Unit D Energy Flow in Global Systems: Section 2.0 Flashcards
What is a climatograph?
A summary of the average temperature and precipitation for each month of the year for a given location.
What goes on the left side of a climatograph?
Precipitation
What goes on the right side of a climatograph?
Average temperature
What are the 3 factors that affect climate?
- Insolation
- The pattern of global winds
- The pattern of warm and cold currents
What has the strongest effect on climate?
Insolation
What is solar energy?
A radiant energy that is transmitted in electromagnetic waves from the sun
What does solar energy consist of?
Electromagnetic energy at different wavelengths. All the types of radiation in the electromagnetic spectrum
What is insolation?
The amount of solar energy received by a region of the earth’s surface
What does insolation depend on?
The latitude and the specific characteristics of the lithosphere, atmosphere, and hydrosphere
How are radiant energies distinguished from one another?
By their wavelengths
What are the types of waves in the electromagnetic spectrum?
- Radio (this is what radar uses)
- Micro
- Infrared
- Visible light
- Ultraviolet
- X-rays
- Gamma rays
Note that cosmic rays are not part of the electromagnetic spectrum.
What is the angle of inclination?
The degree by which the earth’s poles are tilted from the perpendicular plane of its orbit. 23.5
How often does earth orbit the sun?
Once a year
When is the first day of summer?
June 21
What does the angle of inclination of the earth look like in summer?
The north pole is tilted toward the sun
When is the first day of winter?
December 21
What does the angle of inclination look like in the winter?
North pole is tilted away from the sun
What are latitudes?
Imaginary lines that run parallel to the equator
What is the highest latitude?
90 degrees
What is a solstice?
One of the 2 points in earth’s orbit at which the north pole is most tilted toward the sun and the earth has the longest amount of daylight. The other is when it is most tilted away with the shortest amount of daylight.
When does the solstice occur?
June 21-22 December 21-22
Which regions of the earth do not experience variation in sunlight?
Regions near the equator
What is an equinox?
When the number of daylight hours is equal to the number of night hours
What does the earth look like during the equinoxes?
They are above or below the sun
When do the equinoxes take place?
March and September 21-22
What is the angle of incidence?
The angle of a ray falling on the earth’s surface and the line perpendicular to that surface
What is the angle of incidence at the equator?
0
How is the angle of incidence affected as it moves away from the equator?
It becomes larger
Why do some areas receive less solar energy?
Because at larger angles of incidence the same amount of radiation is spread over a larger area
Why is there a change of temperature as you move away from the equator?
- The decrease in insolation year round
- Variation in daylight hours during different seasons
What happens when particles reflect energy from the sun?
They change the rays direction
What happens when particles absorb the suns energy?
The energy is converted into another form
Where does absorption and reflection of the sun occur in the biosphere?
All parts, the atmosphere, lithosphere, hydrosphere
What does oxygen and nitrogen absorb?
X-rays and Gamma Rays
What absorbs most of the UV radiation?
Ozone
Where is the most atmospheric dust found?
The troposphere
Why is the air temperature colder on a cloudy day?
Clouds reflect some incoming solar radiation
How does atmospheric dust affect the earth’s temperature?
- It shades the earth’s surface from incoming radiation, reducing the amount of solar energy
- It also absorbs heat from the sun and the earth’s surface
What does the amount of solar energy that is reflected or absorbed depend on?
The type of surface encountered
What is the Albedo?
The percent of solar radiation that reflects
What is the average albedo for the earth’s surface?
30%
Why do most places have a higher Albedo in the winter?
Because snow cover reflects more snow
Do places that lack forest cover have a high albedo or a low albedo?
High
What type of radiation is re-emitted from the Earth?
Infrared radiation (this is what the electromagnetic radiation becomes after having been absorbed by a surface and it is infrared when released)
How does infrared radiation affect the earth’s temperature?
Because of its high thermal energy it helps to keep the temperature of the planet stable.
Infrared radiation is what is re-emitted by objects that have absorbed electromagnetic radiation from the sun.
What is the natural greenhouse gas effect?
