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ENSC 70 - CLIMATE SCIENCE > Introdunction to Climate Science > Flashcards

Introdunction to Climate Science Flashcards

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1
Q

Consists of the short-term (minutes to months) changes in the atmosphere.

A

Weather

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2
Q

The average weather for a particular region and time period, usually taken over 30-years

A

Climate

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3
Q

Temperature, humidity, precipitation, cloudiness, brightness, visibility, wind, and atmospheric pressure determine what the ______ is like at a given time and location.

A

weather

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4
Q

Averages of precipitation, temperature, humidity, sunshine, wind velocity, phenomena such as fog, frost, and hail storms, and other measures of the weather that occur over a long period in a particular place.

A

climate

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5
Q

it is what you get

A

weather

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6
Q

it is what you expect

A

climate

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7
Q

condition of the atmosphere over a short period of time

A

weather

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8
Q

how the atmosphere behaves over a long period of time and space

A

climate

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9
Q

can change within minutes or hours

A

weather

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10
Q

average regional weather pattern over decades

A

climate

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11
Q

Measure of the distance you are located from the equator.

A

latitude

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12
Q

Locations at lower latitudes receive ______ and ______than locations near the poles

A

stronger and more direct sunlight

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13
Q

main driving force in the atmosphere

A

energy input from the sun

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14
Q

The earth’s axis of rotation is tilted about _____ degrees compared to the plane of the earth’s orbit around the sun.

A

23.5

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15
Q

The earth’s _____ is responsible for the seasons we experience.

A

tilt

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16
Q

24 hours daylight

A

arctic circle

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17
Q

13.5 hours daylight

A

tropic of cancer

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18
Q

12 hours daylight

A

equator

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19
Q

10.5 hours of daylight

A

tropic of capricorn

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20
Q

0 hours of daylight

A

antarctic circle

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21
Q

6 months of day

A

polar day

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22
Q

6 months of night

A

polar night

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23
Q

june 21, 2024

A

summer solstice

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24
Q

december 21

A

winter solstice

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25
Q

24 hours of darkness

A

arctic circle

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26
Q

13.5 hours of darkess

A

tropic of cancer

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27
Q

12 hours of darkness

A

equator

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28
Q

10.5 hours of darkness

A

tropic of capricorn

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29
Q

0 hours of darkness

A

antarctic circle

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30
Q

Types of Solar Eclipse

A

Total Solar eclipse, Annual Solar Eclipse, Partial Solar Eclipse, Hybrid Solar Eclipse

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31
Q

After April 8, 2024 total solar eclipse, the next total solar eclipse will be on _____

A

Aug. 23, 2044

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32
Q

The _____ of the Earth varies as one moves upward from the surface of the Earth.

A

temperature

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33
Q

Region where nearly all water vapor exists and essentially all weather occurs.

A

troposphere

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34
Q

On the average, the temperature decreases with height in the troposphere at the rate of approximately _____ of altitude.

A

6.5°C per 1000m

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35
Q

Temperature decreases with altitude since troposphere’s gases absorb _______ of the incoming solar radiation.

A

very little

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36
Q

Heating is most effective near the ground.

A

troposphere

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37
Q

Region above the troposphere and a region where temperatures actually increase with increasing height.

A

stratosphere

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38
Q

Temperature remains isothermal until about 20 km.

A

stratosphere

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39
Q

directly warmed by the Sun unlike the troposphere.

A

stratosphere

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40
Q

It has higher concentration of ozone, an effective absorber of solar ultraviolet radiation.

A

stratosphere

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41
Q

Approximately _____% of the ozone in the atmosphere resides in the stratosphere

A

90%

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42
Q

Ozone concentration in the this region is about 10 parts per million by volume (ppmv) as compared to approximately 0.04 ppmv in the troposphere.

A

stratosphere

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43
Q

Air is very thin at this height and temperature decreases with increasing height.

A

mesosphere

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44
Q

The thin air and small amounts of ozone prevent the air from warming much.

A

mesosphere

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45
Q

The region of the atmosphere where the most energetic solar energy is absorbed.

A

thermosphere

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46
Q

Ultraviolet radiation, visible light, and high-energy gamma radiation are all absorbed by the ______, which causes the few particles present to heat up considerably.

A

thermosphere

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47
Q

Amount of water in the air relative to the saturation amount the air can hold at a given temperature multiplied by 100.

