chapter 4 checkpoint quiz

ozone

a pale blue gas composed of molecules made up of 3 oxygen atoms -03 -in stratosphere

stratosphere

above the troposphere -extends from roughly 16 to 50 km -where protective layer floats -JET STREAMS!!!

rain shadow

air is now warm and dry and process arid conditions on the leeward side forming the region

thermohaline circulation

another oceanic circulation that drives the mixing of surface water and deep water -drive by surface waters that contain unusually large amounts of salt

upwelling

as the surface currents separate/diverge from one another, deeper waters rise and replace the water that has moved away

climate

average weather that occurs in a given region over a long period (several decades) -affects distribution of species around the globe

leeward side

cold/dry air travels here and descends and experiences high pressures which causes adiabatic heating

intertropical convergence zone

e area of Earth that receives the most intense sunlight and where the ascending branches of the two Hadley cells converge -NOT FIXED LOCATION but moves N and S of Equator with sun

The El Niño Southern Oscillation

every 3 to 7 years, the interaction of the Earth's atmosphere and ocean cause surface currents in the tropical Pacific Ocean to reverse direction

mangrove

found along tropical and subtropical coasts -contain trees whose roots are submerged in water -salt tolerant and protect coastlines from erosion and storm damage

lakes and ponds

standing water that some is too deep to support emergent vegetation

borreal forest (taiga)

subarctic biome that has cold climate and plant growth is more constrained by temp than precip -coniferous evergreen trees -EXTENSIVELY LODGED

albedo

the % of incoming light that is reflected from surface

weather

the short term conditions of the atmosphere in a local area. These include temperature, humidity, clouds, precipitation, wind speed and atmospheric pressure

exosphere

upper, thin part of the atmosphere

estuary

wetland formed where a river meets the sea -contain a mixture of fresh water and salt water -affected by the rise and fall of ocean tides -shallow

mesosphere

where shooting stars blaze -middle layer, where temp drops

woodlands/shrublands/chappral

-Hot, dry summers and mild, rainy winters -common wildfires -12-month growing season, but plant growth is constrained by low precip in summer and by low temperatures in winter

tropical rainforest

-average annual temperatures exceed 20˚C -precip occurs frequently -warm and wet with little temperature variation -more biodiversity

desert

-biome found at 30 N and S with hot temps and extremely dry conditions -ex. Mojave Desert, Sahara, Arabian Desert, etc.

coral

-found in warm shallow waters beyond shoreline -found in water that is poor in nutrients and food

trophosphere

-lower atmosphere, closest to Earth's surface -WEATHER FORMS HERE!!!

temperate seasonal forest

-receive over 1 m (39 inches) of precipitation annually -found in US (MD), Japan, China, etc. -broadleaf deciduous trees

windward

-side facing the wind -air rises and experiences high pressures of adiabatic cooling

Gulf Stream

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