GEO 2050 Exam #1 SG - Trepanier Spring 19

Which type of radiation has shorter wavelengths, infrared radiation or visible light?

Visible light

What are the variable gases?

Water Vapor (H2O), Carbon Dioxide (CO2), Methane (CH4), Nitrous Oxide (N2O), Ozone (O3), CFCs and HFCs

What is perihelion and when does it occur?

When the Earth is closest to the Sun; in January

What is aphelion and when does it occur?

When the Earth is farthest away from the Sun; in July

When the visible portion of the EMS is blended together, what color do we perceive?

White

What are secondary pollutants? Which one is used as an example in this chapter? How is the ozone molecule both beneficial and harmful to people? Explain.

Results of chemical reactions in the atmosphere; O3; benefit- blocks harmful solar UV radiation; harm- ground-level ozone: irritates eyes and nose, scars lung tissue, and can worsen respiratory ailments such as bronchitis, emphysema, and asthma.

In what three ways is energy transferred? Give real-world examples of each.

Conduction- the process by which energy is transferred through a substance or between objects in direct contact. Ex: pouring coffee into a mug increases the temperature of the mug. Convection- transfer of heat through movement of mass within a fluid. Ex: oven Radiation- the process by which wave energy travels through the vacuum of space or through a physical medium such as air or water. Ex: sun

What is the geographic grid?

Coordinate system that uses latitude (parallels) and longitude (meridians) to identify locations on Earth's surface

Which radiates longer wavelengths of electromagnetic energy, the Sun or Earth? Explain why.

Earth because it emits wavelengths greater than 4um

Compare the general pattern of annual temperature ranges at midlatitudes on west coasts and on east coasts. Which has a higher temperature range, and why?

East Coast because it experiences the continental effect which causes greater annual temperature ranges because of prevailing winds

What is electromagnetic radiation? Does a rock or tree emit electromagnetic energy? Explain.

Energy that is propagated in the form of electromagnetic waves that have both electrical and magnetic properties; Yes because all matter emits photons (packets of energy) of electromagnetic radiation

How is seasonality affected in regions under the influence of warm ocean currents?

Raise the average annual temperature and reduce the annual temperature range

What is the subsolar point? What would happen to it if there were no axial tilt? What would happen to it if axial tilt were 90°?

The single point at which the Sun's rays are perpendicular to Earth's surface at or near noon, restricted to between 23.5 degrees north and south latitude; the equator would always receive direct sunlight (no seasonal change); the sub solar point would shift from the South Pole to the North Pole and back within a year (extreme seasonal changes)

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What is axial tilt and why is it the single most important factor causing seasons?

23.5 degrees in relation to the flat plane of the ecliptic; if the Northern Hemisphere is tilted towards the sun (summer) then the Southern Hemisphere is tilted away from the sun (winter)

Without using a calculator, convert 10°C to Fahrenheit. Convert 100°F to Celsius.

50 degrees Fahrenheit; 38 degrees Celsius

What is a map? Are all maps printed on paper?

A flat 2D representation of Earth's surface that communicates spatial information; they are traditionally printed on paper, but can be represented on computer screens, in spoken description, or in Braille.

What are meridians?

A line that runs from the North Pole to the South Pole and connects points of the same longitude; central to the development of world time zones. Ex: Prime Meridian

What are the major characteristics of the troposphere? How do its temperature and pressure change with altitude?

All weather occurs here, warmed from the bottom up by Earth's surface, increased altitude equals decreased temperature, temperature inversions such as valleys that are no more than a few meters thick and they trap pollutants near the ground, create freezing rain, and sleet.

Why does the Southern Hemisphere have smaller seasonal fluctuations (on average) than the Northern Hemisphere?

Because there is less land

In relation to the subsolar point, how are the tropics defined?

Between the Tropic of Cancer and Tropic of Capricorn

In the context of reflection, refraction, scattering, and absorption, explain the coloration of each of the following: blue sky, green grass, white clouds, blue water, and rainbows.

Blue sky- Nitrogen molecules scatter blue portions of the electromagnetic spectrum and produces blue color White clouds- composed of liquid water droplets and equally reflects all wavelengths of visible light creating white Rainbow- visible light passes through raindrops in the atmosphere and as light enters a raindrop, it is slowed down and its direction changed through refraction. It separates the different wavelengths allowing us to see the different colors Green grass- chlorophyll absorbs all visible colors except green which it reflects Blue water- ocean water absorbs the longer wavelengths of reds and yellows like a filter and before the shorter wavelengths of blue leaving us to perceive blue

Give examples of primary pollutants, their sources, and their effects on human health.

Carbon monoxide (CO)- volcanic eruptions, forest fires, bacterial processes; little threat to people because they disperse into the air. Sulfur dioxide (SO2)- volcanic eruptions, burning of fossil fuels; high concentrations cause health problems including irritated lungs tissue, worsening of respiratory illnesses such as bronchitis and asthma. Nitrogen dioxide (NO2)- vehicle tailpipe emissions; irritated lung tissue, and chronic exposure leads to serious respiratory problems. Volatile organic compounds (VOCs)- methane, butane, propane, and octane; well gas leaks, industrial processes, automobiles, evaporated gas, decomposition of organic materials; irritate eyes, nose, throat, lead to liver, kidney, and central nervous system damage.

Describe day length and the position of the subsolar point for each of the four seasonal markers.