A

relative humidity

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48
Q

A higher value of RH means that the atmosphere is ______, a lower value means the atmosphere is _____.

A

nearing saturation; far from saturation

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49
Q

In the atmosphere, the molecules in the air apply pressure to everything on earth, including us.

A

air pressure

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50
Q

______ in the atmosphere causes the air to compress and sink, leading to clear skies and calm conditions.

A

High pressure

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51
Q

Measures the ‘heaviness’ of an object or how closely ‘packed’ the substance is

A

density

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52
Q

Measure of number of air molecules in a given area.

A

density

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53
Q

Higher the number of molecules, ______the air is.

A

denser

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54
Q

the transfer of heat through a solid, liquid or gas by direct contact.

A

conduction

55
Q

transfer of heat from a warmer region to a cooler one by moving warm liquid or gas from the heated area to the unheated area.

A

convection

56
Q

transfer of energy through air and space by light waves (visible, ultraviolet and infrared waves).

A

radiation

57
Q

Visible light
Contains higher amounts of energy
E.g. Sun’s radiation

A

shortwavve radiation

58
Q

Infrared light
Contains smaller amounts of energy
E.g. Earth’s radiation

A

longwave radiation

59
Q

amount of energy that is reflected by a surface is determined by the reflectivity of that surface

A

albedo

60
Q

Something that appears white reflects most of the light that hits it and has a _____

A

high albedo

61
Q

something that looks dark absorbs most of the light that hits it, indicating a ______

A

low albedo

62
Q

process of evaporating water from leaves through plant transpiration during photosynthesis.

A

evapotranspiration

63
Q

Responsible for 15% of the atmosphere’s water vapor.

A

evapotranspiration

64
Q

as _____ increases, the rate of evapotranspiration increases.

A

temperature

65
Q

If the air around the plant is too humid, the transpiration and evaporation rates drop.

A

humidity

66
Q

If the air is moving, the rate of evaporation will increase.

A

wind speed

67
Q

if the soil is dry and there is no standing water, there will be no evaporation.

A

water availability

68
Q

For areas where the ground is covered by vegetation, the rate of transpiration is considerably higher than the rate of evaporation from the soil.

A

soil type

69
Q

Describes how the incoming energy from the sun is used and returned to space.

A

EARTH’S ENERGY BALANCE

70
Q

If incoming and outgoing energy are in balance, the earth’s temperature remains ____

A

constant

71
Q

The ______ drives the weather and life on earth.

A

energy balance

72
Q

the atmosphere contains:

A

Gases (permanent and variable)

Water droplets (clouds and precipitation)

Microscopic solid particles (aerosols)

73
Q

permanent gases

A

nitrogen, oxygen, argon

74
Q

variable gases

A

water vapor

75
Q

trace gases

A

carbon dioxide, methane, ozone, CFCs

76
Q

form a constant proportion of the atmosphere, and have long residence times (thousands to millions of years).

A

permanent gases

77
Q

vary in atmospheric concentration in both time and space.

A

variable gases

78
Q

Extremely important variable gas with short residence time (~10 years).

A

water vapor

79
Q

Invisible gaseous phase of water.

A

water vapor

80
Q

Atmospheric concentration highest near _________ in tropics (~4%).

A

ocean surface

81
Q

Atmospheric concentration lowest in _____ and at ______ (near 0%).

A

deserts; high altitudes

82
Q

An important greenhouse gas with concentration of 0.0386% (386ppm) and residence time of 150 years.

A

carbon dioxide

83
Q

source and sinks of carbon dioxide

A

sources:
1. plant and animal respiration
2. volcanoes
3. organic decay
4. combustion

sinks:
1. photosynthesis (plants)
2. Oceans

84
Q

beneficial and harmful variable gas.

A

ozone

85
Q

Ozone concentrations in the _____ (~10-30 miles above sea level) are relatively high (15 ppm), occurs from natural chemical reactions (absorbs UV radiation).

A

stratosphere

86
Q

Ozone concentration near ______ is usually near zero, but can increase to 0.15 ppm through chemical reactions in polluted air (irritant).

