Chapter 4 Review

What is meant by the term global warming?

Climate change

. How does expansion lead to adiabatic cooling, and compression to adiabatic warming?

expansion- adiabatic cooling-as air rises it expands(not as much air on top of it compression- adiabatic warming- as air descends it becomes warmer. the descent causes pressure because of the air on top

Why do we say that evaporation is a cooling process and condensation is a warming process?

evaporation- latent heat energy is stored and so evaporation is a cooling process Condensation- latent heat energy is released and that a warning process

Briefly describe how the troposphere is warmed by the Sun.

For the most part, then, the atmosphere is warmed indirectly by the Sun: the Sun warms the surface, and the surface, in turn, warms the air above.

Describe and explain the greenhouse effect in the atmosphere, noting the two most important natural greenhouse gases.

Greenhouse effect- where gases in the atmosphere readily transmit incoming shortwave radiation from the sun but do not easily transmit outgoing longwave terrestrial radiation- the most important gases are water vapor and carbon dioxide.

Where in the world do we find the greatest average annual temperature ranges and where do we find the smallest average annual temperature ranges? Why?

High Latitudes; Low Latitudes;

What generally happens to the temperature of an object as a response to the absorption of electromagnetic radiation?

Increase in temp

What is an isotherm

Isotherm- lines joining points of equal temperature

Explain why land cools faster and to a greater extent than water.

Land cools faster and to a greater extent than water because of specific heat, transmission, mobility, evaporative cooling

What is latent heat?

Latent heat- the exchange of energy when the physical state of water is changing. ie ice to water

. Explain why land warms faster and to a greater extent than water.

A land surface warms up more rapidly and reaches a higher temperature than a comparable water surface receiving the same amount of insolation.

Approximately what percentage of incoming solar radiation is transmitted through the atmosphere and is absorbed by the surface?

About 45 units of insolation—nearly half of the total—simply transmit through the atmosphere to Earth's surface where it is absorbed, warming the surfac

Briefly describe the process of advection in the atmosphere.

Advection- the horizontal component of air movement within such a convection cell

What is albedo?

Albedo- a = amount reflected over amount struck x 100 Albedo- the overall reflectivity of an object or surface usually described as a percentage- the higher the albedo the greater the amount of radiation reflected.

What are the two dominant mechanisms of energy transfer around the world?

Atmospheric and oceanic

explain the reasons for the unequal warming (by latitude) of Earth by the Sun.

Atmospheric obstruction of sunlight. Low-angle rays (such as in the high latitudes) must pass through more atmosphere than highangle rays; the greater the length of travel through the atmosphere, the more the intensity of radiation is reduced through reflection, scattering, and absorption.

Why does temperature generally decrease with increasing altitude in the troposphere?

Because of adiabatic cooling . rising air expands and cools

What is the difference between conduction and convection?

The transfer of heat from one molecule to another without changes in their relative positions is called conduction. the process of convection, energy is transferred from one point to another by the predominately vertical circulation of a fluid, such as air or water. Convection involves movement of the warmed molecules from one place to another. (Do not confuse the movement of molecules from one place to another in the process of convection with the back-and-forth vibratory movement and molecular collisions associated with conduction—in convection, the molecules physically move away from the heat source; in conduction, they do not.)

What is the difference between a radiational inversion and an advectional inversion?

These are often radiation inversions that can develop on a long, cold winter night when a land surface rapidly emits longwave radiation into a clear, calm sky. Advectional inversions develop where there is a horizontal inflow of cold air into an area. This condition commonly is produced by cool maritime air blowing into a coastal locale. Advectional inversions are usually shortlived (typically overnight) and shallow. They may occur at any time of year, depending on the location of the relatively cold surface and on wind movement.

How might humans be enhancing the natural greenhouse effect?

the amount of CO2 admissions

Why are seasonal temperature differences greater in the high latitudes than in the tropics?

. Average annual temperature range for a location is the difference between the average temperature of the warmest month and the average temperature of the coldest month— normally July and January. Enormous seasonal variations in temperature occur in the interiors of high-latitude continents, and continental areas in general experience much greater ranges than do equivalent oceanic latitudes. At the other extreme, the average temperature fluctuates only slightly from season to season in the tropics, particularly over tropical oceans.

If the concentration of greenhouse gases were to decrease, what would likely happen to global temperatures? Why?

Earth would get colder

What is meant by the environmental lapse rate?

Environmental lapse rate-the observed trend of vertical temperature change in the atmosphere

Describe the basic pattern of ocean currents (the subtropical gyres) around the margins of a major ocean basin (including the relative temperature of each current—either "cool" or "warm"). You should be able to sketch the direction of movement and note the relative temperature of major ocean currents on a blank map of an ocean basin.

