Seasons/Solar energy Flashcards
temperature is what kind of measurement
average kinetic energy
true or false
temperature HAS an upper limit
FALSE, there is no upper limit
what is the lowest temperature can reach
-273.15 Degrees Celcius
what is absolute zero
the lowest temp can go
what value does absolute zero reflect
0 K
how warm or cold is based on what
the molecular level and movement of molecules
what are 3 different classifications of temp
- Fahrenheit
- Celsius
- Kalvin
which scale of temp is NOT a precise scale
Fahrenheit
which scale of temp is the EASIEST to follow in science
Celcius
why is Celcius an easier scale to follow in science
it has a more natural origin (at zero)
does 1 degree Celcius equal 1 degree Fahrenheit
NO
what is the Kalvin scale used
for radiation calculations
does 1 Degrees Kalvin equal 1 Degrees Celcius
YES
where does the Kalvin scale start
0 K or absolute zero
what does temp have to do with
the states of matter
what are the states of matter
- solid
- liquid
- gas
- plasma
plasma is essentially a
super heated gas with electrically charged particles in it
what is important about states of matter
it helps us to understand what’s happening on Earth
what are two global energy systems
exogenetic energy
endogenetic energy
what box does exogenetic energy and endogenetic energy fit into
black box
true or false
Exogenetic energy makes up the vast majority of what we interact with
TRUE
where does exogenetic energy mostly come from
the sun
endogenetic energy comes from
radioactive decay deep within Earth’s core
how does the sun make energy
by transforming lighter elements into heavier elements
example of the sun transforming elements
turning hydrogen into helium
what powers the sun
conversion of matter
what is the ball at the center of Earth doing
it’s producing heat
what is a by-product of radioactive decay
HEAT
Endogenic movements are caused by
movement of the lithospheric plates
what drives lithospheric plates
convection currents
true or false
the convection currents driving endogenetic energy forms the ozone layer
TRUE
first law of thermodynamics
energy cannot be created or destroyed but it CAN be transformed
Second law of thermodynamics
- heat can never pass spontaneously from a COLDER to a HOTTER body
- temp change can NEVER occur spontaneously in a body at UNIFORM temp
according to the second law of thermodynamics, heat can pass from a colder to hotter body spontaneously
FALSE
three types of heat energy
- radiation
- conduction
- convection
radiation is energy that can
pass through the vacuum of space
true or false
radiation travels at the speed of light
TRUE
what form does radiation come in
short or long waves
convection is the movement of heat
in fluids or gases
conduction is the movement of heat
in soilds
what is more conductive
water or air
WATER
a better conductor means
it can move heat well
electromagnetic spectrum
wavelength of ALL possible wavelengths of electromagnetic enegry
wavelength
the distance between corresponding points on any 2 successive waves of energy
what two points are wavelengths measured at
crests and troughs
what wavelength is the sun’s energy emitted at
- visible light
- infrared wavelengths
what is an important physical law about radiation
all objects radiate energy in wavelengths related to their individual surface temps
all objects radiate energy in wavelengths related to their individual
surface temps
what is the sun’s surface temp
about 6000 K
what is the shortest wavelength
gamma rays
what is the longest wavelength
radio waves
what wavelength is very radioactive and dangerous
gamma rays
order of the electromagnetic spectrum
- gamma rays
- x rays
- ultra-violet
- visible
- infrared radiation
- microwave
- radio wave
what law does this describe
how much energy is emitted
black bodies and the Stefan-Boltzmann Law
what law does this describe
the characteristics of the energy emitted
Wien’s Displacement Law
what law does this describe
reduction in intensity of the energy with distance
Inverse square law
black bodies
idealized physical body that absorbs ALL electromagnetic radiation falling on it
true or false
black bodies do NOT reflect any energy
TRUE
what are examples of black bodies
sun and earth
the Sun’s radiated energy is in _____ wavelengths
short
the Earth’s radiated energy is in _____ wavelengths
Long
what wavelength is the Sun’s energy concentrated in
visible wavelengths
what wavelength is the Earth’s energy concentrated in
infrared wavelengths
Stefan-Boltzmann law is about
the intensity of radiation
what is important for the Stefan-Boltzmann law
temperature
at a hotter temperature, what happens to radiation (Stefan-Boltzmann Law)
there would be more radiation produced
at a colder temperature, what happens to radiation (Stefan-Boltzmann Law)
there would be less radiation produced
Wien’s Displacement law
the characteristics of radiation (wavelength)
true or false
Wien’s Displacement Law helps us understand characteristics of radiation
TRUE
True or false
anything with temp produces radiation
TRUE
according to Wein’s displacement law, a hotter temp will have _____ wavelength
shorter
according to Wein’s displacement law, a colder temp will have _____ wavelength
long
the inverse square law explains
the amount of solar radiation we see/is absorbed
what happens to the amount of radiation absorbed when it is FARTHER from the source
there will be less absorbed
what happens to the amount of radiation absorbed when it is CLOSER to the source
there will be more absorbed
thermopause
outer boundary of the Earth’s energy system
