Heat & Radiation Flashcards
four ways which energy is transferred
conduction, phase changes, convection, radiation
define sensible heat flux
heating through conduction; molecules heat up through collisions
where are the upward (positive) sensible heat fluxes greatest
- hot, dry land surfaces (deserts)
- warm oceans in wintertime
define phase change
liquid evaporates into gas –> removes heat from the liquid
define latent heat flux
heating through phase change/evaporation between the atmosphere and earth’s surface; happens w/o temp change
features of the planet’s latent heat flux distribution
- tend to be positive almost everywhere
- move evaporation over ocean than land
- almost all evaporation occurs in the tropics and subtropics
define convection
- typically occurs when a fluid is heated from below or cooled from above
- heated portion becomes lighter & rises, is replaced by heavier and cooler fluid
define radiation
- how sun heats earth
- radiation emanates from 1 substance and is absorbed by another
define blackbody
objects that emit radiation with 100% efficiency
distribution of wavelengths of emitted radiation is given by ____
planck function
Wien’s displacement law
distribution’s peak wavelength is inversely proportional to the temperature of the object
solar radiation
all radiation in the earth’s atmosphere with a wavelength less than 3 microns; is solar in origin
terrestrial radiation
almost all radiation in the earth’s atmosphere with a wavelength greater than 3 microns; comes from the earth or its atmosphere
absorption of solar radiation
not absorbed strongly in the atmosphere, so sunlight tends to get through and heat the ground
absorption of terrestrial radiation
both absorbed and emitted in the atmosphere, leading to the greenhouse effect
