Module 1 Flashcards
What is the atmosphere?
The earths first interaction with the suns energy
What is the hydrosphere?
Second concentrations fear: consist largely of hydrogen and oxygen as water. Represents all forms of water and cover 71% of earths surface.
What are some relations between the hydrosphere and other spheres?
Main source of water to support life processes in the biosphere and a major role in the energy balance of the earths atmosphere system and landform change in near surface enviro
What is the cryosphere?
Hint: in hydrosphere
Portions of earth surface where water is in solid form. Sea/lake/river ice, snow cover, glaciers/ice caps/ice sheets, frozen ground with permafrost
What is the lithosphere?
Innermost and densest sphere; density increases with depth. Includes the earths crust and mantle; volcanic eruption and processes.
Composed largely of aluminosilicate and ferromagnesian minerals, primary rock forming compounds. Minerals consist largely of oxygen and silicon. Felsic and mafic rocks.
source of mineral nutrients for life processes in the biosphere
What is the biosphere?
The life sphere; situated at the interface between the other three spheres.Composed of organic matter; hydrogen, carbon, oxygen, nitrogen
True or false earths orbit is an elliptical around the sun?
True. Plane of earths orbit about the sun is called the plane of the ecliptic
Describe the nature of earths motions and relate it to the seasons
Earth spins on its axis at an angle as well as rotates around the sun. In the absence of axial tilt, the sub solar point would be located at the equator and lower angle with increasing latitude.
The tilt of earth is the cost for seasons, because the sub solar point changes from the northern to southern hemisphere based on its location and its orbit.
This is the cause for the seasons
What is the angle of incidence?
The angle at which the suns rays strike earth surface
What is the definition of aphelion and perihelion?
aphelion-Point where earth is furthest from the sun; in July at the present time
Perihelion-Point where the earth is closest to the sun; in January at the present time
What are equinox and solstice?
And what days do they take place?
Equinoxes take place in the spring and fall. This is when the sub solar point is at the equator. Summer solstice (June 21) the sub solar point is at the Tropic of Cancer (northern hemisphere) Winter solstice (Dec 21) the sub solar point is at the Tropic of Capricorn (Southern Hemisphere)
Where are the Tropic of Cancer and Tropic of Capricorn located?
The Tropic of Cancer is atlatitudes at 23.5° north and the Tropic of Capricorn is at 23.5° south
What is the sub solar point?
The location where insulation is received perpendicular to the surface and is most intense
What is the circle of illumination?
Represents the boundary between night and day. Half of earth is always illuminated during the day; half of is in shadow during the night. The circle of illumination is this border
Describe the basis for global time zones in relation to prime meridian and international date line
There are 24 times zones on the earths and each zone covers 15° of longitude; it takes earth one hour to rotate through that distance.
The universal time coordinated (UTC) is calculated by how many hours ahead or behind the location is relative to the prime meridian which is 0° longitude
The prime meridian is The Greenwich Meridian.
The international date line is located approximately along the 180th meridian. The International date line marks the beginning and end of each calendar day
