Unit D.1 and D.2 Energy Flow in Global Systems and The Atmosphere and Climate Flashcards
Biosphere
The parts of Earth that support life. It encompasses a thick layer that begins 9000 m below sea level and extends to over 11300 m above sea level
- include the atmosphere, lithosphere and hydrosphere
atmosphere
composed of a mixture of gases that form a layer of air around Earth.
-contains the gases needed for both protection agains the sun’s radiant energy and the survival of organisms on Earth.
- oxygen 21%(required for cellular respiration), nitrogen 78%, and other gases, less than 1% (like carbon dioxide) but are essential for biological processes like photosynthesis
-absobs heat to form weather patterns
lithiosphere
- Earth cool, rigid outer layer
- includes the crust and cooled part of the uppermost mantle.
- 100 to 200 km thick
hydrosphere
- the area of Earth and its atmosphere in which water is present.
- extends 100 km below the surface of Earth to 500 km above Earths surface
- because almost every form of life needs water life thrives in or close to the hydrosphere
heat of fusion
the amount of heat energy required to change a substance from a solid to a liquid
- water has a high heat of fusion. Water’s heat of fusion can be quantified as 333 J/g. That means it takes 333 J of heat energy to change 1 g of solid water at 0 degrees C to liquid water at 0 degrees C
What is the equation used to calculate the heat of fusion
Hfus = Q/n, to determine the heat of fusion in KJ/mol where
Q=quantity of thermal energy in KJ
n=number of moles of a substance
heat of vaporization
what is the heat of vaporization of water
2 260 J/g
specific heat capacity
represents the amount of heat energy required to change the temperature of a substance
What is waters specific heat capacity?
4.19 J/g degrees Celsius. This means it takes 4.19 J of energy to increase the temperature of 1g of water by 1 degree Celsius
What is the equation used to determine how much energy is taken into or released from water
Q=% efficiency
= useful energy output
————————————-x100%
What is the equation used to determine how much energy is taken into or released from water
Q=% efficiency
= useful energy output
————————————-x100%
total energy input
%efficiency=1149KJ
———- X 100%
2874 KJ
=40% energy in joules
m= mass in grams
^T= change in temperature in degrees Celcius
albedo effect
determines the extent to which light reflects off a surface
-ice has a high albedo; that is, most of the light hitting ice is reflected
-dark rocks have low albedo, most of the light is not reflected, it is absorbed and turned to heat
Jet Stream
An east to west wind at the border between the cold arctic air and the warm, southern air high up in the atmosphere
Where does the jet stream normally flow?
The southern border of Canada.
-sometimes it shifts to the north, covering Canada with warm, souther air
- other times, the jet stream shifts to the south, leaving Canid completely covered in cold, northern air.
What is the other factor that affects solar heating/
latitude; higher latitudes receive slanging rays and more diffuse energy, lower latitudes sun rays are more concentrated.
What is the coriolis effect
Weather
= the conditions of
temperature, air pressure, cloud
cover, precipitation, and humidity
occurring at a particular place and
time.
Climate
= the average weather
conditions that occur in a region over
a long period of time (usually a
minimum of 30 years) and usually
focuses on average temperatures
and precipitation.
What atmospheric layers does the ozone layer fall between?
The stratosphere and troposphere
What is the function of the ozone layer?
protect living things from damaging high-energy solar radiation. It is of concern because scientific evidence shows that it is being broken down man-made chemicals,
such as CFCs.
How does climate impact humans?
It impacts shelter, clothing, fuel requirements and food availability and cost
What influences the physical and behavioural adaptations prevalent in species?
Climate. An adaptation is a structure or functioning of an organism that makes it suited to its environment.
How do scientists determine if the climate in an area has change?
by comparing the weather over the last 30 years or more with the average weather conditions over a similar period of time in the past
What 2 varieties of evidence is climate change usually classified as?
anecdotal - based on reports from people about particular weather events and how the events have changed over time
scientific- based on data collected a manner to ensure as much unbiased as possible, often relying on specialized equipment and precise data. (ex: ice core samples, fossils and tree growth rings
What are ice cores?
Cylinders of ice drilled out of a ice sheet or glacier.