what is the distance of the theromopause
480 km
true or false
the Earth absorbs LOTS of the Sun’s total energy output
FALSE, it only absorbs about 2%
insolation
the total solar radiation intercepted by the Earth
the solar constant
average isolation received at the thermopause when Earth is at the average distance from the sun
what is the solar constant
1372 Watts per meter squared
what angle is the solar constant measured at
90 degree angle
what is the result of the different angles solar rays meet the surface at each latitude
uneven distribution of isolation and heating
true or false
the solar rays reach the surface at the SAME angle for every lattitude
fLASE
sub-solar point
the only points where isolation arrives perpendicular to the surface
the sub-solar point will receive _______ amount of sunlight
MOST
where is the sub-solar point ONLY occurring
at the lower latitudes
what happens to the energy received at the sub-solar point
it would be more concentrated
true or false
the thermopause above the equatorial region receives more insolation annually than the poles
TRUE
the tropics are between which lines
- tropic of Cancer
- Tropic of Capricorn
is the Tropic of cancer north or south
north
is the Tropic of Capricorn north or south
south
does the location of the subsolar point move between 23.5 N and 23.5 S during the year
YES
describe the energy absorbed in the extratropical regions
it is more diffused and covers large area
net radiation
balance between incoming short-wave energy from the sun and all outgoing long-wave energy from the Earth
why do oceans have high levels of radiation
- absorb lots of radiation
- not very reflective
why do the poles have low levels of radiation
- ice/snow reflects radiation
- not a lot there to absorb long wavelengths
short wave radiation is very _____
hot
long wave radiation is very _____
cold
two types of radiated fluxes
- short wave fluxes
- long wave fluxes
short wave fluxes come from
the sun
are there short wave fluxes at night
NO, there is no sun
output shot wave fluxes are due to
reflections/aldebo
long wave fluxes come from
the earth
long wave directed up come from
anything on earth
long wave directed down come from
the atmosphere
what are the reasons for seasons
- sun’s altitude above horizon
- sun’s declination
- daylength during the year
HOW are seasons created
- Earth’s revolution
- earth’s rotation
- earth’s tilted axis
- sphericity
- axial parallelism
seasonal variations are a response to
changes in the sun’s altitude
sun’s altitude
angle between the horizon and the sun
sun’s declination
the latitude of the sub-solar point
what degrees of latitude does the sun’s declination move through
47 degrees of latitude
why is the Sun’s declination 47 degrees of latitude
it travels 23.5 degrees to reach its max distance and another 23.5 to reach its minimum distance
what causes day length
the duration of exposure to insolation
day length depends on
latitude
true or false
the equator always receives EQUAL hours of day and night
TRUE
revolution
earth’s travel around the sun
what determines the time required for ONE revolution
earth’s speed along with its distanece
how long does the earth complete its revolution
in 365.24 days
was the time it takes earth to revolve the sun ALWAYS the same
no, its slowing down
rotation
time to turn on an axis
what determines daylength
rotation
what creates the apparent deflection of winds and ocean currents
rotation
what produces the twice-daily rise and fall of ocean tides
earth’s rotation
how long does it take earth to rotate
slightly less than 24 hours
what direction does earth rotate when viewed from ABOVE the equator
eastwar (west TO east)
what causes the solar movement from sunrise to sunset
the direction of earth’s roatation eastward
circle of illumination
the dividing line between day and night
what is the exception to all latitudes experiences uneven day length through the seasons
- the equator
- vernal and autumnal equinoxes
what is Earth’s Axial tilt about
23.5 degrees
scientific evidence shows that Earth’s axial angle is ______
lessening
axial parallelism
unchanging axial alignment
what shows the migration of the Sun’s solar point
tropics of cancer and capricorn
when is the winter solstice
December
the winter solstice has the ______ daylight
least
solstices show
longest and shortest days of the year
the sub-solar point at the tropic of cancer is assocaited with the ______ solstice
summer
the sub-solar point at the tropic of Capricorn is assocaited with the ______ solstice
winter
the vernal equinox is the
spring equinox
what equinox does this describe
the sub-solar point begins in the southern hemisphere and moves to the northern hemisphere
vernal (spring) equinox
what equinox does this describe
the sub-solar point begins in the northern hemisphere and moves to the southern hemisphere
autumnal (fall) equinox
where must the sub-solar point be located to be one of the equinoxes
at the EQUATOR
when is the arctic circle in 100% daylight
summer solstice
when is the arctic circle in 100% darkness
winter solstice
when is the longest day of the year
summer solstice
1
vernal (spring equinox)
2
winter solstice
3
autumnal equinox
4
summer solstice
what is another word for reflectivity
albedo
albedo
the proportion of incoming short wave radiation that is reflected
high albedos
the most radiation is reflected (high reflection)
low albedos
the most radiation is ABSORBED (less reflection)
example of high albedos
- snow and ice
example of low albedos
asphalt
is an ocean high or low albedo
LOW
