GY 101 Chapter 2 (a)(b) Learnsmarts

The solar constant is the _______.

relatively consistent amount of solar energy received by Earth.

The main process by which the Sun generates electromagnetic radiation is _______, which is the joining of two smaller particles to create a larger one.

fusion

_________ radiation is the fundamental force of nature that transmits energy to us from the Sun and is fundamental in determining our weather and climate.

Electromagnetic

Select that statement below that correctly characterizes the spatial and temporal distribution of the energy from the Sun that reaches Earth's surface.

Energy distribution varies across time and region.

_______ gases strongly absorb outgoing longwave radiation and re-emit it again as heat. This keeps the atmosphere warmer than it otherwise would be.

Greenhouse

What is insolation on Earth?

It is the incoming solar radiation.

Temperature Scale. Used mainly in science; an "absolute" scale where zero represents a lack of molecular motion.

Kelvin

What is the circle of illumination?

The line encircling Earth that separates the lighted half from the dark half.

Because energy is stored as ______ heat, the temperature of water does not change as it melts or boils.

latent

How do the different layers of the atmosphere vary?

1) in air pressure 2) in temperature 3) in amounts of composition of their gases

Water Vapor

An abundant and the most important greenhouse has, it absorbs a wide range of OLR.

The atmosphere is mostly composed of ______ and ____ gases.

nitrogen; oxygen

At the most basic level, energy is _______.

the capability of an object to do work

In general, what happens to shortwave radiation that reaches Earth's surface that isnt reflected? 1. It is completely lost to entropy. 2. So little shortwave reaches Earth's surface, scientists are unsure what happens to it 3. It is magnified and transmitted toward the Earth's core by translucent minerals 4. It is converted into other forms of energy

4

Rank the relative amounts of each wavelength of ultraviolet (UV) radiation that reaches Earth's surface. (Most abundant that strikes earths surface at the bottom)

1) The shorter UV-C wavelengths 2) The intermediate UV-B wavelengths 3) The longer UV-A wavelengths

Rank the parts of the electromagnet spectrum listed below by their frequencies. (Place the highest frequencies on the bottom.)

1. Microwaves 2. Infrared 3. Ultraviolet 4. X-rays

Temperature Scale. Mostly widely used in the U.S.; a relative scale not calibrated to water.

Fahrenheit

Which two layers of Earth's atmosphere most strongly absorb solar insolation?

Stratosphere, Thermosphere

(a) Where does the energy come from that drives most natural systems on Earth?

The Sun

Which of the following is the most important factor in determining the weather, climate, and habitability of an area?

The interaction of energy with Earth's atmosphere and surface.

Why does the average global surface temperature on Earth remain fairly stable?

There is a balance between the amount of incoming and outgoing radiation.

Why does the Sun appear yellow during the day and sometimes a reddish-orange color at sunrise and sunset?

Yellow light from the Sun passes through the atmosphere by day but is filtered out by the longer passage through the atmosphere at dusk and dawn.

Select all the statements below that accurately compare the relative energy content of the states of matter.

-A gas has a higher relative energy content than a solid. -A liquid has a higher relative energy content than a solid. -A liquid has a lower relative energy content than a gas.

If an object is to warm up or cool down, what must happen?

Energy must be transferred form one object to the next.

Carbon Dioxide

It is a trace gas. It strongly absorbs wavelengths just longer than those in the atmospheric window.

If the total amount of insolation reaching the top of the atmosphere from the Sun is 100 units, and 31 of those units are reflected in the planetary albedo, what happens to the remaining 69 units?

They are radiated into space as longwave energy: 12 units directly from Earth's surface and 57 units from the atmosphere

In addition to the changes associated with charged particles, how can electromagnetic energy be generated?

-By the fusion of particles -By changes in the energy level of electrons.

Select the ways in which the amount of insolation reaching Earth's surface varies spatially. (Select all that apply) 1. The highest values of received insolation are in subtropical deserts due, in part, to low cloud cover. 2. Variation over the oceans is greater than over the continents. 3. Regions just north and south of the equator receive more insolation than at the equator. 4. In general, lower amounts of insolation are received at higher latitudes .

1 & 4

Select the statements below that accurately relate the distance Earth is from the Sun to the amount of insolation received.

