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Physical Geography 1000 > Atmosphere > Flashcards

Atmosphere Flashcards

1
Q

true or false
Earth is not the only habitable planet in the universe

A

FALSE, it is

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2
Q

what is Earth often compared to

A

its closest neighbours (Venus and Mars)

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3
Q

which planets are Earth’s closest neighbours

A

Mars and Venus

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4
Q

Inner planets refer to

A

terrestrial/rocky planets

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5
Q

the outer planets are

A

gaseous planets

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6
Q

Why does Venus not have any liquid water

A

it’s too hot (it would evaporate)

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7
Q

why does Mars not have any liquid water

A

its too cold (it would freeze)

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8
Q

Earth and _____ have a similar size which means ____

A

Venus AND gravitational force is similar

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9
Q

Green House gases

A

gases that absorb energy in heat

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10
Q

why can’t an atmosphere have too much CO2

A

it changes the heat element of the atmosphere and changes the ability to hold heat

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11
Q

what is an example of Green house gases

A

CO2

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12
Q

what 3 benefits come from the atmosphere

A
  1. directly supports most of life’s processes
  2. protects against harmful radiation from the sun
  3. helps produce the ideal climate for lfie
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13
Q

the atmosphere protects life from

A

harmful radiation from the sun

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14
Q

the atmosphere is a

A

layer of gases that surround the planet

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15
Q

the atmosphere directly supports

A

life processes

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16
Q

true or false
the atmosphere helps produce the ideal climate for life

A

true

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17
Q

without an atmosphere, there would be no _____

A

weather or life

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18
Q

do other planets have atmospheres

A

YES, but they different from each other

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19
Q

does the moon have an atmosphere and why

A

No= there isn’t enough mass to sustain a gravitation field/atmosphere

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20
Q

what are two zones of the atmosphere

A
  1. ionosphere
  2. ozonosphere
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21
Q

what do the two zones of the atmosphere do

A

removes most of the harmful wavelengths of incoming solar radiation and charged particles

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22
Q

the ozonosphere is the portion of the ______

A

stratosphere

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23
Q

where is the highest cluster of ozone found

A

in the ozonosphere

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24
Q

_____ absorbs the shorter wavelengths of UV radiation

A

ozone

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25
Q

what absorbs the shorter wavelengths of UV radiation

A

ozone

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26
Q

what wavelengths do the zones of the atmosphere absorb

A
  1. cosmic rays
  2. gamma rays
  3. x-rays
  4. UV radiation
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27
Q

standard atmospheric pressure

A

values representing the average vertical distribution of pressure, temp and density in the atmosphere

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28
Q

at sea level what is the temperature of the atmosphere

A

15 degrees Celsius

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29
Q

at sea level, what is the pressure of the atmosphere

A

101.345 kPA

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30
Q

at sea level, what is the density of the atmosphere

A

1.23kg/m3

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31
Q

what differentiates between the fluids of liquid and gas

A

gases are able to be compressed while liquids can not

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32
Q

what state of matter is this
attraction is very small

A

gas

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33
Q

what state of matter is this
molecules are free to move independetly

A

gas

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34
Q

what state of matter is this
more freedom of movement

A

liquids

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35
Q

what state of matter is this
molecules are weakly attracted to each other

A

liquids

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36
Q

what state of matter is this
molecules are strongly attracted to each other

A

solids

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37
Q

what state of matter is this
attraction is binding, but can still vibrate slightly

A

solids

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38
Q

pressure is the

A

force per unit of area (P=f/a)

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39
Q

pressure _____ with height in the atmosphere

A

decreases

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40
Q

why does pressure decrease with height in the atmosphere

A

pressure results from the weight of the overlaying atmosphere (above us)

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41
Q

where is pressure greatest

A

where we are (on earth’s surface)

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42
Q

density is the

A

mass per unit of volume (D=m/v)

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43
Q

density ____ with height in the atmosphere

A

decreases

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44
Q

why does density decrease with height in the atmosphere

A

because air is compressible

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45
Q

temp is the measure of

A

average kinetic energy

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46
Q

temp varies in

A
  1. time
  2. season
  3. dirunal
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47
Q

diurnal

A

difference between night and day

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48
Q

heat is

A

a form of energy that flows from one object to another

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49
Q

what term is used when heat flows from one object to another (through solids)

