and up and down)
reverse=compressional stress (push together and together from up and down)

76
Q

Folding (anticlines and synclines)? what sort of strain and surface expression do you see with each?

A
  • anticline=upfolded strata in which layers slope away from the axis of the fold, or central ridge
  • syncline=a trough in oflded strata, with beds that slope toward the axis of the down fold
77
Q

Earthquakes? Where and why? Epicenter, focus, fault rupture, stick-slip behavior?

A
  • buildup of stress and stored strain energy as plates move relative to one another
  • stick-slip behavior
  • seismic energy real eased during fault rupture
  • focus/hypocenter (point of rupture)
  • epicenter (surface)
78
Q

Shield volcano?

A

-a symmetrical mtn landform built from effusive eruptions that is gently sloped, gradually rising from the surrounding landscape to a summit crater and typical of the hawaiian islands

79
Q

Composite volcano?

A

-a volcano formed by a sequence of explosive volcanic eruptions

80
Q

Cinder cone?

A

-a landform of tephra and scoria, usually small and cone-shaped and generally not more than 450 m in height, with a truncated top

81
Q

Effusive?

A
  • mafic magma
  • lower viscosity
  • volatiles espace easily
  • shield volcanoes, oceanic ridges, hot spots
82
Q

Explosive?

A
  • felsic magma
  • higher viscosity
  • volatiles trapped
  • compsite volcanoes, subduction zones
83
Q

Relationship between composition, viscosity, shape, and behavior?

A

-

84
Q

What is landmass denudation?

A
  • wearing down of Earth’s surface
  • reduces elevation and relief of landforms
  • consists of
    1. weathering
    2. erosion
    3. transport
    4. deposition
85
Q

Physical weathering vs chemical weathering?

A
  • physical= rock is broken into smaller pieces, no chemical change
  • chemical= chemical changes within rock weaken rock structure
86
Q

What are four types of each: physical weathering and chemical weathering.

A
  • physical= frost wedging, salt wedging, biological, exfoliation
  • chemical= dissolution of carbs, hydrolysis, oxidation, biological
87
Q

What is karst?

A

-a distinctive topography formed in a region of chemically weathered limestone with poorly developed surface drainage and solution features that appear pitted and bumpy.

88
Q

What is differential weathering?

A

-different rocks are more or less resistant to weathering

89
Q

What is mass wasting?

A
  • colluvial processes-downslope movement of soil/rock driven by gravity
  • slope failure occurs when gravitational force acting on a slope exceeds its resisting force
90
Q

Different types of mass wasting and the difference among them?

A
  • creep/solifluction
  • -movement of individual particles downslope, very slow, dry/wet or freeze/thaw cycles
  • slides
  • -entire unit moves as a whole, moderately wet and fast
  • flows
  • -material moves as a liquid, very wet, moderately to very fast
  • falls
  • -free-falling objects, fast

ENVS (2 decks)

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