lecture 6 Flashcards
What partly controls ocean circulation?
Ocean circulation is partly controlled by winds.
Why does ice float?
Ice floats because water expands as it freezes, making ice less dense than liquid water
What controls Earth’s natural thermostat?
Earth’s natural thermostat is largely controlled by water’s properties, regulating temperature through the transport of heat by evaporation and precipitation.
What is the average salinity of seawater?
Seawater’s average salinity is about 3.5%.
How do days and seasons affect solar radiation received by Earth?
The side of Earth facing the sun receives intense solar radiation, leading to variations in weather and climate. Seasons occur due to Earth’s elliptical orbit and 23.5º tilt, affecting how different hemispheres tilt directly toward or away from the sun.
What is albedo?
Albedo is how much light is reflected back into space, varying based on the material’s surface. Sea ice, for example, has a high albedo, reflecting up to 90% of incoming radiation.
What is the Coriolis Effect and its impact?
The Coriolis Effect is the apparent force resulting from Earth’s rotation, causing moving particles to deflect right in the Northern Hemisphere and left in the Southern Hemisphere, affecting wind and ocean currents.
What are the two types of ocean currents?
Ocean currents can be wind-driven (affecting surface currents) or density-driven (affecting deep currents).
What is a gyre?
A gyre is a large, horizontal, circular-moving loop of water, driven by Earth’s wind belts. There are both subtropical and subpolar gyres.
What drives thermohaline circulation?
Thermohaline circulation is a vertical movement of ocean water driven by density and salinity effects, influencing deep currents. Temperature generally has a greater influence than salinity.
