Unit D.1 and D.2 Energy Flow in Global Systems and The Atmosphere and Climate

Question 1

Biosphere

Answer 1

The parts of Earth that support life. It encompasses a thick layer that begins 9000 m below sea level and extends to over 11300 m above sea level
- include the atmosphere, lithosphere and hydrosphere

Question 2

atmosphere

Answer 2

composed of a mixture of gases that form a layer of air around Earth.
-contains the gases needed for both protection agains the sun’s radiant energy and the survival of organisms on Earth.
- oxygen 21%(required for cellular respiration), nitrogen 78%, and other gases, less than 1% (like carbon dioxide) but are essential for biological processes like photosynthesis
-absobs heat to form weather patterns

Question 3

lithiosphere

Answer 3

• Earth cool, rigid outer layer
• includes the crust and cooled part of the uppermost mantle.
• 100 to 200 km thick

Question 4

hydrosphere

Answer 4

• the area of Earth and its atmosphere in which water is present.
• extends 100 km below the surface of Earth to 500 km above Earths surface
• because almost every form of life needs water life thrives in or close to the hydrosphere

Question 5

heat of fusion

Answer 5

the amount of heat energy required to change a substance from a solid to a liquid
- water has a high heat of fusion. Water’s heat of fusion can be quantified as 333 J/g. That means it takes 333 J of heat energy to change 1 g of solid water at 0 degrees C to liquid water at 0 degrees C

Question 6

What is the equation used to calculate the heat of fusion

Answer 6

Hfus = Q/n, to determine the heat of fusion in KJ/mol where
Q=quantity of thermal energy in KJ
n=number of moles of a substance

Question 7

heat of vaporization

Question 8

what is the heat of vaporization of water

Answer 8

2 260 J/g

Question 9

specific heat capacity

Answer 9

represents the amount of heat energy required to change the temperature of a substance

Question 10

What is waters specific heat capacity?

Answer 10

4.19 J/g degrees Celsius. This means it takes 4.19 J of energy to increase the temperature of 1g of water by 1 degree Celsius

Question 11

What is the equation used to determine how much energy is taken into or released from water

Answer 11

Q=% efficiency
= useful energy output
————————————-x100%

Question 12

What is the equation used to determine how much energy is taken into or released from water

Answer 12

Q=% efficiency
= useful energy output
————————————-x100%
total energy input

%efficiency=1149KJ
———- X 100%
2874 KJ
=40% energy in joules
m= mass in grams
^T= change in temperature in degrees Celcius

Question 13

albedo effect

Answer 13

determines the extent to which light reflects off a surface
-ice has a high albedo; that is, most of the light hitting ice is reflected
-dark rocks have low albedo, most of the light is not reflected, it is absorbed and turned to heat

Question 14

Jet Stream

Answer 14

An east to west wind at the border between the cold arctic air and the warm, southern air high up in the atmosphere

Question 15

Where does the jet stream normally flow?

Answer 15

The southern border of Canada.
-sometimes it shifts to the north, covering Canada with warm, souther air
- other times, the jet stream shifts to the south, leaving Canid completely covered in cold, northern air.

Question 16

What is the other factor that affects solar heating/

Answer 16

latitude; higher latitudes receive slanging rays and more diffuse energy, lower latitudes sun rays are more concentrated.

Question 17

What is the coriolis effect

Question 18

Weather

Answer 18

= the conditions of
temperature, air pressure, cloud
cover, precipitation, and humidity
occurring at a particular place and
time.

Question 19

Climate

Answer 19

= the average weather
conditions that occur in a region over
a long period of time (usually a
minimum of 30 years) and usually
focuses on average temperatures
and precipitation.

Question 20

What atmospheric layers does the ozone layer fall between?

Answer 20

The stratosphere and troposphere

Question 21

What is the function of the ozone layer?

Answer 21

protect living things from damaging high-energy solar radiation. It is of concern because scientific evidence shows that it is being broken down man-made chemicals,
such as CFCs.

Question 22

How does climate impact humans?

Answer 22

It impacts shelter, clothing, fuel requirements and food availability and cost

Question 23

What influences the physical and behavioural adaptations prevalent in species?

Answer 23

Climate. An adaptation is a structure or functioning of an organism that makes it suited to its environment.

Question 24

How do scientists determine if the climate in an area has change?

Answer 24

by comparing the weather over the last 30 years or more with the average weather conditions over a similar period of time in the past

Question 25

What 2 varieties of evidence is climate change usually classified as?

Answer 25

anecdotal - based on reports from people about particular weather events and how the events have changed over time
scientific- based on data collected a manner to ensure as much unbiased as possible, often relying on specialized equipment and precise data. (ex: ice core samples, fossils and tree growth rings

Question 26

What are ice cores?

Answer 26

Cylinders of ice drilled out of a ice sheet or glacier.