Global Climate Unit? Flashcards
- Is the object or group of objects that are being studied within a boundary.
- The surroundings are everything other than the system.
System
Allows energy and matter to be exchanged (ex. forest).
Open system
Allows only energy but no matter to be exchanged (ex. Earth).
Closed system
Neither matter nor energy can be exchanged (ex. The universe).
Isolated system
-Composed of all living things on Earth and physical environment that supports them.
Biosphere
The biosphere is made up of three interacting components:
- Atmosphere
- Lithosphere
- Hydrosphere
Layer of gases that surround earth.
Atmosphere
Solid portion of earth, composed of rocks, minerals, and elements.
Lithosphere
All the water on earth.
Hydrosphere
Composed of a mixture of different gases that is commonly referred to as “air”.
78% Nitrogen
21% Oxygen
1% Other gases
- Also contains varying amounts of suspended particle matter called atmospheric dust.
- These particles may include non-living particles like door, or living particles, like pollen.
Atmosphere
- It is the solid portion of earth
- Home to many micro-organisms, plants, animals, and humans.
- It i’d warmed by incoming energy from the sun.
Lithosphere
- Accounts for all water on earth
- Amount of water on earth always remains the same
- It is warmed by incoming energy from the sun
Hydrosphere
- All the energy on earth initially comes from the sun known as solar energy
- A small amount of those incoming solar energy is converted to food energy through photosynthesis
- Most of the incoming solar energy is converted to Thermal Energy
- Thermal Energy = Heat Energy
The Sun
Earth maintains en energy balance and a temperature balance by radiating as much energy into space as it absorbs from the sun.
Earth’s Radiation Budget
The amount of solar energy absorbed differs in different _____ on earth.
Places
Warming of the Earth is influenced by..
- The tilt of earth’s axis relative to the sun.
- Earth’s revolution around the sun.
- The shape of the Earth
The tilt of the Earth’s axis.
Angle of Inclination
The Earth’s tilted axis determines..
The length of day and night throughout the year at different latitudes.
At the __________, day and night are each 12 hours long throughout the year.
Equator
Higher latitudes have _________ summer days and ________ winter days.
longer, shorter
Lower latitudes have _________ summer days and ________ winter nights.
shorter, longer
The very high latitudes have the _________ summer days and ________ winter days.
longest, shortest
Northern Hemisphere summer: Earth is tilted ______ the sun.
towards
Northern Hemisphere winter: Earth is tilted ______ the sun.
away
Seasons have unequal numbers of days because..
of Earth’s elliptical (oval) shape.
Summer is longer than winter in the ___________ Hemisphere.
Northern
Winter is longer than summer in the ___________ Hemisphere.
Southern
Sun rays are spread out over a greater distance in the northern and southern hemisphere but ______ solar energy is absorbed.
less
The amount of solar energy received by a region of Earth’s surface.
Insolation
Insolation depends on..
- Latitude
- Characteristics of the lithosphere, atmosphere, and hydrosphere.
The shape of the Earth affects ________ of heat.
Insolation
The angle between a ray of light falling on surface of the earth and the line of perpendicular to that surface
Angle of Incidence
Major geographical region with similar environmental conditions and life forms.
Biomes
Sort ‘Biomes, Biosphere, Ecosystem, and Habitat from smallest to largest.
Habitat, Ecosystem, Biome, Biosphere.
Biome = Open system because..
- Forever receives energy from the sun.
- Matter and some organisms can pass freely back and forth across its boundary.
(Biome)
- Found in south of the ice-covered polar seas and is circumpolar in the northern hemisphere.
- Flat land, frozen soil, marshy in the summer.
- Long winters, short summers.
- Grasses are dominant and are resistant to dry cold climates.
Tundra
The quantity of water that condenses and falls in the form of rain, snow, sheet, and hail.
Precipitation
A measurement of water vapour in the air.
Humidity
(Biome)
- Found across Canada, northern Europe, and Asia.
- Coniferous Forest
- Winters are long and cold
Taiga
(Biome)
- Found in both northern hemisphere and in the south hemisphere at latitudes below 50 north or south.
- Temperatures range from below freezing in winter to 30C or more during the warmest days of summer.
Temperate Deciduous Forest
The horizontal lines on Earth
Latitude
(Biome)
- Found in almost every continent.
- Has a prolonged dry season when little or no rain falls.
- The soil is rich and fertile
- Grasses are the main producers.
Grassland
(Biome)
- Located between 15 and 35 latitude in both the northern and southern hemisphere.
- The driest biome on Earth
- Supports limited plant life.
Desert
(Biome)
- In regions along the equator, vast areas of land are covered with lush, green plant growth.
- Rain falls nearly every day
- The temperatures vary little from month to month.
Tropical Rain Forest
After the land and water absorbs solar energy mechanisms of heat transfer can occur:
- Convection
- Conduction
- Radiation
- Energetic molecules from the land and water collide with molecules in the air (close to the surface) and transfer energy from Earth’s surface to the air.
Conduction
- As air circulates, it distributes heat.
- Warm air rises (less dense), cooler air (more dense) descends and takes its place close to the ground.
Convection
- Water vapour, CO2, and other greenhouse gases absorb longer wavelengths (infrared radiation) emitted by the Earth.
Radiation
The tilt and the curvature of the Earth affects the balance of..
Global heat.
