Weather And Climate

Question 1

Composition of atmosphere

Answer 1

78% nitrogen
20% oxygen
0.04% co2
Others include water vapour and argon

Question 2

Troposphere

Answer 2

Later which extends up 8-17km above the earths surface where temperature decreases with height
Where weather processes occur

Question 3

Tropopause

Answer 3

Boundary between the troposphere and the stratosphere
Ceiling to convection currents and forms a temperature inversion
Upper limit to earths weather system

Question 4

Stratosphere

Answer 4

Extends up to 50km above earths surface tempearture increases with height
Free of dust and cloud
Absorption of UV by ozone
Global warming by humans linked to changes

Question 5

Define atmosphere

Answer 5

Mixture of transparent gases held to the earth by gravitational force

Question 6

Stratopause

Answer 6

boundary between the stratosphere and the mesosphere

Question 7

Mesosphere

Answer 7

Layer which extends 50km above the Earth’s surface where temperature decreases with height

Question 8

Mesopause

Answer 8

boundary between the mesosphere and the thermosphere

Question 9

Thermosphere

Answer 9

Layer which extends up to 100km above the earths surface where temperature increases with height

Question 10

What is the atmospheric heat budget?

Answer 10

Balance between incoming solar radiation (insolation) and outgoing radiation

Question 11

what 4 factors determine the amount of insolation?

Answer 11

Solar Constant
Distance from the Sun
Altitude of Sun in the sky
Length of day and night

Question 12

What is the solar constant?

Answer 12

rate at which the suns energy is received at the top of the atmosphere, when the sun is at its mean distance from the Earth and the atmospheric absorption has been accounted for
effects long term climate

Question 13

what percentage can the earths orbit have on the solar constant

Answer 13

6

Question 14

How does altitude affect insolation?

Answer 14

equator receives maximum insolation whereas areas at higher latitudes receive less and there is a greater area for the sun to heat

Question 15

Length of day and night on insolation

Answer 15

23.5 tilt results in polar regions receiving almost no insolation in winter

Question 16

Does the Earth’s surface have a net gain or deficit of energy and what does this result in?

Answer 16

Net gain, results in horizontal heat transfers as polar regions have a deficit

Question 17

Atmosphere net gain or deficit of energy and its effects

Answer 17

Deficit so results in vertical heat transfers

Question 18

What % do ocean currents transfer in heat

Answer 18

20

Question 19

What % do winds distribute in heat

Answer 19

80

Question 20

Vertical heat transfers

Answer 20

radiation, conduction, convection and the release of latent heat

Question 21

What is albedo effect?

Answer 21

ratio of incoming radiation to the amount which is reflected

Question 22

What % of incoming radiation reaches the Earth’s surface`

Answer 22

24

Question 23

why does only 24% reach the Earth’s surface

Answer 23

absorption by clouds, ozone, co2 and dust

reflection by clouds and scattering

Question 24

What is wind?

Answer 24

horizontal movement of air across the Earth’s surface as a result of differences in pressure

Question 25

What direction does wind move?

Answer 25

High to low pressure

Question 26

What is atmospheric pressure?

Answer 26

pressure exerted by the weight of the air in the atmosphere at the Earth’s surface, measured in milibars

Question 27

isobars

Answer 27

display pressure gradient

join areas of equal atmospheric pressure

Question 28

What is general atmospheric circulation

Answer 28

pattern of wind and pressure belts in the atmosphere

Question 29

why is there pressure cells

Answer 29

Differential heating of the Earth

Question 30

what latitudes do the Hadley cells affect?

Answer 30

0-30 degrees north and south

Question 31

summary of 4 stages of Hadley cell

Answer 31

itcz
air moves polewards
air cools creates high pressure
trade winds

Question 32

What latitudes do the Ferrel Cells affect?

Answer 32

30-60 degrees north and south