Atmosphere And Hydrosphere

Question 1

What is air pressure

Answer 1

The force exerted on the earth’s surface by the weight of the air above it.

Question 2

How does pressure travel? (From what to what)

Answer 2

HIGH to LOW through wind

Question 3

How is pressure shown?

Answer 3

Shown on a map using ISOBARS, these are like contour lines except they show areas of equal pressure, rather than height.

Question 4

What does high pressure do?

Answer 4

Often bring good weather, clear skies or predictable sun/rain. (Air is descending)

Question 5

What does low pressure do?

Answer 5

Often creates cloudy weather, storms or unpredictable rainfall and dramatic weather changes. (Air is rising)

Question 6

What is weather?

Answer 6

The short term or day to day weather changes.

Question 7

What is climate?

Answer 7

Long term averages, seasons or large area averages.

Question 8

(What type of climate?) will need to wear specialist clothing in order to be comfortable in this weather.

Answer 8

Polar

Question 9

(What type of climate?) a tricky place to grow crops that need lots of water

Answer 9

Arid/desert

Question 10

(What type of climate?) is doesn’t matter when you go as it will always be the same weather

Answer 10

Tropical

Question 11

(What type of climate?) best to wear layers and take an umbrella

Answer 11

Temperate

Question 12

(What type of climate?) Think carefully about which season to visit in.

Answer 12

Temperate

Question 13

(What type of climate?) guaranteed sunshine in the summer - great for holidays

Answer 13

Mediterranean

Question 13

(What type of climate?) need to plan ahead for heavy flooding in some months of the year

Answer 13

Tropical

Question 14

(What type of climate?) need to prepare for drought in the summer months

Answer 14

Mediterranean

Question 15

(What type of climate?) a great place to grow crops like potatoes, wheat and barley

Answer 15

Temperate

Question 16

What is the ITCZ?

Answer 16

Inter tropical convergence zone - the eagerly trade winds in both hemispheres converge at an area near the equator called the ITCZ, producing a narrow band of clouds and thunderstorms that encircle the globe.

Question 17

DIAGRAM* check in book (prevailing/tropical easterlies and westerlies)

Question 18

Explain differential heating

Answer 18

In the polar regions, the sun rays travel a longer distance to a larger less concentrated area. Around the equator, the sun rays travel a shorter distance to a smaller less concentrated area. This creates low pressure at the ITCZ because it’s hotter around the equator so air is constantly rising, so there’s higher pressure further up in the atmosphere and there is lower pressure at ground level.

Question 19

Which cell in the tricellular model is closest to the poles?

Answer 19

The polar cell

Question 20

Which cell in the tricellular model is closest to the equator?

Answer 20

The Hadley cells

Question 21

Which cell in nearest to the tropics of cancer/capricorn?

Answer 21

The Ferrell cells

Question 22

DIAGRAM* check in books for global atmospheric circulation diagram full cycle

Question 23

What are the five seas?

Answer 23

Arctic, Atlantic, pacific, southern and Indian

Question 24

DIAGRAM* of the seas on a map

Question 25

What is a bathymetric map

Answer 25

Shows the topography of the ocean floor.

Question 26

What is the continental slope

Answer 26

A steady incline mark

Question 27

Seamount

Answer 27

Mountains whose peaks don’t break the surface

Question 28

Abyssal plain

Answer 28

Thick layers of sediment, formed by dead organisms

Question 29

Mid-ocean ridge

Answer 29

Made up of many peaks along the sides of a central valley.

Question 30

Volcanic island

Answer 30

Erupted ocean volcanos, where lava drys on top of

Question 31

Continental shelf

Answer 31

It’s width varies near the shore

Question 32

Trenches

Answer 32

Underwater canyons (some of the deepest spots on earth)

Question 33

DIAGRAM* check book for the cross section of ocean floor

Question 34

How are the five oceans connected

Answer 34

By ocean currents

Question 35

Describe what happens in the thermohaline circulation

Answer 35

1. Cold, salty dense water sinks at the earth’s northan polar region and heads south along the western Atlantic basin. 2. The current is “recharged” as it travels along the coast of Antarctica and picks up more cold, salty, dense water. 3. The main current splits into two sections, one travelling northward into the Indian Ocean, while the other heads up into the western pacific. 4. The two branches of current warm and rise as they travel north, then loop back southward and westward. 5. The now-warmed surface waters continue circulating around the globe. They eventually return to the North Atlantic where the cycle begins again.

