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Physical Geography Test 1 > Unit 5 > Flashcards

Unit 5 Flashcards

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1
Q

energy

A

the capacity to do work.
– Work is done whenever matter
moves.

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2
Q

potential energy

A

• Energy of an object due to its position

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3
Q

kinetic energy

A

-Work needed to accelerate a given
body of mass from rest to a certain
velocity

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4
Q

thermal energy

A

Temperature/Heat

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5
Q

temperature

A 
measure of 
kinetic energy 
– Molecules move in a random 
motion, and temperature is the 
speed of the molecules
– Change in temperature makes 
gases, liquids, and solids expand and contract
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6
Q

different temperature scales

A

celsius scale, Kelvin scale, Fahrenheit scale

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7
Q

how to measure temperature?

A

-We use substances whose thermal properties are understood as a guide; thermometer or a ball thing (get from notes)

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8
Q

heat

A

• Depends on its volume, its

temperature, and its capacity to hold heat

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9
Q

gas (phase of water)

A
  • A lot of molecular movement

* Molecules loosely bonded

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10
Q

liquid (phase of water)

A
  • Not able to move as freely

* Molecules bonded

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11
Q

solid (phase of water)

A
  • Not a lot of molecular movement

* Molecules tightly bonded

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12
Q

phase changes of water

A 
– Freezing
– Condensation 
– Deposition 
– Melting 
– Evaporation 
– Sublimation
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13
Q

warming processes

A

– Go from fast-moving molecules to slow, thus releasing heat
• Freezing
• Condensation
• Deposition

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14
Q

cooling processes

A

– Go from slow-moving molecules to fast, thus taking heat
• Melting
• Evaporation
• Sublimation

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15
Q

radiation (energy transfer)

A

– Transmission of energy from an object in the form of an electromagnetic wave
• Electromagnetic Spectrum
– Radiation is characterized (and sorted) by its wavelength and frequency

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16
Q

wavelength

A

– Crest to crest
– Unit is micron
• (1μm=10-6m)

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17
Q

frequency

A

– Number of waves
– Unit is hertz
• (cycles per second

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18
Q

shortwave radiation

A

radiation from the sun

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19
Q

longwave radiation

A

radiation emitted from the earth

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20
Q

conduction

A

– Energy transfer accomplished by
contact between molecules
– Only energy transferred
– Ex: Soil

21
Q

convection

A

– Energy transfer through currents or
movements of fluid
– Both matter and energy transferred
– Ex: Boiling water

22
Q

solar constant

A

– Intensity of the sunlight

• Around 1364 w/m^2

23
Q

Average energy input at the top of the atmosphere is…

A

about 341 w/m^2

24
Q

Absorption of solar radiation

A

– Energy striking a body is assimilated
by the body.
– When the energy is absorbed, the
temperature is raised.

25
Q

reflected solar radiation

A

• The ability of an object to repel

radiation without altering the body or the radiation.

26
Q

albedo

A

– Reflectivity of a surface
– Amount of energy reflected back into space by an object
– Albedo= (insolation
reflected/insolation received) x 100

27
Q

scattering of solar radiation

A

• The process by which incoming solar
radiation is dispersed and produces a larger number of weaker rays, traveling in different directions.
Shorter waves are more easily
scattered than longer waves
• This explains why the sky is blue during the day and red at sunset!

28
Q

transmitted solar radiation

A 
– Waves pass completely through a 
medium without being altered
• Depends on the opacity of the object
• Also dependent upon wavelength of 
radiation
29
Q

global energy balance

A

– On Earth there is a balance
• 100 Units of energy input from the Sun
• 100 Units of energy output from Earth

30
Q

Incoming Solar Radiation

A 
– 100 Units in 
• 33 Units reflected 
• 67 Units absorbed 
– Surface absorbs 45 but emits 15
– Atmosphere absorbs 22 and emits 52
31
Q

net radiation

A

– Difference between emitted and absorbed radiation
- Earth has a net radiation of 0
– Solar energy absorbed equals solar energy reflected plus longwave radiation
emitted

32
Q

vertical imbalance

A

– Surface surplus and atmospheric deficit?
• Surface
– Shortwave radiation exceeds longwave radiation
• Atmosphere
– Longwave radiation exceeds shortwave radiation
– Imbalance offset due to:
• Heat being transferred from surface to atmosphere (convective heat transfer)
• Evaporation and transpiration at surface (cooling surface)
• Condensation or “cloud formation” in atmosphere (warming atmosphere)
*Weather result of imbalance!

