Topic 1 - Hazardous Earth

Question 1

What are the three types of circulation cells in the atmosphere?

Answer 1

• Polar cell (poles)
• Ferrel cell
• Hadley cell (equator)

Question 2

What is the Coriolis Effect?

Answer 2

phenomenon that causes fluids (water and air) to curve as they travel across the Earth’s surface.

Question 3

Which direction do hurricanes spin in?

Answer 3

Northern Hemisphere= Anti-clockwise

Southern Hemisphere= Clockwise

Question 4

Where are jet streams found on Earth?

Answer 4

Troposphere

Question 5

What are orbital changes and how do they effect the climate?

Answer 5

The milankovitch cycles are the different ways which the Earth moves around the Sun.

• Eccentricity= the changing path of the Earth’s orbit; either circular (interglacial) or elliptical (glacial)
• Axial Tilt= the angle which the Earth’s axis is tilted at
• Precession= the wobbling of the axis of the Earth

These affect the amount of radiation reaching the Earth

Question 6

What is solar variation and how does it affect the climate?

Answer 6

A changing amount of radiation that the sun produces over time.

• Glacial= lower solar activity
• Interglacial= higher solar activity