Chapter 2 Flashcards
(21 cards)
What is the process by which heat is transferred through the atmosphere by direct contact of molecules?
Conduction
True or False: Conduction is the primary method of heat transfer in the atmosphere.
False
What is the process by which heat is transferred through the atmosphere by mixing of fluids?
Convection
Which method of heat transfer in the atmosphere involves the transfer of energy in the form of electromagnetic waves?
Radiation
In radiation, what is the source of the electromagnetic waves that transfer heat?
The Sun
What is the term for the process by which the Earth’s surface absorbs solar radiation and then emits it as infrared radiation?
Radiative cooling
What is the name of the layer of the atmosphere where most of the absorption of solar radiation occurs?
Stratosphere
What is the name of the phenomenon where certain gases in the atmosphere trap heat and prevent it from escaping into space?
Greenhouse effect
Which gas is primarily responsible for the greenhouse effect in the Earth’s atmosphere?
Carbon dioxide
What is the term for the process by which heat is transferred horizontally through the movement of the fluid itself?
Advection
What is the name of the process by which heat is transferred from one object to another through electromagnetic waves?
Thermal radiation
What is the term for the transfer of heat between two surfaces that are not in direct contact with each other?
Heat transfer by radiation
Which type of surface is a better absorber of radiation: dark or light?
Dark
What is the name of the law that states that the total energy radiated by a black body is proportional to the fourth power of the body’s absolute temperature?
Stefan-Boltzmann law
What are selective absorbers in the atmosphere?
Substances that absorb specific wavelengths of radiation while allowing others to pass through.
Name primary selective absorber in the atmosphere (of solar radiation)
Water vapour
How do selective absorbers affect Earth’s energy balance?
They trap heat contributing to the greenhouse effect.
Why is the ozone a selective absorber?
It absorbs UV radiation, protecting life on earth.
What is the impact of selective absorbers on climate change?
Increased concentrations of selective absorbers enhance the greenhouse effect leading to global warming.
What is albedo?
The measure of the reflectivity of a surface - how much solar radiation is reflected back into space.
How does angle of sunlight impact the absorption of solar radiation?
Sunlight at steeper angle is absorbed more efficiently than shallower angle.
