Com 1--Eq1

Question 1

How does solar radiation heat the earth

Answer 1

Most solar radiation is received on the equator as its closest to the sun so has less atmosphere pass through. As the air at the equator is warmer the particles are further apart, solar radiation can pass through more easily
At the poles the air particles are closer together and the distance through the atmosphere is longer for the solar radiation so the poles are colder

Question 2

Explain high and low pressure

Answer 2

LOW PRESSURE
When air is heated, it rises as it’s less dense. As it rises, it cools, condenses and forms clouds and rain occurs. This causes low pressure
HIGH PRESSURE
When air cools it becomes more dense, so falls. As it falls it transfers heat to the ground. The air falls and warms leaving clear skies and little or no rain. This causes high pressure at the surface.

Question 3

Wind Direction

Answer 3

Winds are caused when air moves from areas of high pressure to areas of low pressure across the earth’s surface .

Question 4

Explain the Coriolis effect

Answer 4

Due to the earths rotation, the wind is deflected to the right in the northern hemisphere and to the left in the Southern hemisphere

Question 5

Atmospheric circulation

Answer 5

Solar radiation is distributed unevenly so heat must be moved around the world to balance the uneven distribution from solar radiation
This is done by different cells in the atmosphere
0°-30° Hadley cells
30°-60° Ferrel cells
60°-90° Polar cells
All of the cells work in the same way, just in different areas, moving different heat
Direct solar radiation at the equator causes the air to rise and move north of south(away from the equator, towards the poles), as it does it cools, falls and moves back towards the equator

Question 6

Transferring heat by Ocean Currents

Answer 6

Ocean current s are large scale movements of water that transfer heat energy from warmer to cooler regions
The gulf stream is caused by winds that help transfer heat away from the equator, this is why Western Europe is much warmer than other countries or cities on similar latitudes
There are also ocean currents driven by differences in water density
-When water freezes at the poles, the surrounding water get saltier, increasing density
-It sinks, causing warmer water to flow on at the surface, creating a current
-This warmer water cools, and sinks, continuing the cycle
-This is known as the thermohaline corculation

Question 7

Evidencing past natural climate change to reconstruct past glacial and interglacial history

Answer 7

TREE RING DATA- Each ring shows a year of growth
Warmer wetter weather means greater growth so the ring is bigger. Cooler or drier weather shows less growth as the rings are thinner
ICE CORES- The ice contains bubbles in the air from each, these bubbles can be analysed to see how much CO2 they contain. Bubbles can show CO2. Brown areas/layers show pollution and Grey areas/layers show volcanic ash
HISTORICAL- Old photos, paintings, diaries and the records of dates at regular intervals e.g. Harvests, arrival of migrating birds may give rough ideas of temperatures. Diaries and paintings from the 17th century show the frost fair after the river thames froze, Arctic ice reached as far south as Scotland

Question 8

Natural Causes of climate change

Eccentricity

Answer 8

The path of the earths orbit around the sun changes from an almost perfect circle to more of an elliptical oval