December solstice- ssp at Tropic of Capricorn, 66.5 N and 41 N= 0-9, 41 N and 0= 9-12, 0 and 41 S= 12-15, 41 S and 66.5 S= 15-24. March Equinox- ssp on equator, 12 hours of daylight everywhere. June solstice- ssp at Tropic of Cancer, flipped S to N like December solstice. June Equinox- ssp on equator, 12 hours of daylight everywhere.

What are auroras? Where do they occur on the planet and in what portions of the atmosphere? What causes them?

Displays of lights in the sky; near the poles in the North and the South; mesosphere and thermosphere; energized gas molecules by the sun

How high is the stratosphere? How does temperature change with altitude in the stratosphere?

Found between 12 and 50 km; increased altitude equals increased temperature

What does GPS stand for? Describe what GPS is used for.

Global Positioning System; pinpoint location to provide directions, tracking movement of animals for conservation efforts, movement of lithospheric plates for volcano eruptions and potential eruptions, also weather forecasting and monitoring.

Compare a great circle route with a small circle route. Which is used in long-distance flights by aircraft?

Great circle- a continuous line that bisects the globe into two equal halves; the shortest distance between two points. Small circle- not straight lines, not equal, forms a circle smaller than the equator. Pilots use great circles whenever possible.

How do latitude and the continental effect influence the annual temperature range?

High latitudes have a greater annual temperature range than lower latitudes and continental locations have a greater annual temperature range than maritime locations.

What are parallels?

Imaginary circles that run parallel to the equator and are named for their latitudes. Ex: parallel at 40 degrees north is called the 40th north parallel

Describe the relationship between average annual temperature and changes in elevation and latitude.

Is lower at higher elevations and higher latitudes. Temperature decreases with increasing elevation in troposphere and the farther you get from the sun, the cooler the temperature.

Compare a large-scale map with a small-scale map. Which would a map of a single mountain be?

Large scale- large pictures to represent a small area in great detail. Small-scale- covers a large region with less detail. Single mountain = large-scale

How are angular measurements used to form the geographical grid?

Latitude provides an angular measure of the distance of the point north or south of the equator, while longitude refers to the east-west angular measure relative to the prime meridian

What are contour lines? Provide examples of their use.

Lines of equal elevation in relation to sea level used on a topography map. Uses: represents the steepness and irregularities of the terrain such as mountains

What are five important elements most maps have?

Map scale, title, legend, direction arrow, and date

Why is one "day" six months long at the poles?

Marked by the equinoxes, the poles receive six months of continuous darkness, followed by six months of continuous daylight

What are aerosols? Give examples of them.

Microscopic solid or liquid particles suspended in the atmosphere. Ex: cloud droplets, windblown dust, pollen, spores, bacteria, salt particles, volcanic ash, smoke, emissions from human activities

What happens to seasonality when axial tilt is increased?

More extreme seasonal changes

What are the two major permanent gases in the atmosphere?

Nitrogen (N) and Oxygen (O)

What factors cause seasonality to increase farther inland?

Ocean currents and prevailing wind

What are the two subzones based on latitude?

Subtropical and polar zones

What is the difference between temperature and heat?

Temperature- the average speed of molecular movement within a substance or object, and is measured with a thermometer. Heat- internal energy transferred between materials or systems due to their temperature differences.

What is the tropopause? Why is the altitude of the tropopause different at the equator versus the poles?

The boundary between the troposphere and the stratosphere; 1st- Solar heating expands air and causes it to occupy more space and heating is greatest at the equator. 2nd- Earth rotates faster at the equator than in polar regions, therefore the atmosphere near the equator bulges outward more than at higher altitudes, increasing its depth.

What is air pressure, and how much is there at sea level in kg/cm2? In PSI? in mb? Why is air pressure greater near Earth's surface than higher up?

The force exerted by molecules or air against a surface, 1 kg/cm^2; 14.7 PSI; 1,013.25 mb; greatest at Earth's surface because there's more things to push against the closer you get to the surface.

What does it mean that Earth's energy budget is balanced?

The incoming energy from the sun is equal to the outgoing energy from everything else such as Earth's surface. During the night when there is no sun, the greenhouse gases retain heat in the atmosphere, which keeps the balancing act in play

What is albedo? Give examples of surfaces and objects with high and low albedos. What is Earth's overall albedo?

The reflectivity of a surface, given as the percentage of incoming radiation that it reflects; snow- higher albedo, black tar roofs- low albedos; 30%

What is a radiative equilibrium temperature? What would happen to it if more energy came into Earth's atmosphere than left the atmosphere?

The temperature of an object resulting from the balance between incoming and outgoing energy;

What and where are the three major global zones that are based on latitude? Briefly describe each of these zones.

The tropics (in between 23.5 degrees N and S latitude) where high temperatures are the norm, and the sun can beat down from directly overhead once or twice each year. Midlatitudes (23.5 degrees to 55 degrees N/S) where the prevailing winds in the middle latitudes are often very strong and a wide variety of fast-changing weather. High Latitudes (55 degrees to 90 degrees N/S) within either the arctic or the antarctic circle.

Describe what happens to insolation (incoming solar radiation) when it is transmitted, scattered, reflected, and absorbed.

Transmission- unimpeded movement of electromagnetic energy through a medium such as air, water, or glass. Scattering- the process of redirecting solar radiation in random directions as it strikes physical matter such as aerosols, gases, or the planet's surface Reflection- the process of returning a portion of the radiation striking a surface in the general direction from which it came

List the four layers of the atmosphere that are based on changes in temperature with altitude.

Troposphere, Stratosphere, Mesosphere, and Thermosphere