Exam 1 Flashcards

1
Q

Tilt of the earth’s axis

A

23.5 degrees from plane of ecliptic

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2
Q

Tilt of the earth’s axis

A

axis is tilted 23.5 degrees from plane of eliptic

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3
Q

Summer Solstice

A

June 21
Northern hemisphere turned maximally toward the sun
over head sun at the tropic of cancer (23.5 degrees north)
Longest day and shortest night in northern hemisphere

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4
Q

Winter Solstice

A

occurs on or about december 21; earth’s north pole is directly away from the sun; sun’s rays are at 23.5*S (Tropic of Capricorn); 8 hours of light 16 hours of darkness; also called winter, december solstice

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5
Q

heterosphere

A

gases not evenly mixed, separate on basis of their weight. the heavier the gas, the closer it is to the globe. 80-480km above the earths surface.

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6
Q

thermosphere

A

the uppermost layer of the atmosphere.

Temp very high but has very little heat

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7
Q

Mesosphere

A

he middle layer; coldest. Temperature decreases as altitude increases

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8
Q

Stratosphere

A

The layer of the atmosphere that lies between the troposphere and the mesosphere and in which temperature increases as altitude increases; contains the ozone layer

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9
Q

troposphere

A

lowest level of the atmosphere, based on temperature. 0-18km. has 90% of the mass of the atmosphere. temperature decreases with elevation throughout the atmosphere.

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10
Q

What are 3 ways that net radiation is expended by?

A
  • latent heating
  • sensible heating
  • ground heating/cooling
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11
Q

Latent Heat

A

heat transfer due to evaporation or condensation of water

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12
Q

The greenhouse effect

A
greenhouse gases in the atmosphere absorb longwave radiation
water vapor (#1)
Carbon dioxide
methane
and others
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13
Q

convection/advection

A

heat transfer of energy through movement of mass
convection-vertical movements
advection- horizontal
mainly atmosphere and oceans

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14
Q

conduction

A

molecule to molecule transfer of heat energy

transfer of heat from warmer substances to cooler substances

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15
Q

What is albedo? What kind of surfaces have high albedo?

A

Albedo is earth’s reflection
Avg earth albedo is 31%
High albedos: snow and ice, desert sand, clouds

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16
Q

Lines of longitude are parallel and converge at the poles?

A

False

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17
Q

The sun emits radiant energy composed of?

A

visible, ultraviolet, infared

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18
Q

The # of hours of sunshine varies with latitude?

A

True

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19
Q

The earth does one of these every 365.25 days

A

revolution

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20
Q

Graphic scale

A

if you enlarge the map you can still use the scale

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21
Q

no units but if enlarged the scale is no longer usable

A

Ratio scale

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22
Q

Geography

A

the study of the earth’s physical and cultural features

method not a body of knowledge

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23
Q

physical geography

A

s the spatial analysis of all physical elements and processes that make up the environment.

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24
Q

Latitude

A

The distance north or south from the equator; expressed in degrees.

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25
Q

Longitude

A

angular distance east or west on the earth’s surface, measured by the angle contained between the meridian of a particular place and some prime meridian, as that of Greenwich, England, and expressed either in degrees or by some corresponding difference in time.

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26
Q

Polar

A

very cold, no rain(H), N. & S. poles

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27
Q

Daylength

A
# of hours of sunshine
varies with latitude
no variability at the equator
greatest variability at the poles
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28
Q

Principal Temp Controls

A

latitude
Altitude
cloud cover
Land-water differences

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29
Q

Geography is the interconnection of ____ (4).

A
  • Natural systems
  • Geographic areas
  • Society
  • Cultural activities
30
Q

Hurricanes move ____ to ___ and curve to the _____.

A

east to west, north

31
Q

The arctic is ___ degrees to the North Pole.

A

66.5 degrees

32
Q

The Antarctic is ____ degrees to the south pole.

A

66.5 degrees

33
Q

____ is 23.5 degrees north

A

Equatorial

34
Q

___ is 23.5 degrees south

A

tropical

35
Q

____ receive more concentrated insolation due to Earth’s curvature– 2.5 times more than poles!!!

A

tropics

36
Q

Longitude is related to ____.

A

Time

37
Q

lines of equal longitude are called ______. –not parallel to each other

A

meridians

38
Q

_____ serves as the standard for time.

A

Prime meridian

39
Q

What is the universal time?

A

Greenwich Mean Time (GMT)

40
Q

Remote sensing can see wavelengths in the ____, ____, and _____

A

ultraviolet, infrared, and/or microwave range

41
Q

How much time is Earth from the sun?

A

8.20

42
Q

Orbit is _______.

A

Elliptical

43
Q

Earth is closest to the sun on _____

A

January 3rd, perihelion (147,000,000 km)

44
Q

Earth is farthest away from the sun on?

A

July 4th, aphelion

152,000,000 km

45
Q

When the solar wind reaches the poles it is the ______.

A

Aurora Borealis

46
Q

On its way to earth, the solar wind first encounters _______.

A

the magnetosphere

47
Q

The sun emits which kind of radiation?

A

shortwave radiation aka solar radiation

48
Q

The Earth emits which kind of radiation?

A

longwave radiation, aka terrestrial radiation

49
Q

What is incoming solar radiation?

A

insolation

50
Q

Places where the sun’s rays are perpendicular receive ____ ___

A

more insolation

51
Q

Amount of incoming radiation that comes from the sun. varies with season and location because of seasonality.

A

Insolation

52
Q

incoming solar radiation that reaches earth. Blue wavelengths are unable to pass back through the atmosphere, causing the sky to appear blue.

A

insolation

53
Q

The sun can only be ____ ____ in tropics.

A

directly overhead

54
Q

What is 23.5 degrees North?

A

tropic of cancer

55
Q

What is 23.5 degrees South?

A

tropic of capricorn

56
Q

Why do we have seasons?

A
  • revolution
  • rotation
  • tilt of earth’s axis
  • axial parallelism
  • sphericity
57
Q

What direction does earth rotate?

A

counterclockwise (west to east)

58
Q

What is the atmosphere composed of?

A
  • Nitrogen (78%)
  • Oxygen (21%)
  • Argon (.9%)
  • Carbon dioxide (0.039%)
  • -All others (.06%) Trace gases
59
Q

All the atmosphere gases are held down by _____.

A

gravity

60
Q

what percent of earth is covered by clouds at any given time?

A

50%

61
Q

What decreases exponentially with height?

A

Pressure

62
Q

Pressure is highest at ___ ____.

A

sea level

63
Q

What are 3 natural factors that affect air pollution?

A
  • Winds
  • Local and regional landscapes
  • Temperature inversion
64
Q

What are three ways to examine the atmosphere?

A
  • composition
  • temperature
  • function
65
Q

____ is where the gases are evenly mixed (78% Nitrogen, 21% oxygen, act)

A

homosphere

66
Q

The temperature normally ___ throughout the troposphere.

A

Decreases

67
Q

T/F: Lines of latitude run east to west and are parallel.

A

True

68
Q

True or False: In the homosphere, the atmosphere contains 78% nitrogen, 21% oxygen, and .9% argon.

A

True

69
Q

T/F: Lines of latitude are parallel and converge at the poles.

A

False

70
Q

The earth emits energy composed of _____ wavelengths.

A

infrared wavelengths

71
Q

What is the tilt of the earths axis on the spring equinox?

A

23.5 degrees

72
Q

What information do you need to guess a locations temperature? (4)

A
  • latitude
  • altitude
  • proximity to coast
  • cloud cover