1) When Earth is closest to the Sun, it intercepts the most insolation. 2) When Earth is at aphelion, it intercepts the least amount of insolation.

______ is the process that breaks apart molecules in the atmosphere as those molecules are struck by electromagnetic energy with wavelengths equal to or less than visible light. 1. Gaussian interference 2. Photodissociation 3. Fission 4. Wave cancellation

2

Select all the accurate statements below about the concentration of ozone in the atmosphere. 1. Ozone levels drop after thunderstorms because lightning destroys ozone molecules. 2. Ozone concentrations slightly rise in the lower troposphere because it is a by-product of sunlight striking hydrocarbons (pollution) in the air. 3. A beneficial ozone layer is located in the stratosphere and blacks harmful ultraviolet light 4. Ozone concentration rises over rain forests as the abundant plant life produces it.

2, 3

Earth is tilted to _________ degrees from vertical relative to its orbital plane of the Sun.

23.5

Select the factors below that affect the thermal interactions of water. A) Shortwave radiation can penetrate water to varying degrees in part due to water clarity. B) Convection of water can help move surface heat to deeper water C) Conduction of heat does not take place in water, just convection and advection D) Longwave radiation cannot leave bodies of water due to the optical properties of water

A & B

Which event listed below takes 24 hours to complete?

A complete rotation of Earth about its axis.

Match the atmospheric layer to the reason it has the temperature gradient than it does. A). Thermosphere B) Mesosphere C) Stratosphere 1) Absorbs little insolation at any wavelengths. 2) Absorbs UV radiation due to the presence of ozone 3) Absorbs most of the very shortest and most energetic electromagnetic radiation (x-rays and gamma rays)

A-3 B-1 C-2

Match the type of heat flux to its description.

Conduction: Heat transfer by direct contact. Radiation: Energy transmission by means of electrical and magnetic fields. Convection: The vertical heat transfer by the vertical movement of a material. Advection: The horizontal heat transfer by the horizontal movement of a material.

True or False: The amount of energy that reaches Earth's surface from the Sun is rather uniform across both space and time.

False

How have humans contributed to the destruction of ozone?

Human-made chlorofluorocarbons released into the atmosphere break apart ozone molecules by strongly attracting one of the oxygen atoms.

Select the layers of the atmosphere that decline in temperature with increasing altitudes.

Mesosphere, troposphere

What are aerosols?

The various types of solids and liquids suspended in the atmosphere.

The amount of insolation received by each hemisphere of Earth is equal at the March and September ___________ and is most different at the December and June _________.

equinoxes; solstices

Select the statements below that accurately describe how and why insolation varies by location.

-Mid-latitudes experience their greatest amount of insolation during their summer as the amount of daylight is greater and zenith angles are smaller. -The equatorial regions experience the least amount of variation in insolation as zenith angles are small and atmospheric attenuation is minimized.

Which of the following are examples of electromagnetic radiation?

-X-rays -Radio waves -Visible light

What is the "atmospheric window"?

A range of wavelengths in the infrared spectrum that passes through the atmosphere without much loss

Temperature Scale. Used by most of the countries in the world; a relative scale calibrated to water

Celsius

Ozone

Importantly to life, it absorbs incoming ultraviolet radiation.

How does the global distribution of ozone change throughout the year?

The distribution of ozone varies during the year as the pattern of insolation change.

What is a major difference, linked to latent heat, between the Northern and Southern Hemispheres that influence the global energy budget?

The ocean covers more of the Southern Hemisphere, allowing more energy from insolation to be stored as latent heat.

Match the name of the latitude to its location in degrees latitude.

Tropic of Cancer-- 23.5 degrees N Tropic of Capricorn--23.5 degrees S Arctic Circle--66.5 degrees N Antarctic Circle--66.5 degrees S

The transfer of energy toward the poles occurs because energy flows from __________.

areas of surplus to deficit

The zenith angle is the angle made ________.

by a line from an observer to the Sun and one drawn vertically over the observer.

