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2023 FALL SEM > Midterm > Flashcards

Midterm Flashcards

1
Q

What is a prominent source of carbon monoxide?

A

Wildfires

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2
Q

Define atmospheric circulation

A

The movement of solar-warmed air on a rotating earth

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3
Q

What regions receive light at 90 degrees?

A

Regions near the equator

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4
Q

What energy is concentrated near the equator?

A

Solar/Light energy

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5
Q

What latitudes receive light at low angles?

A

High

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6
Q

What do seasons relate to?

A

The tilt of the Earth on its axis

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7
Q

During summer what hemisphere is tilted toward the sun?

A

Northern hemisphere

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8
Q

During summer what hemisphere is tilted away from the sun?

A

Southern hemisphere

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9
Q

More energy is absorbed _________ than emitted (radiated away from the earth)

A

Near the equator

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10
Q

More energy is emitted ________ than is absorbed

A

Near the poles

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11
Q

What do the atmosphere and ocean act to do in partnernship?

A

Redistribute energy around the globe

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12
Q

Air flows from regions of _______ to ______ pressure due to differential heating and cooling

A

High , Low

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13
Q

What is the airflow from regions of high to low pressure due to differential heating and cooling called?

A

Atmospheric convection currents

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14
Q

How does daytime influence the movement of air?

A

Sun comes out and shines on land and water to heat both up –> land heats up faster because it takes less energy based on mass –> warm land warms up the air above it and creates an area of low pressure –> air over water remains cooler due to the ocean’s heat capacity –> the wind blows from high to low pressure which creates more wind

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15
Q

What heats up faster based on mass, land or water?

A

Land

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16
Q

When warm lands warm up the air above it does it create an area of low or high pressure?

A

Low pressure

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17
Q

How does nighttime influence the movement of air?

A

The wind blows from land to ocean causing the land and ocean to start to cool but the ocean doesn’t cool as quickly as land does because of high heat capacity

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18
Q

Define heat capacity

A

Heat required to raise the temperature of 1g of a substance by 1 degree Celusius

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19
Q

What has a high heat capacity?

A

Water - it absorbs a lot of heat before it is able to get hot

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20
Q

What has a relatively low heat capacity?

A

Land - it takes less energy to increase the temperature compared to water

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21
Q

What is a hadley cell?

A

Large scale atmospheric circulation system that relies on the fact that solar heating is largest at the equator

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22
Q

_________ is greatest at the equator

A

Solar heating

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23
Q

How does a hadley cell work?

A

Rising warm air is being replaced by air from further to the south and the north, and you get a convergence of air that rises up until it is warm and sinks down

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24
Q

On a non-rotating earth atmospheric circulation would be _________

A

Up and down

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25
Q

Define the coriolis effet

A

Diversion of anything that is not attached to the earths surface

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26
Q

Earth rotates from the ____ to the ______

A

West, East

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27
Q

Points at the equator rotate _____ than points near the poles

A

Faster

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28
Q

The coriolis effect causes winds to be deflected to the ______ in the northern hemisphere

A

Right

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29
Q

The coriolis effect causes winds to be deflected to the ______ in the southern hemisphere

A

Left

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30
Q

What does the coriolis effect do to circulation cells?

A

It causes winds to deflect, it breaks up the two large hadley cells into 6 smaller cells (3 in each hemisphere)

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31
Q

Westerlies are coming from _____ and going to the _______

A

West, East

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32
Q

________ is a lot in equatorial regions and less further north or south

A

Global precipitation

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33
Q

The warmer the air is the more _______ it can hold

A

Water vapor

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34
Q

Define expansional cooling

A

Air rises and expands bc it cools

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35
Q

Describe the process of global precipiation

A

Convergence of air then it warms and rises up, and as it rises up it cools bc it expands and experiences lower pressure. As it rises and expands there is a point where it can’t hold water vapor anymore because it is cool and clouds form so the vapor condenses and becomes water droplets

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36
Q

As air gets higher in the atmosphere it ______

A

Cools

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37
Q

Define saturation vapor pressure (SVP)

A

The maximum amount of water vapor that can exist in the air

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38
Q

The ______ the vapor pressure, the ______ amount of water vapor in the air

A

Higher, greater

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39
Q

At really low temperatures SVP is _____ so it means air can’t hold very much water in the form of water vapor

A

Low

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40
Q

The Great Lakes have become increasingly warmer which sets up _______ in their vicinity