A

earth’s surface

87
Q

variable gas with residence time of ~10 years that has high potential for greenhouse warming

A

methane

88
Q

sources and sinks of methane

A

sources:
1. rice cultivation, wetlands
2. mining
3. biomass burning
4. fossil fuel extraction
5. animal digestion

sinks:
1. atmospheric chemical reactions

89
Q

Small solid particles

A

aerosols

90
Q

typical concentration of aerosols

A

17,000/in^3

91
Q

typical life span of aerosols

A

days to weeks

92
Q

Mostly from natural sources.

A

aerosols

93
Q

primary sinks of aerosols

A

dry and wet deposition

94
Q

Act as cloud condensation nuclei

A

aerosols

95
Q

Horizontal movement of air from an area of an area of high pressure to an area of low pressure.

A

wind

96
Q

All winds are caused by differences in air pressure

A

wind

97
Q

Most differences in air pressure are due to _______ in the atmosphere.

A

unequal heating

98
Q

______ dense air sinks and has higher air pressure.

A

Cool

99
Q

_____ less dense air rises and has lower pressure.

A

Warm

100
Q

As the ____ air sinks, it creates areas of high pressure around the poles. This cold polar air then flows toward the equator.

A

cold

101
Q

Pressure belts are found every ____.

A

30°

102
Q

_____ are separated by pressure belts, bands of high and low pressure.

A

Convection cells

103
Q

Caused by global convection currents.

A

global winds

104
Q

blow steadily from specific directions over great distances.

A

global winds

105
Q

The high pressure cool air at the poles tries to fill in the low pressure areas at the high equator.

A

global winds

106
Q

Wind belts that extend from the poles to 60° latitude.

A

polar easterlies

107
Q

Formed from cold sinking air moving from the poles creating cold temperatures.

A

polar easterlies

108
Q

Wind belts found between 30°and 60° latitude.

A

westerlies

109
Q

Flow towards the poles from west to east carrying moist air over the United States.

A

westerlies

110
Q

Wind that blow from 30°almost to the equator.

A

trade winds

111
Q

Called the _____ because of their uses by early sailors.

A

trade winds

112
Q

Located along the equator where no winds blow because the warm raising air creates and area of low pressure.

A

doldrums

113
Q

Located 5° N and S of equator.

A

doldrums

114
Q

Located 30° N and S latitude.

A

horse latitude

115
Q

creates dry environments and mostly deserts like the Sahara Desert, Atacama Desert, Kalahari Desert, and the Australian Desert.

A

horse latitude

116
Q

both are ocean areas characterized by weak or nonexistent airflow for a prolonged period of time.

A

doldrums and horse latitudes

117
Q

air existing in doldrums is ______, while horse latitudes’ air is ____

A

moist, dry

118
Q

can cause extreme weather like squalls, thunderstorms, and hurricanes.

A

doldrums

119
Q

cause the formation of deserts and other hot and dry areas.

A

horse latitudes

120
Q

result of scenery such as mountains, vegetation, water bodies, and so on.

A

local winds

121
Q

usually change very often, and the weather forecast people talk about this kind on the TV every day.

A

local winds

122
Q

cover very short distances.

A

local winds

123
Q

warm air over the land will rise throughout the day, causing low pressure at the surface.

A

sea breeze

124
Q

The air over the ocean is now warmer than the air over the land.

A

land breeze

125
Q

The air on the land is warmer than air over ocean.

A

sea breeze

126
Q

land loses heat quickly after the sun goes down and the air above it cools too.

A

land breeze

127
Q

valley floor warms during the day, warm air rises up the slopes of surrounding mountains and hills to create a _____

A

valley breeze (warm)

128
Q

At night, denser cool air slides down the slopes to settle in the valley, producing a ______

A

mountain breeze (cold)

129
Q

Happens as a result of earth’s rotation, causes moving particles such as air and water to be deflected to the right in the northern hemisphere and to the left in the southern hemisphere

A

coriolis effect

130
Q

The Climate of the Philippines is ___

A

tropical and maritime

131
Q

two pronounced seasons: dry from November to April, wet during rest of the year

A

Type I

132
Q

No dry season with a very pronounced rainfall from November to April and wet during rest of the year

A

Type II

133
Q

seasons are not very pronounced; relatively dry from november to april, wet during rest of the year

A

Type III

134
Q

rainfall is more or less evenly distributed through the year

A

Type IV

ENSC 70 - CLIMATE SCIENCE (2 decks)

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