Question 36

DIAGRAM* check book for thermohaline circulation

Question 37

What are the five factors that affect Global climate?

Answer 37

- latitude - altitude - global atmospheric circulation - continentality - ocean currents

Question 38

How does latitude affect GC

Answer 38

Temperatures are hotter when they’re closer to the equator because the suns rays have lost less heat and a more concentrated. Lines of latitude are invisible lines that go horizontally around the globe.

Question 39

How does altitude affect the GC

Answer 39

High altitude places have colder and wetter temperatures because hot air rises and leaves cold air behind while also making clouds (and rain). As well as this, the air is thinner so energy (and heat) can’t be transferred as easily.

Question 40

How does continentality affect GC

Answer 40

In winter, the sea insulates the heat as it cools down more slowly than the land. This helps to keep islands like the uk warmer that other places at the same latitude. Coasts are warmer than islands in winter because the sea retains the heat for longer, but in summer, areas of coast are cooler because the sea lakes longer to heat and cools down the land.

Question 41

How does the global atmospheric circulation system affects the GC? 

Answer 41

The circulation of each cell creates ares of higher and lower pressures. High pressures are warmer and clearer but low pressure is colder because hot air rises. As well as this, movements between the high and low pressures creates wind.

Question 42

How do ocean currents affect the GC?

Answer 42

An example of ocean currents is the Gulf Stream which is a small part of the thermohaline circulation system. The tip of Florida is a warm and swift current that ensures the climate of Western Europe is warmer because it takes hot water and swiftly moves it to cold areas.

Question 43

What are some macro stores of carbon

Answer 43

- (oceans) some of this carbon is transported into the deep ocean - (sedement) coal, oil and gas - (living organisms) photosynthesis by plankton

Question 44

DIAGRAM* explain using the points, the carbon cycle

Answer 44

1. Burning fossil fuels and cement reproduction releases extra carbon into the atmosphere. 2. Use deforestation, fires and agriculture can release carbon into the atmosphere. 3. Plants and soils absorbs and release carbon. Overall they take carbon out of the atmosphere. 4. Rivers transport carbon from rock and soil erosion to the ocean where some of it is then released back to the atmosphere. 5. Photosynthesis by plankton in the ocean absorbs carbon. 6. The ocean and atmosphere exchange gases at the surface. This leads to an overall absorption of carbon. 7. Ocean circulation transports this carbon into the deep ocean, allowing the surface to take up more carbon 8. Some of this carbon is transported to the deep ocean and conform sediments 9. Coal oil and gas made from carbon buried over 1 millions of years burning. These fuels releases carbon back into the atmosphere over decades..

Question 45

What are some causes of ocean acidification?

Answer 45

- human activity/burning fossil fuels - The shift in the water is chemical make up (also reduces the availability of carbonate ions) - Different releases of carbon dioxide into our atmosphere

Question 46

What are some impacts of ocean acidification?

Answer 46

- The reduction in availability of carbonate ions, makes it harder/more difficult for creatures to make their shells and skeletons of calcium carbonate - Organism such as plankton, coral and mollusks struggle to make or maintain their protective or support structures - Marine biologist say that the number of species and ecosystems facing uncertain future - Coral reduction affects reef structures and weaker structures will be more prone to damage/erosion from storms - Area service homes and protections for various important fish species, 70% of the corals will be under threat - Sea grass grows, veteran carbon rich oceans, providing new foods and meeting areas.

Question 47

What is coral bleaching?

Answer 47

When corals lose their vibrant colours and turn white due to the expulsion of symbiotic algae from their tissues. It occurs when corals are stressed often by changes in water temperature or are the environmental stressors, and the algae can’t survive due to the conditions.

Question 48

What is an example of coral bleaching?

Answer 48

During the 1997-98 El Niño event, many coasts in the Indian Ocean (particularly the Maldives, Sri Lanka, and Kenya) experienced widespread coral bleaching.

Question 49

What are some environmental impacts of coral bleaching?

Answer 49

The decline of reef ecosystems reduce biodiversity and the increased vulnerability due to other stressors.

Question 50

What are some human impacts of coral bleaching?

Answer 50

Reef degradation can lead to decline and tourism job losses and tourism related industries and increased costs associated with artificial coastal defences.