Mid term 1

Question 1

What is Rayleigh scattering

Answer 1

Is the scattering of blue and violet light radiation. usually in the middle of the day (blue sky). The size of the scattering particles is smaller than the radiation wavelength

Question 2

what is Mie scattering?

Answer 2

is the scattering of particles the same size as the wavelengths. Typically, the colours are red and green. When the sun rises and sets.

Question 3

negative feedback loop

Answer 3

Feedback loops decrease the original change. Ex: body hot->sweating->body cold-> body warms

Question 4

Positive feedback loop

Answer 4

The feedback loop increases the change more than originally Ex: global warming creates water vapour which increases greenhouse gasses which warms the earth more

Question 5

What is Steady State Equlibrium

Answer 5

values move around a steady average a straight line

Question 6

What is Dynamic equilibrium

Answer 6

Values of the average may them selves change.( rounded line)

Question 7

What is metastable Equilibrium

Answer 7

Results from an abrupt change from one stable to another

Question 8

what is an Open system?

Answer 8

have inputs and outputs. makes matter and energy ex: car fuel, oxygen -> energy and material conversion-> heat energy and exhaust gas

Question 9

whats a closed system?

Answer 9

self-contained ex: earth has a finite of resources

Question 10

what is the concept of Axial tilt?

Answer 10

The axis tilt is 66.5 degrees from the plane of the ecliptic. the plane of ecliptic dividing the earth into 2 not the equator.

Question 11

How does the earths shape effect the sunlight received?

Answer 11

At the poles, the sun is spread over a large area and is further from the sun. At the equator, it is the closest surface to the sun and the rays are impacting a small area

Question 12

what are the Milankovitch cycles

Answer 12

Milankovitch cycles are long-term changes in Earth’s climate caused by variations in its orbit and tilt. There are three main cycles:

Eccentricity: This cycle involves changes in the shape of Earth’s orbit around the Sun, ranging from more circular to more elliptical, over about 100,000 years.

Axial Tilt (Obliquity): The angle of Earth’s tilt changes between about 22.1 and 24.5 degrees over a cycle of roughly 41,000 years. This tilt affects the severity of the seasons.

Precession: This is the wobble in Earth’s rotation axis, which occurs over a cycle of about 26,000 years. It influences the timing of the seasons in relation to Earth’s position in its orbit.

Together, these cycles affect the distribution and intensity of sunlight on Earth, influencing long-term climate patterns, including the timing of ice ages.

Question 13

what is short-wave radiation?

Answer 13

Shortwave radiation is a radiant energy produced by the sun with wavelengths ranging from infrared through visible to ultraviolet

Question 14

What is long-wave radiation?

Answer 14

In climate science, longwave radiation (LWR) is thermal radiation emitted by Earth’s surface, atmosphere, and clouds back into space.

Question 15

what is albedo?

Answer 15

is the measure of how much light or radiation is reflected by the surface. low albedo sun radiation is absorbed. high albedo sun radiation is reflected

Question 16

how does smooth or rough surfaces affect the albedo

Answer 16

smooth surfaces have a lower albedo most sun radiation is absorbed. Rough surfaces reflect most sun radiation and has a higher albedo

Question 17

How does colour affect albedo?

Answer 17

White reflects most radiation while darker colours like black absorb most radiation.

Question 18

what is the green house effect?

Answer 18

increased amount of greenhouse gasses increases the absorption of heat in the lower atmosphere

Question 19

How do low thick clouds affect the temperature?

Answer 19

Reflects the sunlight and does not allow much through

Question 20

how does high thin clouds affect temperature?

Answer 20

allows shortwave radiation through without much reflection. Also does not let longwave radiation through to get out of the atmosphere trapping more heat radiation in the atmosphere.

Question 21

list the main green house gasses

Answer 21

1. Carbon dioxide
2. Methane
3. Chlorofluorocarbons
4. Tropospheric ozone
5. Nitrous oxide
6. water vapour

Question 22

where does carbon dioxide come from and how bad is it (

Answer 22

comes from the natural carbon cycle, burning fossil fuels, and the destruction of forests. longest residence time.

Question 23

where does methane come from and how bad is it

Answer 23

fossil fuel use, farm animal waste, permafrost thawing, sewage and landfill decay and many more. has the worst affect out of green house gases yet has a residence time of 12 years.

Question 24

where does Nitrous oxide come from and how bad is it

Answer 24

motor vehicles, burning fossil fuels, and nitrogen fertilizers. life residence of 120 years

Question 25

What are possible future scenarios if climate change continues? and bring up examples

Answer 25

Farming and agriculture experiencing extreme floods or extreme droughts, warmer climates are increasing the duration of warmer seasons which increases risk of insects with diseases such as Lyme disease and malaria.

Question 26

What is heat (definition)

Answer 26

transfer of kinetic energy between molecules

Question 27

what is conduction

Answer 27

when heat moves from one object to another object through direct touch EX: burning your feet on hot sand

Question 28

what is convection

Answer 28

the movement of particles through a substance, transporting their heat energy from hotter areas to cooler in a vertical motion areas EX: ice melting, hot air rising

Question 29

what is radiation

Answer 29

energy that moves from one place to another in a form that can be described as waves or particles.
EX: heat/light from the sun

Question 30

what is advection

Answer 30

the same as convection the movement of particles through a substance, transporting their heat energy from hotter areas to cooler but in a horizontal motion

Question 31

what is sensible heat

Answer 31

can be felt with your senses is the wind cold or warm on your skin

Question 32

what is latent heat

Answer 32

the energy released or consumed during phase change

Question 33

when is latent heat released?

Answer 33

Ex: when water phase changes get colder steam->liquid->ice or Steam -> ice

Question 34

When is latent heat absorbed

Answer 34

when water phase changes to hotter ice->liquid->steam or ice ->steam

Question 35

what are the 4 principal temperature controls

Answer 35

latitude
Altitude/elevation
cloud cover
water bodies

Question 36

land and water heating differences

Answer 36

Evaporation: the sea has higher latent heat because it evaporates more than land
Transparency: land is opaque and water is transparent
Specific heat capacity: water has a higher specific heat capacity than land allowing it to hold more heat.
Movement and currents: heat is moved around a spread out through the water

Question 37

maritime cities VS. Continental

Answer 37

Maritime temperatures: Coastal regions have smaller daily and annual temperature ranges
Continental temperatures: Inland regions have greater daily and annual temperature ranges

Question 38

What are the processes of the hydro cycle

Answer 38

Water moves among the ocean, atmosphere and land through:
* Evaporation of water from land and mainly ocean creating clouds
* Cloud formation over ocean and land and some come back into new clouds
* Precipitation into the ocean or onto land
* Transpiration on land into cloud formation
* Sinks into soil
* Recharge of groundwater
* Runoff back into the ocean

Question 39

what is transmission?

Answer 39

Transmission refers to the passage of shortwave and
longwave energy through the atmosphere

Question 40

what is absorption

Answer 40

Absorption is the assimilation of radiation by
molecules of matter and its conversion from one form
of energy to another( absorption mainly occurs from co2 and water molecules)

Question 41

what is insolation

Answer 41

The amount of incoming solar energy that makes contact with the earth.