A

conduction

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50
Q

what term is used when heat flows through fluid media

A

convection

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51
Q

what term is used when heat flows through empty space

A

radiation

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52
Q

conduction

A

the transfer of heat through solids

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53
Q

convection

A

the transfer of heat through fluids/liquids

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54
Q

what pattern of temps do we see in the different layers of the atmosphere

A

alternating patterns of increase and decrease

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55
Q

1

A

Thermosphere

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56
Q

2

A

Mesopause

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57
Q

3

A

Mesophere

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58
Q

4

A

Stratopause

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59
Q

5

A

Stratosphere

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60
Q

6

A

tropopause

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61
Q

7

A

Troposphere

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62
Q

the troposphere extends from

A

Earth’s surface to ABOUT 11 km above the surface

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63
Q

why are the distances in the layers of the atmosphere AVERAGES

A

fluids have fuzzy boundaries which change and shift according to temp

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64
Q

what is the Troposphere boundary called

A

tropopause

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65
Q

for the Troposphere, temp ______ with height

A

decreases

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66
Q

what is the average decrease in temp per km in the troposphere

A

6.5 degrees C per km

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67
Q

how is the troposphere warmed

A

from CONTACT with the Earth’s surface

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68
Q

true or false
the troposphere has a turbulent and well mixed vertical atmosphere

A

TRUE

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69
Q

where are almost all of the clouds found in the atmosphere

A

in the troposphere

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70
Q

where does weather take place in the atmosphere

A

troposphere

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71
Q

the troposphere is the most ____ withe the most ___

A

dense and mass

72
Q

stratosphere extends from

A

troposphere (11 km) to ABOUT 50 km

73
Q

what does the stratosphere reach

A

the stratopause

74
Q

at the stratosphere, temp _____ with height

A

increases

75
Q

how is the stratosphere warmed

A

through the absorption of UV radiation by the ozone

76
Q

true or false
the stratosphere has little vertical movement or tubulance

A

TRUE

77
Q

true or false
the lower we go in the stratosphere the MORE O3 (ozone gas) we will find

A

FALSE - higher = more O3

78
Q

Mesosphere extends

A

from 50 km to about 85 km

79
Q

where does the Mesosphere reach to

A

the Mesopause

80
Q

in the mesosphere, temp ______ with height

A

decreases

81
Q

how does the mesosphere warm

A

from CONTACT with the stratosphere (below it) - the absorption of ozone layer

82
Q

the top of the atmosphere

A

thermosphere

83
Q

thermosphere extends

A

has NO upper bounary

84
Q

in the thermosphere, temp _____ with height

A

increases

85
Q

how is the thermosphere warmed

A

heated from ABOVE by absorbing the shortest wavelengths of solar radiation

86
Q

true or false
the thermosphere has very little mass and density

A

true - about 0.01% mass of atmosphere

87
Q

what is the layer of electrically charged particles in the meso and thermosphere

A

Ionosphere

88
Q

what do interactions with subatomic solar particles cause in the Ionosphere

A
  1. aurora borealis (norther lights)
  2. aurora australis (southern lights)
89
Q

the chemical composition of the atmosphere is composed of both

A
  1. constant gases
  2. variable gases
90
Q

examples of constant gases

A
  1. nitrogen
  2. oxygen
  3. argon
91
Q

examples of variable gases

A
  1. water vapour
  2. carbon dioxide
  3. methane
92
Q

constant gases are

A

gases whose concentrations remain the same on century timscales

93
Q

constant gases have a _____ residence time

A

large

94
Q

what chemical composition does this describe
well mixed horizontally and vertically to a height of 80 km

A

constant gases

95
Q

variable gases

A

have concentrations that vary over time and space

96
Q

variable gases have ____ residence time

A

small

97
Q

what chemical composition is this
reactive and with small reservoirs

A

variable gases

98
Q

which chemical composition is variable based on human life

A

variable gases

99
Q

residence time

A

average amount of time that a substance might be expected to remain in the atmosphere or any of the other spheres of the Earth-atmosphere system

100
Q

what is the atmosphere a reservoir composed of

A
  1. sources
  2. sinks
101
Q

sources are ______ to a reservoir

A

inputs (increase)

102
Q

sinks are ______ to a reservoir

A

outputs (decrease)

103
Q

what constant gases have a LONG residence time

A

nitrogen and oxygen

104
Q

nitrogen residence time

A

1600 000 years

105
Q

oxygen residence time

A

3000 to 4000 years

106
Q

GHG is a gas

A

in an atmosphere that absorbs and emits radiation within thermal infrared range

107
Q

what do GHG result in

A

the greenhouse effect

108
Q

greenhouse effect

A

process where thermal radiation from Earth’s surface is absorbed by atmospheric GHG and is re-radiated in all directions

109
Q

what is the result of the Greenhouse Effect

A

Earth keeps in heat

110
Q

GHG are more _____ gases

A

variable

111
Q

why is Venus hotter than Earth

A

More radiation is absorbed by Earth, but the higher CO2 levels keep Venus warmer

112
Q

why is Mars colder than Earth

A

it has a very low atmosphere pressure means it has little ability to hold heat in despite having high CO2 levels

113
Q

Nitrogen sink from the atmosphere

A

nitrogen fixation

114
Q

nitrogen fixation

A

the conversion of nitrogen into forms that organisms can use (by bacteria and lightning)

115
Q

nitrogen source

A

denitrification

116
Q

denitrification

A

bacteria converts fixed nitrogen into N2 or N2O

117
Q

oxygen Source

A

photosynthesis

118
Q

oxygen sinks

A
  1. respiration or anaerobic decomposition
119
Q

how does carbon occur in the atmosphere

A

naturally as part of Earth’s carbon cycle

120
Q

true or false
CO2 is important to global temperatures

A

true

121
Q

the present percentage of CO2 in the atmosphere is _____

A

small

122
Q

how are past atmospheres studied

A

ice cores and the bubbles that are trapped within them

123
Q

the present levels of atmospheric CO2 are ____ than any point in the past _____ years