A

Precipitation patterns

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41
Q

Define lake effect snow

A

Occurs when cold air moves across the open waters. As the cold air passes over the unfrozen and relatively warm waters, warmth and moisture are transferred into the lowest portion of the atmosphere forming clouds and then it cools and expands causing precipitation

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42
Q

In recent precipitation patterns rising air ____ and the water vapor ______ into rain

A

Cools, condenses

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43
Q

________ are often associated with rain and clouds

A

Low pressure systems

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44
Q

_______ is often associated with clear skies

A

High pressure systems

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45
Q

As air ____ it can hold more and more water vapor (meaning no clouds)

A

Warms

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46
Q

Define intertropical convergence zone

A

A permanent low-pressure zone where surface winds full of heat and moisture converge to form a zone of increased precipitation and cloudiness

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47
Q

In the intertropical convergence zone _____ and _____ winds converge

A

Northeast, southeast

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48
Q

__________ shift latitude throughout the course of the year because of the tilt of the earth that determines the seasons

A

Atmospheric circulation patterns

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49
Q

_______ (a weather condition) are associated with the large scale atmospheric conditions that shift position over the course of the year

A

Monsoons

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50
Q

How do monsoons work?

A

Warm moist winds from the ocean rise and cool (expansional cooling) reaching saturation vapor pressure and then they dump out rain

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51
Q

Heating and cooling in different locations (differential cooling) set up _____ that cause winds

A

Pressure gradients

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52
Q

_______ are embedded in the cells that control winds

A

Jet streams

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53
Q

Define jet streams

A

Very swift air currents that move from west to east where the cells meet

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54
Q

Jet streams provide ____ air to north of streams and provide ___ air to south of streams

A

Warm, cooler

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55
Q

Define global hydrological cycle

A

Water in its 3 states can exist in regular conditions in the earth’s systems

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56
Q

The intertropical convergence zone migrates _____ and ____ with the seasons because of the tilt of the earths axis

A

North, south

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57
Q

How is climate change affecting monsoons?

A

Global warming → increased water vapor in the warmed atmosphere → rainier summer monsoon seasons/unpredictable, extreme rainfall events

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58
Q

Define warm front

A

Warm air masses come into contact with coldair masses and want to rise above it so warm moist air condenses so we get more moderate precipitation

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59
Q

Energy is either ____ or ____ so its a big part in the redistribution of energy around the globe

A

Consumed, released

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60
Q

Solid to liquid to gas means energy was ____ from the environment

A

Taken

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61
Q

Water vapor to liquid to solid means heat energy is _____ into the environment

A

Released

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62
Q

Define latent heat

A

Heat absorbed or released during a change of state without a change of temperature

63
Q

Global warming causes an intensification of the ________________ because warmer air holds more water vapor

A

Global hydrological process

64
Q

All of our weather happens in the ______-

A

Troposphere

65
Q

Commercial planes fly in the ______ because of convection cells and the craziness that comes along with them

A

Lower stratosphere

66
Q

Why is the atmosphere stratified?

A

Due to different pressure levels

67
Q

___________ are driven by atmospheric winds

A

Ocean surface currents

68
Q

Energy from the wind is transferred to the water by _______

A

Friction

69
Q

Define Ekman transport/spiral

A

Net transport of water that is 90 degrees to the right of the applied surface wind

70
Q

The Ekman spiral gives rise to _______

A

Fisheries

71
Q

Define upwelling zones

A

Zones where surface waters are replaced by cold, nutrient-rich water that “wells up” from below

72
Q

Define ocean gyres

A

Large swirling water masses distributed through major ocean basins - move warmth and moisture from the tropics to higher latitudes, which affects air temperature and rainfall

73
Q

______ and _____ are the roots of upwelling and downwelling zones and fisheries

A

Friction, Coriolis effect

74
Q

The prevailing wind patterns on the earth blow from ____ to ____

A

East to west

75
Q

How do ocean gyres work?

A

The ocean churns up various types of currents. Together, these larger and more permanent currents make up the systems of currents known as gyres. Wind, tides, and differences in temperature and salinity drive ocean currents.

76
Q

Why is there a great pacific garbage patch and what is it?`

A

Collection of marine debris in the North Pacific Ocean because converging surface currents cause the plastic and debris to accumulate. It is a direct result of friction, the Coriolis force and east to west winds.

77
Q

Define western boundary currents

A

Boundary systems between circulation currents - at the western boundaries of all major ocean basins because of the direction of planetary rotation

78
Q

The _____ is the most important water source with respect to the transfer of heat around the globe

A

Gulf stream

79
Q

What does the gulfstream do?

