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intergrated > Ocean, atmosphere, and weather > Flashcards

Ocean, atmosphere, and weather Flashcards

1
Q

Earth is ___% covered by water. Water’s high specific heat accounts for moderate temperatures in coast line areas

A

71

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2
Q

Earths early atmosphere appeared before the Sun was fully formed

A

Hydrogen and Helium (from volcanos)

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3
Q

Stages of the Earths atmosphere

A

Hot gasses escaped through volcanoes and fissure
Free oxygen occurred as a result of photosynthesis by cyanobacteria
Ozone bean to accumulate in the upper atmosphere
Water vapor condensed to form oceans

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4
Q

Continental Shelf

A

Shallow, underwater extension of the continent (granite)

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5
Q

Continental slope

A

Marks boundary between continental and oceanic crust

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6
Q

Continental rise

A

wedge of accumulated sediment at base of continental slope

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7
Q

Abyssal plains

A

Flattest place on Earth

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8
Q

Deep ocean basin

A

Abyssal plains-flattest part of the ocean floor due to sediment
Ocean trenches-long, deep, steep troughs at subduction zone

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9
Q

Mid ocean ridges

A

sites of seafloor spreading(volcanic and tectonic activity)

Global mid ocean ridge system winds all around the Earth

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10
Q

Deepest part on the ocean is near_____ Shallowest water are in the _____ of the ocean around underwater mountains

A

Continents, middle

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11
Q

Ocean trenches are the deepest parts of the ocean floor because

A

that is where subduction occurs

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12
Q

Characteristics of waves

A

Crest is the peak of the wave
Trough is the low area between waves
Wave height is the distance between a trough and a crest
Wavelength is the horizontal distance between crest
Wave period is the TIME interval between the passage of two successive crests

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13
Q

Height, Length, and period of a wave depend on

A

Wind speed, length of time wind has blown, Fetch- distance that the wind has traveled across open water

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14
Q

Waves move on the

A

surface

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15
Q

Wave energy moves forward

A

the disturbance moves, not the water

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16
Q

Waves at the shore line

A

Shallow water the ground begins to feel bottom
Waves grows higher as it slows and wavelength shortens
Steep wave front collapses, wave break
Turbulent water goes up the shore and forms surf

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17
Q

When a wave approaches the shore the water depth decreases. This affects the wave by flattening its circular motion

A

decreases its speed and distance between waves causing wave height to increase

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18
Q

Coral reef are composed of actively growing coral organisms Organisms secrete ______ _______ as the grow
Reef survive on _________ _____. Indicator of global warming is called _____

A

Calcium carbonate
photosynthetic algae
bleaching

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19
Q

Tides occur because of the difference in the _____ pull exerted by the moon on opposite sides of the Earth

A

gravitational

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20
Q

Earth spins on its axis once a day it have distinct tides ___ hours apart.

A

12

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21
Q

Alignment of the Sun, Earth, and Moon cause ______ ____ more dramatic highs and lows

A

Spring tides

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22
Q

Ocean waves are because

A

mass of 2 objects

how far the objects are from each other (distance)

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23
Q

When the pull of the Sun and moon are perpendicular to each other, we get _____ _____ lower highs and higher lower

A

neap tides

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24
Q

Troposphere

A 
Lowest and thinnest layer
16 km at equator 8 km at poles
90% of the atmosphere's mass 
where weather occurs -water vapor and clouds
Temperature decreases with altitude
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25
Q

Stratosphere

A

Top of the troposphere to 50 km above the surface.
Ozone layer-absorbs harmful UV radiation
Temperatures increase because of ozone absorption of UV radiation

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26
Q

Mesosphere

A

Extends from stratosphere to altitude of 80 km

Temperature decreases with altitude

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27
Q

Thermosphere

A

Temperature increases with altitude 60 miles up
Temperature is related to average speed of gas molecules- very high speed give high temperatures
-Very low density of gas molecules means very little heat absorption it would feel colder

