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Intro to Physical Geography > Radiation > Flashcards

Radiation Flashcards

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1
Q

Why does temperature rise in the stratosphere?

A

Ozone absorption of insolation

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2
Q

Why does temperature rise in the thermosphere?

A

Intense solar radiation excites molecules

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3
Q

What happens to incoming solar radiation? There are three possible fates.

A
  1. Scattering: by particles in atmosphere. Wavelength is unchanged
  2. Reflection: by clouds particles, and surfaces back to space as shortwaves
  3. Absorption: by gases and dust in the atmosphere and at the surface causes warming
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4
Q

So what is scattering exactly?

A

Some short waves are scattered by particles in the atmosphere. No effect on temperature.

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5
Q

If there was no atmosphere to produce scattering what would happen to the sky?

A

The sky would be dark, like the moon.

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6
Q

Why does the sky appear blue on a sunny day?

A

The shortest visible waves (blue and violet) are scattered more by oxygen and nitrogen in atmosphere

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7
Q

Why is the sunset/ sunrise yellow, red, and orange?

A

Oblique angle at sunrise/sunset = LONG distance travel. All blues scatter out, only “longer” red waves are visible at surface

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8
Q

What is the albedo?

A

Albedo = percent of insolation (short waves) reflected by a surface

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9
Q

What kind of surfaces reflect best and have the highest albedos?

A

Fresh snow, light roof, water bodies

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10
Q

What is absorbed radiation and what can it be converted to

A

Absorbed radiation (that part that is NOT reflected) is emitted as longwave (terrestrial) radiation that can be converted to heat

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11
Q

What do cooler surfaces emit?

A

Cooler surfaces emit long-wave radiation

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12
Q

What happens to long-waves in the atmosphere?

A

Long-waves are trapped in the ATM by greenhouse gases

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13
Q

So basically absorbed waves mean = ____?

A

Heat

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14
Q

Reflect waves = _____?

A

No heat (and maybe even cooling)

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15
Q

What is the Snow-Temperature Feedback Effect?

A

snow/ice reflects radiation back to space

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16
Q

What does snow and ice cause temperatures to be?

A

Even colder then before (positive feedback, cooling causes more cooling)

17
Q

What would happen if snow/ ice was melted?

A

melting snow/ice would decrease albedo and make temperatures rise in that location (positive feedback, heating causes more heating)

18
Q

what are some ways that humans change earth’s albedo?

A

Asphalt, tar, building materials that absorb rather than reflect

19
Q

What is the average radiation of dense urban areas?

A

average 20-30% reflection

20
Q

What do low albedo surfaces do?

A

Low albedo surfaces absorb NRG and emit long-wave radiation that can be trapped and warm the lower atmosphere

21
Q

Does deforestation raise or lower albedo?

A

Usually raises albedo, thus can cause cooling

22
Q

What is the bottom line on earth’s NRG budget?

A

At the Global Scale, system is in BALANCE

100 units come in—100 units go out

23
Q

Is NRG distribution the same in every place on the earth?

A

NRG Distribution varies from place to place and through time. “Overheated tropics, underheated poles”

24
Q

What does this uneven distribution of energy do?

A

Drives atmosphere-Ocean Circulation!

25
Q

How can heat be moved around the earth?

A

Conduction, Convection, Radiation and Latent Heat

26
Q

What is evaporation? What is it stored as?

A

Evaporation: liquid (H2O) changes to gas (vapor) and in the process of changing states is stored as
latent heat.

27
Q

What are the order of states of matter from highest to lowest?

A
  1. Solid
  2. Liquid
  3. Gas
28
Q

What happens to latent heat as the states of matter move to lower states?

A

Latent heat is stored during moves to lower states.

29
Q

What is melting?

A

Solid to liquid

30
Q

What is sublimation?

A

Solid to gas

31
Q

Are evaporation, melting, and sublimation cooling or warming processes?

A

They are all cooling processes - take heat away from the environment

32
Q

What happens to latent heat as states of matter moves to higher states?

A

Latent heat is released during moves to higher states

33
Q

What is condensation?

A

Gas to liquid

34
Q

What is freezing?

A

liquid to solid

35
Q

Are condensation and freezing cooling or warming processes?

A

They are both warming processes - releasing heat to the environment

36
Q

How does heat energy move from overheated places (low latitude) to underheated places (high latitudes)?

A

Latent (stored) heat in the ATM is how heat energy moves from overheated places (low lats) to underheated places (high lats)

Intro to Physical Geography (27 decks)

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