The absorption of thermal energy by the earth’s atmosphere that keeps the earth’s temperature habitable
What would happen without greenhouse gasses?
The earth’s heat would escape into space and the temp would be about 33 degrees C lower, or about -19 C on average and too cold to support life. (It’s about 14 C now on average)
Which four gases are the main contributors to the greenhouse gas affect?
Water vapour
Carbon Dioxide
Methane
Nitrous oxide
What is the net-radiation budget?
The difference between the amount of incoming radiation and the amount of outgoing radiation re-emitted from earth’s surface and atmosphere. It should be 0.
What is incoming radiation?
All the solar energy that reaches the earth’s surface. This does not include solar radiation that is reflected by the atmosphere.
What is outgoing radiation?
The thermal radiation re-emitted by the earth’s surface and atmosphere that is not absorbed by the greenhouse gasses of the atmosphere
What is the formula for the net radiation budget?
Incoming radiation - outgoing radiation
When solar energy initially reaches Earth what is it immediately reflected by?
The atmosphere
Clouds
The earth’s surface
What absorbs solar energy when it reaches Earth?
Absorbed by:
Greenhouse gasses
Clouds
The Earth’s surface (water and land)
By what is solar energy that had been absorbed re-emitted?
Clouds and atmospheric gasses
Hydrosphere
Global winds
The earth’s surface
Which part of the Earth absorbs the most atmospheric gasses?
The earth’s surface
Which part of the earth re-emits the most atmospheric gasses?
The atmosphere
Is there a large difference between outgoing radiation and incoming radiation?
No, the difference is usually 0
What is the balance of Net radiation near the poles?
Because polar radiation has lower insolation and higher albedo there is less incoming radiation than outgoing radiation
What is the balance of net radiation near the equator?
Because of high insolation there is more incoming radiation than outgoing radiation
What is thermal energy transfer?
The movement of thermal energy from an area of high temperature to an area of low temperature
What are the three ways thermal energy transfer can occur?
Conduction
Convection
Radiation
What is radiation?
The emission of energy particles or waves
What does energy do?
Increases the movement of particles (energy allows work to occur)
What does an increase in kinetic energy do?
Increases the temperature
What does something warmer than its surroundings emit?
Radiant energy, viewed by an infrared camera (infrared waves are emitted)
What is conduction?
The transfer of thermal energy by direct contact between particles of a substance without moving the particles to a new location
Where does conduction usually take place?
Solids
How is kinetic energy moved in conduction?
Particles with more kinetic energy transfer their energy to neighbouring particles with lower kinetic energy
What is convection?
The transfer of thermal energy through the movement of particles from one location to another
Where does convection usually occur?
In fluids (gasses and liquids)
What happens during convection?
The movement of particles forms a current. The hotter (more energy) particles move apart and become less dense and move to the top. Then as the water cools it moves down which forms a current
How does wind move?
The air near the equator becomes hot and less dense and rises to the poles and as it moves it to the poles it cools down
Convection
What is atmospheric pressure?
The pressure exerted by the mass of air above any point on earth’s surface
Where is there less atmospheric pressure?
Warmer regions because the air is less dense
What causes wind to be deflected either right or left?
The Coriolis effect of the earth spinning on its axis
What is the Coriolis effect?
The deflection of any object from a straight line path by rotation of Earth
What direction does the Coriolis effect cause the wind in the northern and southern hemisphere to go?
Northern: Right
Southern: Left
What do global winds transfer?
Thermal energy from regions of net radiation surplus to areas of net radiation budget deficit
What would happen if global winds did not occur?
Areas near the equator would be very hot while the rest of earth would be much colder
What are trade winds?
Rising currents of air that cause wind to blow steadily northeast and southeast. Caused by the Coriolis effect.
What are trade winds cause by?
The Coriolis effect
What happens at 30 degrees latitude to solar winds?
Some of the trade wind is significantly cooled and sinks and moves back down to the equator and the rest of the warm air is pushed up to the poles and turned east by the Coriolis effect
What are some things that affect Earth’s wind patterns?
