Ch 24 RAT'S - PHS 111

Going from Earth's surface up toward space, Earth's atmospheric layers are the

troposphere, stratosphere, mesosphere, thermosphere, and exosphere.

Volcanic activity during Earth's early history helped create a primitive atmosphere composed of

water vapor, carbon dioxide, and nitrogen.

Which pulls with the greater force on Earth's oceans?

The Sun.

What is the greenhouse gas most responsible for the greenhouse effect on Earth?

Water vapor.

Earth's surface and lower atmosphere is warm because

atmospheric gases (such as water vapor and carbon dioxide) trap and absorb long-wavelength terrestrial radiation.

The Coriolis force influences the wind by

changing the direction of the wind.

Air has weight and exerts pressure on Earth's surface. As you move higher above Earth's surface, air pressure

decreases.

Ocean tides are caused by differences in the

distance of the Sun from the Moon.

Variation in the ocean's salinity content is influenced by factors that increase or decrease supplies of fresh water. Factors that decrease the supply of fresh water include

evaporation and formation of ice

A factor that increases ocean salinity is

formation of sea ice.

The ultimate cause of ocean surface currents is

frictional drag by prevailing winds.

The wind blows in response to

pressure differences

Air motion is greatly influenced by

pressure differences, temperature differences, the Coriolis force

The variation in temperatures at Earth's surface and corresponding seasons are a result of

the varying angles of the Sun's rays on Earth's surface.

Compared to lands far from the oceans, lands that border the oceans tend to have

small seasonal variations.

Aside from the influence of the Coriolis force, the three main driving forces of air motion are

temperature differences, pressure differences, and surface friction.

Earth's lower atmosphere is kept warm by

terrestrial radiation.

Earth's surface is slow to heat up or cool down primarily because of

the high heat capacity of water.

Planet Earth experiences changes of the seasons because of

the tilt of earths axis

The Coriolis force is the apparent deflection of winds from a straight-line path to a curved path due to the rotation of the earth. A result of the Coriolis force is the deflection of

winds to the right in the Northern Hemisphere and to the left in the Southern Hemisphere. Latitude also influences the degree of deflection. Deflection is greatest at the polar regions and lessens towards the equator.