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.
What is the Coriolis Effect?
Spin of the earth induces an apparent motion to the right in the northern hemisphere and to the left in the southern hemisphere.
The magnitude of the Coriolis force increases towards the poles.
How does the coriolis effect impact wind direction?
Northern hemisphere = winds blow anti-clockwise in high pressure
Vise-versa in southern hemisphere.
