The Earth's Climatic Zones Flashcards
How does temperature affect water vapour?
In a warmer world, the atmosphere holds more water. This is a positive feedback loop.
How does water vapour increase temperature.
Extra Water Vapour acts as Green House Gas and increases the mean height of radiation to space.
Which 3 things impact temperature?
– Water vapour in atmosphere (evaporation)
– Cloud cover (affects albedo)
– Ice and snow (affect albedo)
What is pressure?
Enormous numbers of air molecules hitting a surface. Those molecules exert a force.
Therefore;
More Mass=> More molecules => more
force => greater Pressure
How does temperature affect pressure?
increase in heat = increase in pressure
Why does increased temperature mean increased pressure?
Warmer => Molecules hit faster => more
force => greater Pressure
What is pressure measured in
pascals - typically quoted hPa
What is a typical value of hPa.
roughly 1000 hPa
Why does air cool as it rises through the atmosphere?
Increase in altitude –> decrease in pressure –> expansion –> decrease in pressure –> decrease in temperature
Why does density increase with decreasing temperature?
Particles have less energy, therefore they occupy less space, therefore there are more particles in a given space.
Describe the pressure of ascending air.
Low pressure
Describe the pressure of descending air.
High pressure
What is the pressure gradient force?
- occurs when there are differences is pressure
- one of the driving forces of wind
- measured with isobars (the closer the isobars are together, the faster the flow of wind)
How does the pressure gradient force work?
- air naturally flows from areas of higher pressure to areas of lower pressure
- the greater the pressure the gradient, the faster the speed of air flow
Describe the ferrel cell
Mid-latitudes have warm descending air on the equatorial side and cold ascending air on the polar side.
It flows the opposite way because it is influenced by HP/LP zones created by the hadley and polar cell.