A

higher AND 800 000

124
Q

what has caused the atmospheric CO2 levels to increase

A

human activities

125
Q

what is a by-product of civilization

A

CO2

126
Q

when did humanity start to alter the CO2 levels in the atmosphere

A

with the start of the industrial revolution

127
Q

true or false
the increase in atmospheric CO2 is decelerating

A

FALSE, its accelerating

128
Q

what is a greenhouse gas linked to BOTH organic and inorganic processes

A

Carbon dioxide

129
Q

sources of carbon dioxide

A
  1. respiration
  2. decomposition
  3. combustion
130
Q

sinks of carbon dioxide

A
  1. photosynthesis
  2. atmosphere-ocean exchange
  3. burial of organic carbon
131
Q

what has more energy inorganic or organic matter

A

organic compounds

132
Q

true or false
carbon dioxide keeps heat very well

A

true

133
Q

true or false
CO2 cannot dissolve in water

A

FALSE, it can

134
Q

as water temps rise, ______ amount of carbon is removed from atmosphere

A

decreased

135
Q

when is the CO2 concentrations the lowest

A

summer - plants can remove more CO2

136
Q

when are CO2 concentrations higher

A

winter - less plants to remove CO2

137
Q

temporal CO2 increases due to

A

human activities

138
Q

true or false
CO2 is going into the atmosphere faster tan it ever has before

A

TRUE

139
Q

what organic methods bring CO2 into the ATMOSPHERE

A

respiration
decomposition
weathering of rocks that have organic carbon

140
Q

what are organic methods that bring CO2 OUT of the atmosphere

A

photosynthesis
organic carbon burial

141
Q

what inorganic methods bring CO2 INTO the atmosphere

A
  1. volcanism
  2. atmosphere-ocean exchange
142
Q

what inorganic methods bring CO2 OUT of the atmosphere

A

weathering of silicate rocks
carbonate sediments
atmosphere-ocean exchange

143
Q

the hydrologic cycle involves _____ changes

A

phase and NOT chemical

144
Q

water vapour source

A

evaporation

145
Q

water vapour sink

A

condensation

146
Q

true or false
water vapour is a powerful GH gas

A

true

147
Q

what contributes to double the warming of CO2

A

water vapour

148
Q

what balances the amount of heat retained in the earth

A

water, ice, and clouds as they affect the Earth’s reflectivity

149
Q

what separates water vapour from carbon dioxide

A

their resonance time

150
Q

three primary roles of ozone

A
  1. absorb ultraviolet radiation from the sun
  2. absorb Earth’s longwave radiation
  3. it is a pollutant
151
Q

true or false
Ozone protects life on Earth from harmful radiation

A

true

152
Q

true or false
ozone is a greenhouse gas

A

true

153
Q

true or false
ozone is a pollutant

A

true

154
Q

CFC means what

A

chlorofluorocarbons

155
Q

what is the impact of CFC

A

it was creating huge holes in the ozone layer

156
Q

the longer wavelengths of UVA are

A

not absorbed by ozone

157
Q

UVA makes up _____ of all UV radiation that reaches Earth

A

95%

158
Q

_____ is absorbed ONLY by the ozone

A

UVB

159
Q

did Mars, Venus and Earth ALWAYS have atmospheres

A

NO, they formed later

160
Q

the primitive atmosphere had two probable sources

A
  1. outgassing (release of gasses dissolved in rock)
  2. comets and asteroids
161
Q

atmospheric thining

A

when water vapour was lost from atmosphere as it was condensed into liquid water (oceans)

162
Q

true or false
carbon dioxide was removed slowly from primitive atmosphere

A

true

163
Q

when did oxygen start to increase in the atmosphere

A

2 billion years ago

164
Q

around 4 billion years ago ____ began to increase in the atmosphere

A

N2

165
Q

around 4 billion years ago ____ began to decrease in the atmosphere

A

CO2

166
Q

when did photosynthesis roughly begin

A

3.5 billion years ago in aquatic environments (oceans)

167
Q

when did oxygen begin to accumulate in the air

A

roughly 2 billion years ago

168
Q

are greenhouse gases abundant in the atmosphere

A

NO (not the main makeup of the atmosphere)

169
Q

are greenhouse gases bad

A

NOT in small quantities (without the world would have no liquid water)

170
Q

are greenhouse gases natural

A

yes (added to the atmosphere through natural means WITHOUT people)

171
Q

true or false
Greenhouse gases have something to do with the sun and solar radiation

A

FALSE - only relates to TERRESTRIAL radiation

172
Q

what percent of the atmosphere is nitrogen

A

78%

173
Q

what percent of the atmosphere is oxygen

A

21%

174
Q

what percent of the atmosphere is Aragon

A

1%

175
Q

Why is it hard to breathe as you increase your elevation

A

with each breath you consume less oxygen because the particles are spread out the higher you go

176
Q

where are pressure and density the heaviest

A

at the BOTTOM of the atmosphere

Physical Geography 1000 (21 decks)

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