A

Transports warm water into relatively high latitudes

80
Q

In the ocean the _____ is the _____ water

A

Densest, deepest

81
Q

In the ocean the lightest water is the _____

A

Shallowest

82
Q

______ increase as ______ decreases (think ocean)

A

Density, temperature

83
Q

Density increases as oceanic _______ increases

A

Salinity

84
Q

What can cause water to circulate?

A

Density differences

85
Q

What is key to the transport of heat in the ocean?

A

Stratification - heavily salted water (deepest) causes heat below to stay trapped and not melt the ice on the top

86
Q

Define thermohaline circulation

A

The movement of ocean currents due to differences in temperature and salinity in different regions of water - plays an important role in supplying heat to the polar regions

87
Q

The gulf stream is expected to _____ not to _____

A

Weaken, cease

88
Q

As long as we have a rotating planet with _________ we will have large scale heating and cooling

A

Differential heating and cooling

89
Q

Why would the gulf stream weaken?

A

High levels of melting inputs to northern latitudes

90
Q

________ is a recurring climate pattern across the pacific ocean (warm phase)

A

El nino

91
Q

______ is the cooling of the eastern tropical pacific ocean

A

La nina

92
Q

Define climate

A

The general weather conditions usually found in a particular place

93
Q

Planetary energy balance controls _______

A

The distribution, variability, and the mean of the temperatures in a given area

94
Q

Define albedo

A

Reflectivity of a planets surface

95
Q

Light colors have very ____ albedo

A

High

96
Q

Dark colors have very _____ albedo

A

Low

97
Q

What are some huge contributing factors to albedo?

A

Cloud cover, ice caps/sea, volcanic aerosol particles

98
Q

Track this and remember it queen

A

Ice melting → decreased albedo → less radiation reflected → warming → back to the beginning

99
Q

Track this and remember it queen (part 2)

A

Ice growth → increased albedo → more radiation reflected → cooling → back to beginning

100
Q

Why doesn’t the earth get insanely hot?

A

Energy arriving from the sun will heat up the earth but the energy being absorbed = the energy being released

101
Q

Why is the earth stably habitable?

A

We have an atmosphere that controls the climate

102
Q

Our atmosphere is largely ____ to short wave radiation (light) coming in from the sun

A

Transparent

103
Q

Our atmosphere is largely ____ to long wave radiation (infrared) coming in from the sun

A

Opaque (not transparent)

104
Q

Most organic matter produced through photosynthesis is destroyed by ______

A

Respiration

105
Q

Most organic matter produced through photosynthesis is destroyed by respiration.
But some fraction escapes respiration and becomes buried in sediments and undergoes chemical transformations to form ________, which can cause the release of _______

A

Fossil fuels, petroleum and gas

106
Q

What do fossil fuel burning and respiration have in common?

A

Releasing massive amounts of CO2 through combustion

107
Q

What is the problem with the amount of fossil fuels we’re releasing?

A

It is out of balance with the production and consumption of CO2.

108
Q

_____ and _____ are very potent greenhouse gases but have much shorter atmospheric lifespans than carbon dioxide

A

Methane, nitrous oxide

108
Q

Define isotope

A

Same number of protons but different numbers of neutrons - changes mass and how they act

108
Q

Define global warming potential

A

Examines each greenhouse gas’s ability to trap heat in the atmosphere compared to carbon dioxide

108
Q

What do trace gases do?

A

Absorb in “window regions” left open by water vapor & help warm places where water vapor alone cannot do it

109
Q

Photosynthesis stores ____ and produces _____

A

Energy, oxygen

109
Q

Methane and nitrous oxide are very potent greenhouse gases but have much _______ atmospheric lifespans than carbon dioxide.

A

Shorter

109
Q

If you have a large infrared absorption rate you have a high ____

A

GWP

110
Q

Where does methane come from?

A

Hind gut producers (cows and sheep), rice production, land fills, wetlands

111
Q

How is methane produced through wetlands?

A

Organic matter degradation but you have run out of oxygen so instead of producing CO2 they’re producing methane

112
Q

Negative/stabilizing feedback process

A

Warming → increased weathering → decreased CO2 → cooling

113
Q

Urey reaction

A

Co2 concentrations on earth are not consistently increasing despite the fact that CO2 is being constantly supplied by volcanoes because rocks are absorbing it at the rates it is being produced (recently more co2is being released than absorbed so it is being caught in the atmosphere)

114
Q

Half to the CO2 released goes into ______ and the other half goes into the ________

A

Oceans, terrestrial biosphere

115
Q

Carbon _____ have been increasingly turning into carbon ______

A

Sinks, sources

116
Q

Temperature changes are controlled by the balance between _________ and weathering feedbacks

A

Carbon sinks and sources

117
Q

What do Milankovitch cycles control?

