Exam 1 Flashcards
Tilt of the earth’s axis
23.5 degrees from plane of ecliptic
Tilt of the earth’s axis
axis is tilted 23.5 degrees from plane of eliptic
Summer Solstice
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
Winter Solstice
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
heterosphere
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.
thermosphere
the uppermost layer of the atmosphere.
Temp very high but has very little heat
Mesosphere
he middle layer; coldest. Temperature decreases as altitude increases
Stratosphere
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
troposphere
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.
What are 3 ways that net radiation is expended by?
- latent heating
- sensible heating
- ground heating/cooling
Latent Heat
heat transfer due to evaporation or condensation of water
The greenhouse effect
greenhouse gases in the atmosphere absorb longwave radiation water vapor (#1) Carbon dioxide methane and others
convection/advection
heat transfer of energy through movement of mass
convection-vertical movements
advection- horizontal
mainly atmosphere and oceans
conduction
molecule to molecule transfer of heat energy
transfer of heat from warmer substances to cooler substances
What is albedo? What kind of surfaces have high albedo?
Albedo is earth’s reflection
Avg earth albedo is 31%
High albedos: snow and ice, desert sand, clouds
Lines of longitude are parallel and converge at the poles?
False
The sun emits radiant energy composed of?
visible, ultraviolet, infared
The # of hours of sunshine varies with latitude?
True
The earth does one of these every 365.25 days
revolution
Graphic scale
if you enlarge the map you can still use the scale
no units but if enlarged the scale is no longer usable
Ratio scale
Geography
the study of the earth’s physical and cultural features
method not a body of knowledge
physical geography
s the spatial analysis of all physical elements and processes that make up the environment.
Latitude
The distance north or south from the equator; expressed in degrees.
Longitude
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.
Polar
very cold, no rain(H), N. & S. poles
Daylength
# of hours of sunshine varies with latitude no variability at the equator greatest variability at the poles
Principal Temp Controls
latitude
Altitude
cloud cover
Land-water differences