- Continents and large bodies of water due to the different heat capacity of water and land and convection from the temperature differences from day to night
- friction due to density of the atmosphere
- Earth’s rough surface
What slows global winds?
Earth’s surface and the density of the troposphere produces friction
What is a jet stream?
A band of fast moving air in the stratosphere, that are not subject to much friction
How many jet streams are there on Earth?
4 primary:
2 polar (one the north pole, one near the south pole)
2 subtropical near the equator
What are jet streams formed by?
Convection currents
When are jet streams closer to the equator and move quicker?
During the cooler months
What affects the formation of severe weather events?
Jet streams
What is a Biome?
A large geographical region with a particular range of temperature and precipitation levels
What type of system are Biomes?
Open systems because they exchange matter and energy with their environment
What is a closed system?
A system that exchanges energy with its surroundings.
Matter is not exchanged with its surroundings.
What type of system is the Hydrosphere?
A closed system
What makes biomes an open system?
They allow matter from other biomes to move in and out of their boundaries
Where do biomes get their energy from?
Solar energy from the sun
What does the sun do for biomes?
- Provides energy
- Maintains the temperature
- Provide food for living organsims
How many different biomes are there?
6
Why do scientists divide the earth into biomes?
To help them study and understand the interactions between living and non-living components and how they interact with each other
What are the 6 types of biomes in order?
Tundra Taiga Deciduous Forest Grassland Desert Rain Forest
Where is the Tundra found?
The arctic regions of North America and Eurasia
How does daylight vary in the Tundra?
It varies over the over the years. The summer solstice lasts for 24 hours with light. The winter solstice lasts for 24 hours with no daylight
What is the variation of solar energy in the winter in the Tundra?
They receive very little insolation
Which biome receives the least amount of solar radiation?
The Tundra
What covers the Tundra year round?
Ice and snow
What is a result of the ice and snow that cover the Tundra year round?
Permafrost, permanently frozen ground
What maintains cold temperatures in the tundra?
The low insolation and the high albedo
Why do very few plants and animals inhabit the Tundra?
Because it has very little precipitation
How are plants adapted to living in the Tundra?
Plants have a very short life cycle and they live close to the ground to limit their exposure to the cold and the high winds
What do the animals of the Tundra feed on?
Fish and other animals
How do animals protect themselves from the cold in the Tundra?
Small animals burrow underground
Large animals have thick coats and squat bodies
Where is the Taiga Biome found?
A broad belt around the earth just south of the Tundra biomes
What type of trees is the Taiga dominated by?
Evergreen conifer trees, such as fur, pine, and spruce
Which biome is dominated by Conifer trees?
The Taiga
Why are there few shrubs and bushes in the Taiga?
Because thick conifer branches block out most of the light
What is another name for the Taiga?
Boreal forest
Why does the Taiga have a longer growing season than the Tundra?
Because there is more insolation at the latitude
In comparison to the Tundra, what is the climate of the Taiga?
Taiga has more precipitation and higher temperatures
Why can more plants and animals live in the Taiga?
Because of the higher insolation
What biome covers most of Alberta?
The Taiga
How is the Taiga good for the economy?
It produces lumber for the forestry business
What do the leaves of conifer trees have?
Resin
What is resin?
An adaption of conifer trees which makes them resistant to drought and freezing and can undergo photosynthesis year round
What adaptations do animals in the Taiga biome have?
They become inactive during the winter.
Their coat changes colours to camouflage.
And birds migrate in the fall
How are Deciduous forests distinguished?
By trees that lose their leaves each fall
Which biome has conifer trees?
The Taiga
Which biome has Deciduous trees?
The Deciduous forest
Where is the deciduous forest found?
Parts of North and South America, Europe, Asia, Japan and Australia
How is the climate and growing season of the Deciduous forest compared to the Taiga?
The climate is more moderate and there is a longer growing season
What causes very distinct seasons in the Deciduous forest?
The variation in the amount of insolation
Why do shrubs, mosses and lichen grow in the Deciduous Forest?
Because deciduous trees allow light to penetrate to the ground
What allows broadleaf trees to survive in the Deciduous forest?
