Topic 1 - Hazardous Earth Flashcards
What are winds?
The wind is the movement of air on a large scale. The air is made up of gases
What causes winds?
Differences in air pressure cause winds
How does air pressure affect winds?
Winds move from high-pressure areas of the Earth to lower-pressure areas of the Earth
What are the 3 global atmospheric circulation cells called
Hadley, Ferrell, Polar
Name 2 properties of Wind
Wind is caused by difference in air pressure, Moves from high pressure areas to low pressure areas
T/F At 30 (Degrees Celsius) north and south, the air from the equator cools and falls
True
What are Trade Winds
Trade winds are surface winds that blow from 30 (Degrees Celsius) north or 30 (Degrees Celsius) south back towards the equator
Where do Trade winds from the northern & southern hemisphere meet
They meet at the equator
What happens after the Trade winds meet
They meet, heat up and the cycle rebegins
What are Westerlies
Westerlies are surface winds that blow from 30 (Degrees Celsius) north towards the North Pole or from 30 (Degrees Celsius) south out towards the South Pole
What does the global atmospheric circulation model show
The global atmospheric circulation model describes how air circulates between low and high-pressure belts as a result of differing conditions at different latitudes
How is the Earth’s SURFACE heated
The Earth’s surface is warmed by the Sun at the equator
T/F At the North Pole and the South Pole, cool air will sink, forming a high-pressure belt
True
What kind of air rises?
Hot air
How are ocean currents formed
Deep ocean currents are caused by differences in water density
What causes surface currents
Wind
Where do surface currents carry heat from and to
Surface currents transfer heat from the equator to cooler regions
How are dry and wet regions of the world determined
They are determined by the pressure belts that the global atmospheric system creates
Which circulation cell causes air to rise
The Hadley Cells
Which 2 circulation cells cause air to sink when they meet
Ferrel and Hadley Circulation Cells
T/F High pressure belt leads to high rainfall
False, It leads to low rainfall
What is the name of the circulation system that causes deep ocean currents?
Thermohaline Circulation
How does air pressure affect wind direction?
Winds move from high-pressure areas to low-pressure areas
At what latitude does cool air sink?
30 Degrees North and South
What do we call surface winds that blow in the direction of the equator?
Trade winds
What direction do trade winds blow in the southern hemisphere?
From the south-east
At what latitude does cold air from the poles meet the warm surface winds, causing the warmer air to rise and forms a low-pressure belt?
60 Degrees
How many cycles of climate change are there
3
What is the name of the most recent geological period that spans from 2.6 million years ago to the present day?
Quaternary Period
What can old plant pollen be preserved in?
Sediment
What are the 4 Natural Causes of Climate Change
Orbital Changes, Volcanic Activity, Solar Output, Asteroid Collisions
How many layers of ice form on the top of ice sheets each year?
1
What are Orbital Changes
Orbital Changes are variations in the way that Earth moves round the sun
What are the 3 cycles of Orbital Changes
Eccentricity (Stretch), Tilt, Precession (Wobble)
T/F If the Earth receives more energy from Solar Radiation, it will get colder
False, it’ll get warmer
T/F Orbital Changes may have caused the glacial and inter-glacial cycles of the Quaternary period
True
Name 1 material that major volcanic eruptions eject
Ash
What is the relation between the Earth’s temperature and Volcanic Eruption
The particles from the material of eruptions reflect the Sun’s rays back to space, which cools the Earth’s surface
What was the ‘Maunder Minimum’
The ‘Maunder Minimum was a period of reduced solar activity between 1645 and 1715
T/F Asteroids hitting the Earth’s surface can throw large amounts of dust into the atmosphere
True
What was the ‘Younger Dryas’
The ‘Younger Dryas’ was a period of global cooling caused by an asteroid collision around 12,000 years ago
What are the 3 main methods scientists use to work out Natural Climate Change
Tree Rings, Ice Cores, Historical Records
On a normal tree how many rings are produces in a tree within their trunks annually
1 ring
What does the thickness of the ring in a tree depend on
The climate
T/F When it is warmer, the rings on the inside of a tree is thinner
False, it is thicker
What are Ice Sheets made of
Ice Sheets are made of layers of ice
How do scientists get long cores of ice
They drill into the ice sheets
How can scientists tell the temperature using ice sheets
They analyse the gases trapped in the layers of ice
What is cement made from?
Limestone
Name 2 factors that are increasing greenhouse gases in the atmosphere
Energy, Transport
What happens as a result of melting ice?
Sea levels rise
Near the equator, which direction do tropical cyclones tend to move?
West
