chapter 4 Flashcards
Transmission
the passage of shortwave and longwave energy through space, the atmosphere, or water
Sensible heat
heat that can be measured with a thermometer; a measure of the concentration of kinetic energy from molecular motion
Radiation
infrared energy radiates from the burner to the saucepan and the air
Conduction
energy conducts through the molecules of the pan and the handle
Convection
the water physically mixes, carrying heat energy vertically by convection,
Advection
horizontal movement of air or water from one place to another, ex; wind
Scattering
changing direction of light’s movement without altering its wavelengths, deflection and redirection of insolation by atmospheric gases, dust, ice, and water vapour; thus, skies in the lower atmosphere are blue
Rayleigh scattering rule
the shortest the wavelength, the greater the scattering
Diffuse radiation
the downward component of scattered incoming insolation from clouds and the atmosphere, incoming energy that reaches earths surface after scattering
Direct radiation
travel in a straight line to Earth’s surface without being scattered or otherwise affected by material in the atmosphere
why is the ski bleu or the sunset and sunrise red
this principle applies to radiation scattered by small gas molecule and related the amount of scattering in the atmosphere to wavelengths of light, shorter wavelengths are scattered more, longer wavelengths are scattered less, the blue and violet are the shorter wavelength so they are more scattered that was we see the ski blue when the sun is overhead, but when the sun is at the horizon the blue wavelengths are getting scattered so we see the residual red and orange
Refraction
change in speed and direst of light, the bending effect on electromagnetic waves that occurs when isolation enters the atmosphere or another medium; the same process disperses the component colours of the light passing through a crystal or prism
Mirage
an image that appear near the horizon when light waves are refracted by layer of air at different temperatures
Reflection
a portion of arriving energy bounces directly back into space
Albedo
the reflective quality, or intrinsic brightness of a surface, an important control over the amount of isolation that reaches earths, 100% is total absorption, 0% is total reflectance
Light surfaces are more reflective than dark surfaces, have higher albedo values
Smooth surface is better than rough surface
Earthshine
the glow of earths albedo, or the sunshine reflected off Earth
Absorption
assimilation and conversion of radiation from one form to another, converting the radiation from one form of energy to another *when a material absorb the light instead of reflecting it
effect of aerosols
readily absorb radiation and reradiate heat black towards Earth, with warming effects, especially black carbon
Global dimming
the decline in sunlight reaching Earth’s surface due to pollution, aerosols, and clouds
Greenhouse effect
the process whereby radiatively active gases absorb and emit the energy at longer wavelength, which are retained longer, delaying the loss of infrared to space
Greenhouse gases
gases in the lower atmosphere that delay the passage of longwave radiation to space by absorbing and reradiating specific wavelength (carbon dioxide, water vapour, methane, nitrous oxide, and fluorinated gases like CFCs
what can clouds do
Clouds reflects shortwave insolation, so that less isolation reaches Earth’s surface, and they absorb longwave radiation leaving earth, they are trapped by an insulating cloud layer can create a warming of Earth’s atmosphere called the greenhouse effect
Cloud albedo forcing
an increase in albedo (the reflectivity of a surface) caused by clouds due to their reflection of incoming insolation, result in cooling
Cloud greenhouse forcing
an increase in greenhouse warming caused by clouds because they can act like insulation (prevent the loss of heat), trapping longwave (infrared) radiation, result in warming, greenhouse effects exceed albedo effects