On the equatorward side of each subtropical gyre is an Equatorial Current, which moves steadily from east to west. The equatorial currents have an average position 5° to 10° north or south of the equator and are propelled by the dominant wind system of the tropics: the east-to-west blowing trade winds. Near the western margin of each ocean basin, the general current curves poleward. As these currents approach the poleward margins of the ocean basins, they curve back to the east—here propelled by the west-to-east blowing westerly winds. As the currents reach the eastern edges of the basins they curve back toward the equator, producing an incompletely closed loop in each basin.

Describe and contrast the following processes associated with electromagnetic energy: radiation (emission), absorption, reflection, and transmission.

Radiation (emission)- the process by which electromagnetic energy is emitted from an object Absorption- atmosphere absorbs the radiation and heats up then radiates back out in accordance with Weins law Reflection-a redirection of solar radiation Transmission-the process where electromagnetic waves pass completely through a medium. the radiation isn't absorbed nor reflected. (ie passing through glass)

6. What happens to the temperature of rising air? Of descending air? Why?

Rising air cools Descending air warms

Describe and contrast the portions of the electromagnetic spectrum referred to as shortwave radiation and longwave radiation (terrestrial radiation).

Shortwave radiation- visible light, untraviolet and short infrared radiation. (solar radiation) Longwave radiation- radiation emitted by earth or terrestial radiation is entirely in the thermal infrared portion of the spectrum. (terrestrial radiation)

What is the difference between heat (thermal energy) and temperature?

Simply put, heat is the flow of thermal energy. Temperature represents average thermal energy. Heat goes from objects with high temperature to low temperature, not high thermal energy to low thermal energy.

Approximately what percentage of incoming solar radiation is reflected and scattered away from Earth?

The albedo of Earth, therefore, is about 31 percent.

What is meant by the angle of incidence of the Sun's rays?

The angle at which rays from the Sun strike Earth's surface is called the angle of incidence

hat is the average lapse rate in the troposphere?

The average lapse rate(average vertical temperature gradient within the troposphere) in the troposphere is average temp rate

Describe the pattern of air movement within a convection cell.

Unequal warming (for a variety of reasons) may cause a parcel of surface air to become warmer than the surrounding air, and thus the warm air will rise. The warm air expands and moves upward in the direction of lower pressure. The cooler surrounding air then moves in from the sides, and air from above sinks down to replace it, thus establishing a convective circulation system, also called a convection cell.

Briefly describe the following bands of electromagnetic radiation (radiant energy): visible light, ultraviolet (UV), infrared, thermal infrared.

Visible light- wavelengths of radiation to which the human eye is sensitive Ultraviolet (UV)-wavelengths of radiation just shorter than the human eye can sense Infared- wavelengths of radiation just longer than the human eye can sense Thermal infared- wavelengths emitted by the sun

How does the specific heat of a substance influence its rate of warming?

Water has a higher specific heat than land. Specific heat (or specific heat capacity) is the amount of energy required to increase the temperature of 1 gram of a substance by 1°C. The specific heat of water is about five times as great as that of land, which means that water must absorb five times the amount of energy to show the same temperature increase as land.

What is insolation?

insolation (incoming solar radiation) it is received at the top of the atmosphere and is believed to be constant when averaged over a year

How and why does conduction influence the temperature of air above a warm surface? Above a cold surface?

ir, however, is a poor conductor, and so only the air layer touching the ground is warmed very much (perhaps a layer just a few millimeters thick); physical movement of the air is required to spread the warmth around. In contrast, when the ground surface is very cold, heat can transfer from the air to the ground through conduction, chilling the air above. Moist air is a slightly more efficient conductor than dry air. If you are outdoors on a winter day, you will stay warmer if there is little moisture in the air to conduct heat away from your body.

Why is the sky blue? Why are sunsets orange and red?

red/orange light bends. Smaller particles will reflect most often/ larger particles will reflect almost everything

How is scattering different from reflection?

scattering- gas molecules and particulate matter in the air can deflect light waves and redirect them in a type of reflection known as scattering. With reflection the solar radiation goes back out the same way

What is a temperature inversion?

temperature inversion, a situation in which temperature in the troposphere increases, rather than decreases, with increasing altitude

What is the relationship between the internal kinetic energy of a substance and its temperature?

temperature is the average kinetic energy of the particles of matter. the hotter something is the more kinetic energy it has.

Why are the hottest and coldest places on Earth over land and not over water?

water temp doesn't change very much and land will radiate its energy back

What is the relative temperature of the ocean current flowing along the west coast of a continent in the midlatitudes? Along the east coast of a continent?

—the general circulation of the oceans is a poleward flow of warm, tropical water along the east coasts of continents and an equatorward movement of cool, highlatitude water along the west coasts of continents.