the heat budget

Question 1

surplus

Answer 1

between 40°S and 40°N of the equator

Question 2

deficit

Answer 2

beyond 40°N to the N. pole and 40°S to the S. pole

Question 3

the annual heat surplus from tropics must be..

Answer 3

transferred to the poles or the tropics would be getting warmer and the poles colder
two transfer methods occur, vertical and horizontal heat transfer

Question 4

vertical heat transfer

Answer 4

heat energy is transferred vertically from the earth’s surface into the atmosphere, cooling the earth while warming the air

Question 5

mechanisms of vertical heat transfer

Answer 5

conduction
convection
radiation

Question 6

horizontal heat transfer

Answer 6

heat can be exchanged across lines of latitude by winds in the atmosphere (approx 65%) and currents in the ocean (approx 35%)

Question 7

ocean currents

Answer 7

through the process of thermohaline circulation;
- water transfers energy across latitudes
- major, long term flows of water are called ocean currents. these influences atmospheric temperatures as heat is either released (warm current) or absorbed (cold current)
the major oceans transfer energy from the equator to the poles and return cold water from the poles to the low latitudes

Question 8

examples of ocean currents

Answer 8

• in the UK and NW Europe, winter temperatures are affected by the North Atlantic Drift
• Canada experiences the cold Labrador Current bringing icebergs and freezing conditions

Question 9

winds

Answer 9

winds carry surplus energy from the tropics in two ways:
- in the form of heat
- heat transferred as latent heat or stored energy in water vapour carried by the wind

Question 10

a) in the form of heat

Answer 10

air that is warmed by the hot tropical land or sea surface (eg in Western Europe it makes up the warm sector of depressions)

Question 11

b) heat transferred as latent heat or stored energy in water vapour carried by the wind

Answer 11

eg in the Caribbean, water evaporates into the air. water changing into gas requires energy from the surrounding environment. this energy is stored as heat in the water vapour and is released when it rains (40°N/S when it rains, the stored energy is released into energy deficit regions)

Question 12

examples of horizontal heat transfers

Answer 12

ocean currents, hurricanes/cyclones, Rossby Waves/Jet stream