Unit 2 - Chapter 4

Which of the following has the highest albedo?

snow

The Coriolis effect is responsible for

the deflection of atmospheric current

Rain shadows cause mountains to be _____ on one side

dry

El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO)

- A reversal of wind and water currents in the South Pacific. - In a normal year, trade winds push warm surface waters away from the coast of South America and promote the upwelling of water from the ocean bottom. - In an El Niño year, trade winds weaken or reverse direction, so warm waters build up along the west coast of Peru. - 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. - First, the trade winds near South America weaken. - This weakening allows warm equatorial water from the western Pacific to move eastward toward the west coast of South America. - The movement of warm water and air toward South America suppresses upwelling off the coast of Peru and decreases productivity there, reducing fish populations near the coast. - These periodic changes in wind and ocean currents are collectively called the El-Niño Southern Oscillation, or ENSO.

Rain Shadows

- Air moving inland from the ocean contains a large amount of water vapor. When it meets the windward side of a mountain range (the side facing the wind), it rises and begins to experience adiabatic cooling. - Because water vapor condenses as air cools, clouds form and precipitation falls. - The presence of the mountain range causes large amounts of precipitation to fall on its windward side. - The cold, dry air then travels to the other side of the mountain range (the leeward side), where it descends and experiences higher pressures, which cause adiabatic heating. - This air is now warm and dry and produces arid conditions on the leeward side forming the region called a rain shadow.

Earth's rotation causes the Coriolis effect

- As Earth rotates, its surface moves much faster at the equator than in mid-latitude and polar regions. - The faster rotation speeds found closer to the equator cause objects that are moving directly north or south to deflect.

Atmospheric Convection Currents

- Hadley cell - Intertropical convergence zone (ITCZ) - Polar cell - Ferrell cell

Surface ocean currents move warm and cold water around the globe

- Ocean currents are driven by a combination of temperature, gravity, prevailing winds, the Coriolis effect, and the locations of continents. - Warm water, like warm air, expands and rises. - Gyre

Air has several important properties that determine how it circulates in the atmosphere

- Saturation point - Adiabatic cooling - Adiabatic heating - Latent heat release

Earth's tilt causes seasonal changes in climate

- The Earth's axis of rotation is tilted 23.5 ˚. - When the Northern Hemisphere is tilted toward the Sun, the Southern Hemisphere is tilted away from the Sun, and vice versa

Coriolis Effect

- The deflection of an object's path due to the rotation of Earth. - The prevailing winds of the world are produced by a combination of atmospheric convection currents and the Coriolis effect. - A ball thrown from the North Pole toward the equator would be deflected to the west by the Coriolis effect. - The different rotation speeds of Earth at different latitudes cause a deflection in the paths of traveling objects.

Deep water currents circulate ocean water over long time periods

- Thermohaline circulation - Scientists believe this process is crucial for moving heat and nutrients around the globe. - Thermohaline circulation appears to be driven by surface waters that contain unusually large amounts of salt. - Some of the water that flows from the Gulf of Mexico to the North Atlantic freezes or evaporates, and the salt that remains behind increases the salt concentration of the water. - This cold, salty water is relatively dense, so it sinks to the bottom of the ocean, mixing with deeper ocean waters. - These two processes create the movement necessary to drive a deep, cold current that slowly moves past Antarctica and northward to the northern Pacific Ocean.

Ocean Currents

- Upwelling The upward movement of ocean water toward the surface as a result of diverging currents. - This upward movement of water brings nutrients from the ocean bottom that supports the large populations of producers, which in turn support large populations of fish.