A

The intensity of the seasons at particularly high latitudes

118
Q

Ice sheets can change the _____ of land and water surfaces through changing the reflectivity of our surface

A

Albedo

119
Q

What portion of anthropogenic emissions accumulate in the atmosphere?

A

50%

120
Q

Of the 50% of anthropogenic emissions that don’t make it to the atmosphere how much is absorbed by the terrestrial biosphere?

A

60%

121
Q

Of the 50% of anthropogenic emissioons that don’t make it to the atmosphere how much is absorbed by the ocean?

A

40%

122
Q

We are increasing the amount of CO2 in the atmosphere and the terrestrial biosphere is taking on more and more of it with the goal of ______

A

Maintaining the 50/50 atmospheric split

123
Q

Large ecosystems that were carbon sinks have turned into carbon sources. This has changed feedbacks from ______ to _______

A

Negative, positive

124
Q

__________ can become places to produce large source of carbon dioxide and methane

A

Tundra

125
Q

The respiration rates of corals _____ in warmer temperatures

A

Increase

126
Q

When coral respiration is out of step with energy production in the body what happens?

A

It loses symbionts and ability to regulate itself and leads to more CO2 in the water

127
Q

Any source of environmental stress can cause movement away from ______________

A

A healthy and functioning ecosystem

128
Q

Describe the process of sedimentation

A

Precipitation causes runoff from lands, deforestation causes more erosion, agriculture: we till the soil until there’s a massive loss of top soil so its getting picked up bc its lighter and going everywhere

129
Q

________ will ensure that we have no healthy functioning coral reef ecosyetms

A

Ocean acidification

130
Q

Ocean acidification is ______ of ocean temperature

A

Independent

131
Q

Define ocean deoxygenation

A

Overall decline in the oxygen content of oceanic and coastal waters - occurs when oxygen consumption (respiration) is greater than oxygen replenishment through photosynthesis/mixing

132
Q

Consequences of ocean deoxygenation

A

Decreased biodiversity, shifts in species distributions, displacement or reduction in fishery resources and expanding algal blooms

133
Q

Describe process of ocean deoxygenation

A

Warmer ocean water holds less oxygen and is more buoyant than cooler water. This leads to reduced mixing of oxygenated water near the surface with deeper waters, which naturally contain less oxygen. Warmer water also raises oxygen demand from living organisms. As a result, less oxygen is available for marine life.

134
Q

Define hypoxia

A

Lack of oxygen

135
Q

Describe the relationship betweeyn hypoxia and ocean deoxygenation

A

Ocean oxygen loss driven by excessive organic matter and growth of algae and the threats it poses to ecosystem services are documented in many regions but likely under-reported in others. The two causes can also interact – warming-induced oxygen loss is tipping coastal areas into hypoxia and may contribute to the dramatic increase in reports of coastal hypoxia.

136
Q

Ocean deoxygenation is often accompanied by ______

A

Ocean acidification

137
Q

A warming ocean _____ oxygen supply but _______ oxygen requirements of marine organisms, making it critical to understand the combined effects of these stressors.

A

Decreases, increases

138
Q

What are the two main ways oxygen enters the ocean?

A

Surface mixing where air meets the water through the wind, and photosynthesis by microscopic plankton or macroalgae that produce it

139
Q

As we ______ temperatures, we _______ the concentration of oxygen that equilibrates in surface oceans

A

Increase, decrease

140
Q

________ could be common given the distribution of low oxygen waters

A

Hypoxia

141
Q

Equatorial regions are warmer than polar regions because _________

A

High latitudes receive light at lower angles than equatorial regions

142
Q

Rank the greenhouse gases in terms of GWP

A

CFC, nitrous oxide, methane, carbon dioxide

143
Q

Describe one way in which arctic warming could lead to a positive feedback

A

Warming can melt some the sea ice which would lower albedo and that could allow surface area to warm

144
Q

Solar heating is higher _______ than anywhere else

A

At the equator

145
Q

The ____________ is steepest at the equator so it heats there more than anywhere else

A

Angle of sun’s radiation

146
Q

What is the area between rising sides of hadley cells called?

A

Intertropical convergence zone

147
Q

Large scale ocean circulation is driven by _______

A

Density of water masses

148
Q
A

2023 FALL SEM (4 decks)

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