The Atmosphere - Chapter 1: Earth Sun Relationships Flashcards
True of false: the earth intercepts only a minute percentage of the energy given off by the sun (less than one-two billionth)
True
The most important control of our weather and climate
Energy from the sun
____ represents more than 99.9% of the energy that heats the earth
Solar radiation
This unequal ____ drives the ocean’s currents and creates the winds
Heating
What are the two principal motions of the earth
Rotation and Revolution
the spinning of the earth about its axis (once every 24 hours)
rotation
the line separating the dark half of the earth from the lighted half is called _____
the circle of illumination
the movement of the earth in its orbit around the sun
Revolution
The earth rotates in an ____ shape
elliptical
What is the approximate distance between the earth and the sun
93 million miles
About January 3 when the planet is closer than at any other time to the sun
perihelion
about July 4 when the earth is farther from the sun than at any time
aphelion
angle above the horizon
altitude
at mid-summer the sun is seen __________ the horizon
high above
in the cooler months, the sun appears ____ in the sky
lower
when the sun is directly overhead, the solar rays are most _____
concentrated
Name for the 23.5 depree tilt from the perpindicular axis of the earth
inclination of the axis
The line of latitude above the equator
Tropic of Cancer
June 21 or 22 (longest day of the year)
summer solstice
line of latitude below the equator
Tropic of Capricorn
December 21 or 22 (longest day of the year)
winter solstice
September 22 or 23 when the vertical rays of sun strike equator
Autumn equinox
March 21 or 22 when the vertical rays of the sun hit the equator
spring equinox
another name for spring equinox
vernal equinox
During an equinox, the length of daylight is 12 hours where on earth?
everywhere
Why is there 12 hours of day everywhere during an equinox?
The circle of illumination passes directly through the poles, dividing the latitudes in half
What day is the summer solstice for the Northern Hemisphere?
June 21 or 22
During summer solstice, where are the vertical rays of the sun striking?
Tropic of Cancer
Why is a midlatitude location warmest in the summer?
Days are longest and sun’s altitude is highest
All places at the same latitude have the same ____ and ____
sun angles
lengths of daylight