Point C of Sequencing the Hadley Cell System

1.) ...Colder air at the high altitude begins to sink/ subside back to the surface 2.) As the air descends, it warms and evaporates any residual moisture 3.) An area of high pressure is created at the ground surface... 4.) ...which generally means cloudless skies 5.) ...at 30 degrees N and 30 degrees S, there are areas of pressure called... 6.) ...subtropical anticyclones

Point D of Sequencing the Hadley Cell System

1.) On reaching the ground the subtropical anticyclones, some of the air returns to the... 2.) ...equatorial latitudes as consistent winds 3.) These movements of air from both N and S of the equator are... 4.) ...also affected by the Coriolis effect... 5.) ...and are deflected to the right in the northern hemisphere... 6.) ...and to the left in the southern hemisphere

Point A of Sequencing the Hadley Cell System

1.) Sun is directly overhead & high in the sky 2.) Ground surface at the equator becomes very hot 3.) Water at/on the surface evaporates 4.) Hot air and water vapor rises by... 5.) Water vapor condenses to form heavy rain/ thunder 6.) Convection currents 7.) Low pressure develops 8.) The area of low pressure in the equatorial latitudes is... 9.) Known as inter-tropical convergence zone (ITCZ)

Point B of Sequencing the Hadley Cell System

1.) The poleward movement of air at high altitudes 2.) Air circulates as upper westerly winds around the planet due to deflection effect... 3.) Known as the Coriolis effect... 4.) The air that has risen moves in a poleward direction 5.) Both north and south of the equator 6.) The overall/ net effect is that the air still moves poleward

Hadley Cell

A convection current in the atmosphere that cycles between the equator and 30° N and 30° S. Hadley cells are atmospheric convection currents that operate between the equator and 30° N and 30° S. Solar energy warms humid air in the tropics. The warm air rises and eventually cools below its saturation point. The water vapor it contains condenses into clouds and precipitation. The air, which now contains little moisture, sinks to Earth's surface at approximately 30° N and 30° S. As the air descends, it is warmed by adiabatic heating. This descent of hot, dry air causes desert environments to develop at those latitudes.

Ferrell Cell

A convection current in the atmosphere that lies between Hadley cells and polar cells.

Polar Cell

A convection current in the atmosphere, formed by air that rises at 60° N and 60° S and sinks at the poles, 90° N and 90° S.

Gyre

A large-scale pattern of water circulation that moves clockwise in the Northern Hemisphere and counterclockwise in the Southern Hemisphere.

Throposphere

A layer of the atmosphere closest to the surface of Earth, extending up to approximately 16 km (10 miles).

Rain shadow

A region with dry conditions found on the leeward side of a mountain range as a result of humid winds from the ocean causing precipitation on the windward side. Rain shadows occur where humid winds blowing inland from the ocean meet a mountain range. On the windward (wind-facing) side of the mountains, air rises and cools, and large amounts of water vapor condense to form clouds and precipitation. On the leeward side of the mountains, cold, dry air descends, warms via adiabatic heating, and causes much drier conditions.

Thermohaline Circulation

An oceanic circulation pattern that drives the mixing of surface water and deep water. The sinking of dense, salty water in the North Atlantic drives a deep, cold current that moves slowly around the world.

The amount of solar energy reaching Earth varies with location

As the Sun's energy passes through the atmosphere and strikes land and water, it warms the surface of Earth. But this warming does not occur evenly across the planet because: - The angle at which the Sun's rays strike varies. - The amount of surface area over which the Sun's rays are distributed varies - Some areas of Earth reflect more solar energy than others. - Albedo

Earth's seasons

Because Earth's axis of rotation is tilted 23.5°, the latitude that receives the most direct rays of the Sun and the most hours of daylight changes throughout the year as Earth orbits the Sun. Thus Earth's tilt produces predictable seasons. This diagram illustrates the pattern of seasons in the Northern Hemisphere.

Which of the following does NOT play a role in causing a rain shadow?

Cold polar air

The El-Niño Southern Oscillation is caused by a _____ in ocean currents

shift

Atmospheric convection current

Global patterns of air movement that are initiated by the unequal heating of Earth.

Which of the following does NOT contribute to atmospheric convection currents?

Gyres

Which is the correct order of the convection cells, starting from the equator?

