Unit 1: Climate Flashcards

1
Q

What is the unit for the individual

A

survival and reproduction - the unit of natural selection

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2
Q

what is the unit for population

A

population dynamics - the unit of evolution

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3
Q

what is community

A

interactions among species

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4
Q

what is an ecosystem

A

flow of energy and cycling of matter

living things and the abiotic things they depend on

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5
Q

what is a landscape

A

interactions among ecosystems

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6
Q

what are the inputs and outputs for the individual?

A

inputs = food
outputs = energy expended; waste

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7
Q

what are the inputs and outputs for the population

A

inputs = births; immigration
outputs = deaths; emigration

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8
Q

what are the inputs and outputs for community

A

inputs = colonization by new species
outputs = extinction of species

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9
Q

what are the inputs and outputs for the ecosystem

A

inputs = solar energy and matter entering ecosystem
outputs = energy and matter leaving ecosystem

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10
Q

what are the inputs and outputs for the landscape

A

inputs = energy and matter entering from other ecosystems
outputs = energy and matter leaving to other ecosystems

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11
Q

what are the inputs and outputs for the biospehere

A

inputs = solar energy entering system
outputs = energy re-radiated to space

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12
Q

what is weather

A

short-term variation in temperature and precipitation

ex) the rain bomb

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13
Q

what is climate

A

annual patterns

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14
Q

what is a “rain bomb”

A
  • wet microburst
  • when a column of air hits the ground rapidly during a thunderstorm, larger amounts of rain can fall in a small area
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15
Q

what causes the greenhouse effect

A

clouds and surface structures absorb solar radiation and reflect it back

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16
Q

steps of greenhouse effect

A
  1. about 1/3 of incoming solar radiation - composed of visible and ultraviolet light - is reflected back into space by the atmosphere, clouds, and Earth’s surface
  2. the remaining solar radiation is absorbed by clouds and Earth’s surface, which becomes wamer and emits infrared radiation
  3. much of the emitted infrared radiation from earth if absorbed by greenhouse gases in the atmosphere
  4. warmed greenhouse gases re-emit infared radiation. some goes out to space but most returns to earth
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17
Q

the energy that maintains earth’s climate is primarily [–]

A

solar

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18
Q

the sun strikes the thermal [–] directly at a [–] angle causing warm air to [–]

A

the sun strikes the thermal equator directly at a 90 degree angle causing warm air to rise

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19
Q

What is the firebox?

A

the fact that the sun strikes the earth’s equator at 90 degrees and that hot air rises

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20
Q

What creates currents of air and rain

A

the firebox

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21
Q

what are hadley cells

A
  • circulation cells
  • air uprising at equator
  • air falling at north or south
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22
Q

what does the range of daylength with changing latitudes affect?

A

growing seasons and plant community structures

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23
Q

the farther you get away from the equator, [–] sun time

A

the farther you get away for the equation, longer sun time

24
Q

the tilt of the earth relative to the sun determines

A

the intensity of sunlight and the seasons

25
Q

what angle is the earth tilted at?

A

23.5 degress

26
Q

autumnal equinox

A

september 22-23

27
Q

winter solstice

A

december 21-22

28
Q

vernal equinox

A

march 20-21

29
Q

summer solstice

A

june 20-22

30
Q

leaning away from the sun = [–]

A

longer angle of incidence = less intensity of sunlight

31
Q

where are the greatest extremes in daylight found?

A

at the polar (90 degrees) latitude

32
Q

hadley and ferrell cells create [–] and [–]

A

hadley and ferrell cells create predictable precipitation and temperature zones

33
Q

hadley cells rise and fall where?

A
  • rise form the equator (0 degrees)
  • fall at ~30 degrees latitude
34
Q

hadley cells

as warm air rises = [–]

A

it cools
its dewpoint lowers
rain falls

rainforests

35
Q

hadley cells

hot air = [–]

A

moist = holds onto water = rain when cooled

36
Q

hadley cells

cool air = [–]

A

falls back toward surface
absorbs moisture creating dry zones

deserts

37
Q
A
38
Q

ferrell cells rise and fall at?

A

rise at ~60 degrees
fall at 30 degrees

39
Q

ferrell cells

humidity and temperature change are [–]

A

not as well delineated or extreme

40
Q

polar cells circulate at?

A

60 degrees latitude

41
Q

ITCZ

A
  • inter-tropical convergence zone
  • location shifts above and below the equaotr depending on the time of year
  • areas where the winds become inconsistent
42
Q

hot air rises at [–] creating a [–]

A

hot air rises at the equator creating a circulation cell

43
Q

sun creates [–] for [–] to move [–]

A

the sun creates an engine for hot air to move up

44
Q

as the air condenses = water [–] = [–]

A

as the air condenses = water falls = rain

45
Q

where are the major dessert conditions found?

A

30 degrees north
30 degrees south

46
Q

what is the coriolis effect

A
  • causes a deflection in air movement because of the Earth’s rotation
  • when something rises from the surface of the earth, it does not come back down in the same place
  • deflection = west
47
Q

Earth rotates to the

A

east

48
Q

the insulating effect of large bodies of water does what?

A

mitigates seasonal temperature changes

49
Q

it take [–] energy to move water [–] degree

A

it take more energy to move water up 1 degree

water has a high specific heat

50
Q

why don’t the oceans freeze?

A
  • they can absorb a lot of heat
  • the salt provides a protective thermal blanket
51
Q

prevailing winds are the result of

A
  • atmospheric currents from ciruclation cells
  • coriolis effect
52
Q

what creates ocean currents

A
  • wind patterns
  • unequal heating
  • coriolis effects
  • topography
53
Q

what creates rain shadows

A

mountain ranges perpendicular to prevailing winds

this determines species distribution within communities

54
Q

rain shadows

as the winds go up and hit the mountain range what happens

A

the wind cools and drop the water they are carrying, so at the top/far side of the mountain the air is dry

55
Q

maximum humidity and dew point vary with [–]

A

air temperature