KAE Temperature Flashcards
What are the three temperature scales
Degrees celsius
Fahrenheit
Kelvin
What is 0°C in other scales
32°F
+273K
How to calculate from C to F
(1.8 x °C) + 32
How to calculate °C to K
°C +273
Define Insolation
How much energy is absorbed by the earth’s surface per unit area
Where do you get low isolation and why
It is less at the poles as there are less rays per unit area. The rays travel further across a wider area.
Where do you get high isolation and why
At the equator
There are more rays per unit area, the heat energy transfer is greater
How does the tilt of the earth affect isolation
If the earth is tilted closer to the sun the rays don’t travel as far therefore stronger upon the surface
Name materials that absorb heat the most
Trees
Concrete
Sand
Name materials that absorb heat less
Any form of water
Name the ways the sun heats up the air
Conduction
Convection
Radiation
What is conduction
When the air closest to the surface is in contact gets heated up
What is convection
The warmer air expands as it is heated so the density decreases and the air rises
What is latent heat
The air slowly condenses and starts to release heat back into the atmosphere which is latent heat
What is turbulence heating
When the wind interacts with the hot air, mixing it around
What is advection heating
When air moves through from somewhere hotter and heating up where we are
What is radiation
The sun releases a short wave radiation to the earth, the earth then releases long wave radiation back that heats up the air
Define Diurnal Variation
As night falls the temperature decreases
What happens to materials that are good absorbers
They get very hot during the day but then very cold at night
Eg. Sahara desert
When does the air reach its highest temp
Around 2pm
What can affect variation of temperature
Cloud cover
Wind speed
Main materials of an area
What is an inversion
When the temperature does the opposite of what is expected
What is an isothermal
The temperature stays constant
What are the three types of inversion
Ground
Frontal
Subsidance