Hadley, Ferrell, Polar

Which of the following contributes to the unequal warming of Earth? I. Variation in the angle of sunlight that reaches Earth II. Variation in the amount of surface area over which the Sun's rays are distributed III. Variation in the amount of sunlight reflected from clouds

I and II only

Summer in the Northern Hemisphere is warmer primarily because of I. increased atmospheric absorption of solar radiation. II. the tilt of Earth's axis. III. reduced albedo.

II only

Which of the following is NOT true of an El Niño- Southern Oscillation (ENSO) event?

It causes increased upwelling on the coast of South America.

Oceanic Circulation Patterns

Oceanic circulation patterns are the result of differential heating, gravity, prevailing winds, the Coriolis effect, and the locations of continents. Each of the five major ocean basins contains a gyre driven by the trade winds in the tropics and the westerlies at mid-latitudes. The result is a clockwise circulation pattern in the Northern Hemisphere and a counterclockwise circulation pattern in the Southern Hemisphere. Along the west coasts of many continents, currents diverge and cause the upwelling of deeper and more fertile water.

Which of the following does NOT drive ocean currents?

Precipitation

Prevailing wind patterns

Prevailing wind patterns around the world are produced by a combination of atmospheric convection currents and the Coriolis effect.

Which atmospheric layer contains the protective ozone layer?

Stratosphere

Climate

The average weather that occurs in a given region over a long period of time

Adiabatic cooling

The cooling effect of reduced pressure on air as it rises higher in the atmosphere and expands.

Adiabatic heating

The heating effect of increased pressure on air as it sinks toward the surface of Earth and decreases in volume.

Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ)

The latitude that receives the most intense sunlight, which causes the ascending branches of the two Hadley cells to converge.

Stratosphere

The layer of the atmosphere above the troposphere, extending roughly 16 to 50 km (10-31 miles) above the surface of Earth

Saturation point

The maximum amount of water vapor in the air at a given temperature

Albedo

The percentage of incoming sunlight reflected from a surface. The albedo of a surface is the percentage of the incoming solar energy that it reflects. Snow and ice reflect much of the solar energy that they receive, but darker objects such as forests and asphalt paving reflect very little energy, which means that they absorb most of the solar energy that strikes them.

Latent heat release

The release of energy when water vapor in the atmosphere condenses into liquid water.

Weather

The short-term conditions of the atmosphere in a local area, which include temperature, humidity, clouds, precipitation, and wind speed

The layers of Earth's atmosphere

The troposphere is the atmospheric layer closest to Earth. Because the density of air decreases with altitude, the troposphere's temperature also decreases with altitude. Temperature increases with altitude in the stratosphere because the Sun's UV-B and UV-C rays warm the upper part of this layer. Temperatures in the thermosphere can reach 1,750°C (3,182°F).

Climate change could potentially disrupt which one of the following phenomena?

Thermohaline circulation

Differential heating of Earth

Tropical regions near the equator receive more solar energy than mid-latitude and polar regions, where the Sun's rays strike Earth's surface at an oblique angle.

Which list is in the correct order of atmospheric layers starting from Earth's surface?

Troposphere, stratosphere, mesosphere, thermosphere, exosphere

Atmospheric Currents

Warming at Earth's surface causes air to rise up into the atmosphere where it experiences lower pressures, adiabatic cooling, and latent heat release. The cool air near the top of the atmosphere is then displaced horizontally before it sinks back to Earth. As it sinks, the air experiences adiabatic heating and then moves horizontally along the surface of Earth to complete the cycle.

Temperature change in adiabatic heating occurs due to

a pressure increase

Atmospheric convection currents move _____ and _____ around the globe

air; moisture

Latent heat release

increases air temperature

Gyres do all of the following EXCEPT

redistribute nutrients from the deep ocean.

The maximum amount of water vapor air can hold at a given temperature is called the

saturation point

High productivity and nutrient availability in the ocean occurs in areas with

upwelling.