INTRO

Question 1

What is external energy and what does it drive?

Answer 1

Solar energy that drives exogenic processes

Question 2

What are exogenic processes?

Answer 2

Processes that operate on the Earth’s surface, such as weathering and erosion

Question 3

What is internal energy and what does it drive?

Answer 3

Energy from earth’s internal heat (radioactive decay) that drives endogenic processes

Question 4

What are endogenic processes?

Answer 4

Processes within the earth’s surface that drive tectonics/volcanoes

Question 5

How is heat redistributed from the equator?

Answer 5

The atmosphere and the oceans

Question 6

What is thermohaline circulation?

Answer 6

Solar energy heating the oceans in the lower latitudes, they travel to higher latitudes and cool due to lower atmospheric temperature, the cooler water sinks and flows back southwards

Question 7

What is North Atlantic Deep Water?

Answer 7

Cooler, denser, saltier water that sinks due to heat loss

Question 8

How do tectonics influence climate?

Answer 8

• thermohaline circulation
• atmospheric circulation
• mountain ranges and plateaus (weathering and erosion)

Question 9

3 examples of tectonic changes that influenced climate change

Answer 9

Himalayas and the Tibetan Plateau

Isolation of Antarctica

Panama Seaway Closure

Question 10

Describe the Antarctic isolation

Answer 10

• Formation of Drake’s passage and Tasman Seaway
• Formation of Arctic Circumpolar Current prevents warm water from reaching continent
• Glaciation began

Question 11

What are boundary conditions?

Answer 11

The ability to affect climatic change