When measuring the amount of heat needed to increase an objects temperature, the heat _______ depends on the type of material and the amount of material, whereas the _____ heat capacity depends only on the type of material because the amount of the material is constant.

capacity; specific

The angle between the direction of the energy and the surface it is striking is called the angle of _______.

incidence

A molecule composed of three oxygen atoms (O2) bonded together is called _______. This molecule absorbs much of the ultraviolet radiation passing through the atmosphere.

ozone

The atmospheric gas ______ absorbs most of the ultraviolet radiation in the atmosphere, shielding life from overexposure to ultraviolet radiation.

ozone

The approximate 11-year solar cycle is defined by the number of _______ observed on the Sun.

sunspots

We measure an object's internal kinetic energy by _________, whereas the thermal energy transferred from one object to another is _________.

temperature; heat

What does the global outgoing longwave-radiation budget account for? It accounts for __________.

the way Earth loses heat through emissions of longwave radiation

Select the correct description of the latitudinal variations in the radiative balance between incoming and outgoing radiation.

There is an excess of insolation from the equator to 35 degrees latitude and then a deficit from there to the poles.

What makes polar locations unique in terms of the solar energy received?

They experience periods of 24 hours of continuous sunlight and darkness during the year.

Identify the two ways scientists use the term heat.

To refer to the transfer of thermal energy, to refer to the energy that is transferred.

What forms of electromagnetic energy can cause ozone to photodissociate?

--UV-B --UV-C

Match the relative amount of insolation received to the given regions. Assume it is the one of the equinoxes and there are clear skies everywhere.

-Equatorial regions: The most insolation received. -Mid-latitude regions: A moderate amount of insolation received. Polar regions: The least amount of insolation received.

Select the ways in which the average amount of outgoing longwave radiation (OLR) varies on a global scale.

-OLR patterns are more varied over land than over the ocean. -The highest amounts of OLR are in the tropics

Select the temperatures below that represent the freezing point of water at sea level.

0 C 32 F 273 K

Match the layer of Earth's atmosphere to its description.

1) Thermosphere= The top layer; it can be hotter than 1,500 degrees Celcius. 2) Mesosphere= 50 to 80 km above sea level; the upper part is extremely cold. 3) Stratosphere= 10 to 50 km above sea level; it is often well stratified. 4) Troposphere= The lowest layer; it is where the weather we experience exists.

Rank the following gases by their contribution of the total volume of Earth's atmosphere. (Place most abundant at top).

1. Nitrogen 2. Oxygen 3. Carbon Dioxide 4. Hydrogen

Why does the amount of insolation reaching Earth's surface vary on a global scale? (Select all that apply) 1. The amount of energy output from the sun varies 2. The amount of daylight varies across Earth 3. Sun angles vary with latitude 4. The amount and type of cloud cover varies spatially.

2, 3, 4

What change about Earth's tilted axis causes variation in daylight length for locations not on the equator? 1. The angle of tilt changes from 22.5 to about 24.5 during the course of the year 2. The rotational axis of Earth itself migrates over the course of the year 3. The direction of the tilt with respect to the Sun changes during the course of the year

3

What days of the year do all latitudes of Earth experience the same amount of daylight and darkness? Select all. 1. New years day 2. the december solstice 3. the june solstice 4. the march equinox 5. the september equinox

4 & 5

Match the name of the process to its description: A) Sensible heat flux B) Latent heat flux C) Longwave energy flux 1) The energy transfer that takes place as processes such as melting, evaporation, and transpiration from plants occur. 2) The transfer of radiation that takes place back and forth between the atmosphere and ground in the infrared portion of the electromagnetic spectrum. 3) The upward transmission of energy, mostly by convection, of warm air near the surface to greater altitudes.

A-3 B-1 C-2

_______ is defined as the ability of an object to reflect insolation. A. Inverse color B. Spectral dissociation C. Albedo D. Shortwave resistance capability (SRC)

C

Nitrous Oxide

It is a by-product of many industrial chemical processes. It absorbs some of the OLR at wavelengths in the thermal infrared.

Match the type of latent heat to a phase change it is involved with.

Latent heat of fusion=Melting Latent heat of vaporization= Condensation Latent heat of sublimation=Deposition

Radio waves, X-rays, visible light, and gamma rays are all examples of _______ radiation.

electromagnetic

The atmosphere is held in place both by buoyancy force directed upward (a flow toward the vacuum of outer space) and _________, which is directed downward.

gravity