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28
Q

Ionosphere

A

Electrified region within the themosphere and upper mesosphere
Auroras (northern and southern lights) near the earths poles

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29
Q

Exosphere

A

interface between Earth and space

Beyond 500 km, atoms and molecules can escape to space

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30
Q

Solar energy- forms light

Solar radiation is electromagnetic energy emitted by the Sun

A

Visible, short wavelength radiation
Xray
Gama ray
ultraviolet

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31
Q

Terrestrial radiation is remitted solar radiation from Earths surface

A

infrared, longer wavelength radiation

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32
Q

Sun warms earths ground and the ground in turns warms the earth

A

Earths temperature varies according to the degree of solar intensity- amount of solar radiation per area
Where solar intensity is higher, temperatures are higher

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33
Q

Solar intensity is highest where the Sun’s rays strike

A

Earths surface straight on

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34
Q

Solar intensity is weaker where the Suns rays strike

A

Earth surface at a angle

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35
Q

The lower atmosphere is directly warmed

A

by the emission of terrestrial radiation

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36
Q

Which one of the following is the most abundant gas in the atmosphere?

A

nitrogen

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37
Q

Ozone is concentrated in the

A

stratosphere

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38
Q

The lowest layer of the atmosphere is the

A

troposphere

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39
Q

_____ of the Earth’s axis helps to explain the different seasons

A

Tilit

40
Q

Sun’s rays are closest to perpendicular at any spot on the Earth, that region’s Season is in _____

A

summer

41
Q

Six months later, as the rays fall upon the same region more obliquely, the season is ______

A

winter

42
Q

Human activities pump greenhouse gases into the atmosphere

A

carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous, oxide, ozone, CFC’s

The result is a warming Earth

43
Q

Climate

A

what happens over time

44
Q

Weather

A

what is happening right now

45
Q

____ pressure in Amarillo and ____ at the coast

A

Less

more

46
Q

Atmosphere pressure=force the atmosphere exerts on an area of ____

A

surface

47
Q

Force =

A

weight (mass) of air molecules above that surface

48
Q

At any level in the atmosphere, ____=total weight of air above that level

A

Force

49
Q

Atmosphere pressure is greatest near the earth’s surface because

A

of the weight of all the air above

50
Q

Wind is air that flows horizontally from ______ pressure to ____ pressure

A

high

low

51
Q

Pressure differences are caused by uneven heating of the earths surface. Local differences in ______ contributes to small scale local winds

A

heating

52
Q

Plant-scale differences occur because of

A

solar intensity variation-equatorial regions have greater solar intensity than polar regions (different contribute to global wind patterns-prevailing winds

53
Q

Warm air

A

expands and has lower density and lower pressure

54
Q

Cool air

A

contracts and higher density and higher pressure

55
Q

What drives air from areas of high pressure to areas of low pressure

A

pressure gradient force

56
Q

Equinoxes

A

equal day and night

57
Q

Green house effect

A

warming of lower atmosphere

58
Q

convention current

A

convection cycle and thermal circulation of air results of wind

59
Q

Pressure gradient force

A

Pressure between two different locations

60
Q

Air currents are sensitive to change in pressure and temperature. In general, air moves from regions of

A

high pressure to region of low

61
Q

The force that generates wind is

A

pressure gradient force

62
Q

The two most important heat absorbing gases in the lower atmosphere are

A

water vapor and carbon dixide

63
Q

The summer solstice in the Northern Hemisphere occurs on this date

A

June 21

64
Q

Low pressure system turn

A

counter clockwise

65
Q

Thunder is a result of _____

A

Lighting (lighting heats up the air, the air expands and we hear thunder) Every 5 second =1mile

66
Q

Thunderstorms begin with humid air rising, cooling, and condensing in to a

A

single cumulus cloud

67
Q

When fed by unstable, moist air, a cumulus cloud grows into a

A

thundercloud

68
Q

Cyclone is an area of

A

low pressure around wind flow (Air converges in the center -lowest pressure- and is forced to rise upward)