The average temperature of the biome
What is a positive to broadleaf trees in the Deciduous?
They are very efficient in photosynthesis
What is a negative to broadleaf trees?
They freeze easily and lose high amounts of water through transpiration
How do animals function in the deciduous forest?
They are active year round
What does the Grassland biome look like?
They are grassy with no trees
Why is the Grassland biome grassy?
Because grass requires far less water than trees
What type of regions support Grasslands?
They occur in regions where precipitation is at least 20 cm and too low to support the growth of trees
What continents do grasslands occur on?
All continents
What do grasslands have periods of?
Winter in the Prairies and dry season in the Savanna
What are the 2 types of Grasslands?
Prairies and Savanna
What are the seasons of the prairies?
Winter and Summer
What are the seasons of the Savanna?
Wet and Dry season
What type of grassland is in North America?
Prairies
What has most of the prairie region in North America been changed into?
Agricultural land
Where are Savannas located?
In Africa
How have Grasslands adapted to dry climate?
They have extensive root systems that allow for quick recovery
What are most grassland animals?
Grazers; they travel great distances in order to find sufficient food
What do burrowing animals in the grasslands do?
The create underground burrows to protect themselves from harsh weather and predators
Which biome contains the richest diversity of plants and animals?
The rainforest
Which biome receives the most rain?
The rainforest 200 cm
How does the climate affect plant life in the rainforest?
It allows plants to grow year round
What type of plants grow in the rainforest?
-Broadleaf deciduous trees that do not lose their leaves and vines and rootless air plants
How are plants adapted in the rainforest?
Since there are many plants in one area most plants are adapted to maximize sun exposure. Which means broad leaves, great height, and the ability to climb
What is the plant life like in the desert?
It has relatively little plant life
How many biomes does Canada have and name them?
4, Tundra, Taiga, Deciduous forest, Grassland
What direction are water currents in the southern hemisphere driven?
Counter-clockwise
What direction are water currents in the northern hemisphere driven?
Clockwise
What is the specific heat capacity of a substance?
The amount of energy required raise the temperature of 1 gram of a substance 1 degree celsius
What is specific heat capacity measured in?
J/g
What is the specific heat capacity of water?
4.19 J/g
What is the quantity of thermal energy?
The amount of thermal energy absorbed or released when the temperature of a specific mass of a substance goes up or down
What is the formula for the quantity of thermal energy?
Q=mcΔT
What does the Q in Q=mcΔT mean? and what is it measured in?
Quantity of thermal energy; Joules
What is the m in Q=mcΔT? and what is it measured in?
Mass of the substance; grams
What does the ΔT stand for in Q=mcΔT? and what is it measured in?
Change in temperature; degrees celsius
How can the specific heat capacity be determined?
Using a calorimeter
What is a calorimeter?
Any device used to measure the transfer of thermal energy
How is the temperature of water affected during a phase change?
It remains constant
Why does the temperature of water not change during a phase change?
When a substance changes from solid to liquid the bonds become weak and break, breaking bonds absorbs energy. When a substance changes from vapour to liquid new bonds are formed and the bond formation releases energy. There is only a temperature change when there is an increase or decrease in kinetic energy. But the energy is used to break bonds so it is not used in the form of kinetic energy
What is the heat fusion of a substance?
The amount of energy absorbed when 1 mol of the substance changes from solid to liquid without a change in temperature
What does the heat curve of water look like?
It starts below 0 and goes in a diagonal line called the solid phase to 0 and plateaus called melting or fusion. then it goes in a diagonal line called liquid phase then it gets to 100 and plateaus called vaporization then it moves above 100 and goes diagonally to the vapour phase
What happens in the melting or fusion stage of the hydrologic cycle?
The temperature stopped increasing because the energy was being absorbed to break the bonds and turn into liquid
What is heat of fusion?
The amount of energy absorbed when 1 mol of the substance changes from solid to liquid, without a change in temperature
What is the formula for heat of fusion?
Hfus = Q/n
What is heat of fusion measured in?
kJ
What is n in Hfus = Q/n?
Number of moles
