The Climate Flashcards

1
Q

Weather

A

Combination of temperature, humidity, precipitation, wind, cloudiness, and other atmospheric conditions at a specific place and time

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2
Q

Climate

A

The long term average patterns of weather

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3
Q

All objects omit radiant energy, but the nature of the energy depends on the objects what?

A

Temperature

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4
Q

The _____ The object, the more energetic the omitted photons in the shorter the wavelength of energy

A

Hotter

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5
Q

The sun primarily gets off what kind of radiation?

A

Shortwave

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6
Q

The earths surface gives off what kind of radiation?

A

Longwave

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7
Q

Of the radiation that reaches the top of earths atmosphere what percent makes it to the surface?

A

51%

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8
Q

How many units of solar energy does the atmosphere reflect back

A

26

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9
Q

How many units of solar energy does the atmosphere absorb

A

19

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10
Q

How many units of solar energy does the earths surface reflect back

A

4

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11
Q

How many units of solar energy does the earth surface absorb

A

51

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12
Q

Of the 51 units absorbed by the earth how many are used up and water evaporation

A

23

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13
Q

Of the 51 units absorbed by the earth how many units warm the air near the surface

A

7

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14
Q

Of the 51 units absorbed by the earth how many are absorbed by land and water

A

21

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15
Q

How many units of solar radiation does the earth emit per 51 units absorbed

A

117

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16
Q

Greenhouse effect

A

The process by which radiation from the planets atmosphere warms the planet surface temperature above what it would be without an atmosphere

17
Q

Because of ________ the earth receives twice as much long with radiation from the atmosphere compared to shortwave radiation from the sun

A

Greenhouse effect

18
Q

What influences the moisture in the air?

A

Temperature

19
Q

Absolute humidity

A

Amount of water in a given volume of air

20
Q

Relative humidity

A

The amount of water in a given volume of air expressed as a percentage of the saturation vapor pressure

21
Q

Precipitation is determined by

A
  • temperature, wind, and current
  • warm trade winds moving toward the equator pick up more water vapor
  • rising winds at the equator cool, lowering the water that can be held in the air
22
Q

Proximity to the coast line influences what?

A

Climate

23
Q

Why do land surface is cool more rapidly than bodies of water?

A

Water has a high heat capacity: it takes four times more thermal energy to raise water by 1°C compared to land

24
Q

Do you land areas farther from the water experience greater or less seasonal variations in temperature compared to coast

A

Greater

25
Q

Why does an increase in elevation result in a decrease in temperature?

A

You are moving away from the main heat source (earth)

26
Q

Microclimates

A

The local conditions that an organism can live in

27
Q

What factors play a role in micro climate choice?

A

Age, size, hunger, physiology, predators, health, etc.

28
Q

What are some non-affects of temperature increases

A

Thermal expansion, ice cap Melt, frost free seasons, biomes will shift

29
Q

Thermal expansion

A

The tendency of mattered to change shape in response to increases in temperature

30
Q

What are some expected impacts of climate change?

A
  • Temperature will continue to rise
  • Frost free seasons
  • Changes in precipitation patterns
  • More droughts and heat waves
  • Hurricanes will become stronger and more intense
  • Sea level rise by 1 to 4’ by 2100
  • Arctic likely to become ice free
31
Q

What are some things that climate change has caused in our life

A
  • temperature anomalies
  • entire ecosystems changing
  • seasonality Is becoming more sporadic
32
Q

In addition to climate change, what has made things much worse?

A

Human expansion

33
Q

Climate change’s effects on human health factors

A
  • air quality impacts
  • temperature related deaths and illness
  • increase disease transmission
34
Q

Warmer oceans are more likely to create what?

A

Hurricane conditions

35
Q

What is meant by intensity-frequency trade off?

A

Weaker storms are forming less frequently; hurricanes are becoming more intense