69
Q

3 types of Atmospheric lifting

A

Convectional lifting-cumulus clouds
Orographic lifting-rain shadow
frontal lifting- cirrus clouds changing to cumulonimbus clouds

70
Q

Virga

A

evaporation occurs, raindrops may disappear before they reach the ground

71
Q

Precipitation formation

A
  • Formation of dust (must have nucleus)
  • Updraft
  • Growth of stationary rain drops of water
  • Falling of rain drop
72
Q 
High clouds begin with \_\_\_\_
Middle cloud begin with \_\_\_\_
Low clouds begin with \_\_\_\_
Precipitation has  with \_\_\_ 
Vertical clouds begin with \_\_\_
A 
Cir 
Altos
Strat or Nim
nimbus
cum
73
Q

Temperature Inversion

A

upper region of the atmosphere are warmer than lower regions, which is opposite of what normally occurs

74
Q

Clouds develop when

A

condensation rate exceeds evaporation rate above the lifting condensation level

75
Q

Unstable air

A

rising air stays warmer than the surrounding air, it will continue to rise instead of retuning to its starting position

76
Q

Chinooks

A

warm, dry winds-occur when cold air moving down a mountain slope is compressed as it moves lower elevation and becomes warm

77
Q

Adiabatic processes occur when air is

A

expanded or compressed without heat exchange (vertical ) form when unstable, saturated air and warmer air rises

78
Q

Adiabatic lapse rate

A

rate of cooling of dry air

79
Q

Air pressure

A

the movement of air molecules into each other. The faster the air molecules move, the greater their kinetic energy and the greater the air pressure (Warmer air exerts more air pressure on its surrounding than cooler air)

80
Q

Dew point is the

A

temperature at which saturation occurs

81
Q

Condensation occurs when the dew point is reached

A

Water vapors condenses high in the atmosphere and forms clouds
Water vapor condenses close to the ground surface to form dew, fog, or frost

82
Q

Four factors influence weather

A

Atmosphere
Temperature
Air pressure
Arrangement of land and water features

83
Q

Humidity is the mass of water vapor a given volume of air contains

A

amount of water vapor in air
___________________________
amount of water vapor air can hold at that temperature

(Warmer air can hold more than colder air) Temperature rises humidity goes down, temperature lowers humidity goes up

84
Q

Evaporation rate depends on temperature. Condensation rate dose not.

A

Evaporation rate is greater than condensation rate, the relative humidity is always less than 100 percent

85
Q

La nina

A

more cold water driving storms westward (dry and warm for us )

86
Q

El nino

A

Driving cold water east ward (cold and wet for us)

87
Q

Low air

A

rises converging air (set up for vertical circulation)

88
Q

High air

A

descending, diverging air

89
Q

Winds is air flow

A

horizontally from higher to lower pressure (gradient pressure)

90
Q

More energy is required to raise the temperature of water that that of land. Once heated, water will retain the heat long than land. This concept is related to

A

water’s high specific heat capacity

91
Q

Global circulation of the atmosphere result from unequal heating of the earth’s surface and Earth rotation

A

our winds come from the southwest (westerly’s)

92
Q

Coriolis force

A

deflect to the right in the Northern Hemisphere, to the left in the southern hemisphere (wind varies according to speed and latitude

93
Q

The prevailing westerly winds are affected by the Coriolis effect by the deflection of winds

A

Right in the north and left in the southern

94
Q

Factors that effect the wind

A

Pressure gradient force- air moves from high to low
Coriolis force- apparent deflection of wind due to earths rotation
Frictional force- air moving close to ground encounters friction

95
Q

Surface currents are created by ____

Surface ocean currents correspond to the direction of the ____ wind

A

Wind

prevailing

96
Q

Gyres

A

cause heat transport from equatorial regions to higher latitudes (north hemisphere rotate clockwise southern counter clockwise)

intergrated (5 decks)

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