33
Q

horizontal imbalance

A 
– Tropical surplus and upper latitude 
deficit? 
• Tropical latitudes 
– Shortwave radiation exceeds 
longwave radiation 
• Middle and high latitudes 
– Longwave radiation exceed shortwave 
radiation
– Imbalance offset through the motions of the oceans and atmosphere 
• Help distribute the heat throughout the latitudes 
*Weather result of Imbalance!
34
Q

hydrosphere

A 
– Powered by the sun
• Evaporates water 
• Drives the ocean and atmospheric 
motions that carries water from place 
to place
35
Q

water unique properties

A 
1. Water is the only liquid found 
at Earth’s surface in large 
quantities
2. Water easily changes from 
one state to another
3. Solid phase (ice) is less dense 
than liquid phase
4. Water has a high specific heat
36
Q

vapor pressure

A

– Measure of water vapor in the atmosphere
– Amount of pressure exerted by the molecules of water vapor in the
air
– Vapor pressure ranges from 0-4% of atmosphere (average 2%)
•If atmospheric pressure is 1000mb
– Vapor pressure is around 20mb (2%)

37
Q

saturation vapor pressure

A

– Measure of maximum amount of water vapor the atmosphere can support at a given temperature
– Saturation vapor pressure increases
with temperature
• Warmer air has more energy to evaporate liquid water into water
vapor

38
Q

humidity

A

– The amount of water vapor present in a column of air

39
Q

relative humidity

A

-Percent of saturation ((e/es)x 100)
Negatives: temperature-dependent
-indicates how near the air is to saturation rather than the actual quantity of water vapor in the air.
-inverse relationship with temperature

40
Q

absolute humidity

A 
Mass of water vapor per volume of air
– Positives:
– Negatives: 
• Temperature-dependent
– Daily cycle
• Not user-friendly
41
Q

specific humidity

A 
Mass of water vapor per mass of air
– Positives:
• Not temperature-dependent 
– Negatives:
• Not user-friendly
42
Q

mixing ratio

A 
Mass of water vapor per mass of dry air
– Positives:
• Not temperature dependent
– Negatives: 
• Not user-friendly
43
Q

dew point

A 
Temperature at 
which saturation is reached
– Positives: 
• User friendly
• Not temperature dependent
– Negatives: 
• Best measure of water vapor!
44
Q

hygrometers

A

measure humidity; a sling psychrometer has two thermometers:– As the instrument is spun, evaporation occurs in the wet thermometer and the resulting temperature is lower (energy was lost) than the dry bulb temperature.
– The drier the air, the greater the cooling.
– The larger difference between wet-and dry-bulb temps, the lower the relative humidity.

45
Q

surface water balance

A

– The measurement of inflow, outflow, and net annual surplus or deficit of water at a given location
•Water can be gained by precipitation
•Water lost by evapotranspiration or runoff

46
Q

evapotranspiration

A 
– Passage of moisture from the land 
surface to the atmosphere through 
the combined processes of 
evaporation and transpiration
– Vegetated surfaces vs. open water 
surfaces
47
Q

potential evapotranspiration

A

• The maximum amount of water that can be lost to the atmosphere from a
land surface when the availability of surface water is not a limiting factor

48
Q

actual evapotranspiration

A 
• The amount of water that is lost to the 
atmosphere from a land surface and 
can be less than the potential rate 
because of either soil moisture 
conditions or plant physiological 
controls

Physical Geography Test 1 (5 decks)

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