Visualizing Physical Geography - Chapter 2

What is albedo? Give an example of an object with high albedo and an example of one with a low albedo.

Albedo - Proportion of solar radiation reflected upward from a surface. High, Snow and Ice (doesn't absorb) Low, Black Pavement (absorbs_)

What is sensible heat?

An indication of the kinetic energy of molecular motion within a substance.

Which two factors control the amount of daily insolation of a given location on the globe?

Angle at which the Sun's rays strike the earth AND how long the place is exposed to the rays

What is counter radiation? How does it lead to the greenhouse effect?

Counterradiation - longwave atmospheric radiation moving downward toward the Earth's surface. Greenhouse Effect - CR leads to it by creating low cloud blanket layer from trapped carbon dioxide and water vapor.

Describe two processes through which solar energy is lost in the atmosphere.

Diffuse Radiation - Radiation moves deeper through denser layers of the atmosphere, can be scattered by gas molecules, dust, or other particles. Absorption - Molecules and particles can absorb radiation as it passes through the atmosphere.

How do difference in net radiation across the glove drive ocean and atmosphere flow patterns?

Energy at low lat., not as much at high lat. energy is transferred pole ward as latent and sensible heat, warm ocean water and warm, moist air move pole ward, while cooler water and cool drier air move toward the equator

What is latent heat?

Heat absorbed and stored in a gas or liquid during the processes of evaporation, melting, or sublimation.

How is an objects temperature related to the nature and amount of electromagnetic radiation it emits?

Hotter objects radiate much more energy than cooler, hotter objects have shorter wavelengths

What wavelengths are emitted by the Earth?

Longwave radiation - (3.0 - 50.0 um)

Which gases make up most of the air in our atmosphere?

Nitrogen - 78% Oxygen - 21% Argon - 1% Carbon Dioxide - 0.035%

Why is ozone important in Climate Change?

Ozone absorbs ultraviolet light from the sun, protects surface from radiation

How can we divide the glove into broad latitude zones?

Seasonal pattern of daily insolation

What are the major regions of the electromagnetic spectrum?

Shortwave, mostly comes from the sun (1.2 - 3.0 um) Middle-infrared, (3.0 - 6.0 um) Thermal (6.0 - 300.0 um)

What is net radiation?

The difference in energy flow between all radiant energy coming into a surface and all radiant energy leaving the surface.

How is annual insolation related to latitude?

The tilt redistributes a very significant portion of the Earths insolation from the equatorial regions toward the poles

What is electromagnetic radiation?

Wavelike form of energy radiated by any substance possessing heat

How is latent heat transferred from water vapor? Why is this process important on a global scale?

When vapor turns back to a liquid or solid, the latent heat is released, warming the surroundings. Earth's atmosphere, transporting large amounts of energy from one region to another.

What wavelengths of radiation does the sun emit?

shortwave radiation - (0.2 - 3.0 um)