Chapter 7-8 Twrminology

Question 1

Runaway positive feedback loop

Answer 1

Feedback loop in which a sequence of events appears to speed up with each cycle

Question 2

Positive feedback loop

Answer 2

Sequence of events that cycles back to one of the earlier events in the sequence and enhances the outcome p

Question 3

Economic system

Answer 3

The organized way in which a country or region sets up activities related to how goods and services are produced distributed and consumed

Question 4

Salinity

Answer 4

Salt content

Question 5

Global warming

Answer 5

The observed increase in earths average annual temperature

Question 6

Climate change

Answer 6

Climate change is the significant long term change is expected climate patterns

Question 7

Carbon sink

Answer 7

Any process that takes carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and stores it

Question 8

Fossil fuels

Answer 8

Coal oil and natural gas formed underground from the remains of once living organisms

Question 9

Hydrocarbons

Answer 9

Fossil fuels are carbon compounds called

Made up or carbon hydrogen and oxygen

Question 10

Carbon source

Answer 10

Any process that releases carbon dioxide to the atmosphere

Question 11

Anthropogenic greenhouse effect

Answer 11

The enhancement of the natural greenhouse effect due to human activities

Question 12

Persistence

Answer 12

The length of time the gas remains in the atmosphere

Question 13

Global warming potential

Answer 13

A measure of the ability of a gas to trap thermal energy in the atmosphere over a specified time

Question 14

Jet streams

Answer 14

A band of fast moving air in the stratosphere

Question 15

Trade winds

Answer 15

The movement of cooler surface air towards the equator from higher latitudes

Question 16

Coriolanus effect

Answer 16

The deflection of any object from a straight line path by the rotation of earth

Question 17

Wind

Answer 17

The movement of air from areas of high pressure to areas of low pressure caused by the rising and sinking of masses of air in convection currents that cause changes in atmospheric pressure

Question 18

Convection

Answer 18

The transfer of thermal energy through the movement of particles from one location to another

Question 19

Conduction

Answer 19

The transfer of thermal energy through direct contact

Question 20

Radiation

Answer 20

The emission of energy as waves

Question 21

Thermal energy transfer

Answer 21

The movement of thermal energy from an area of high temperature to an area of low temperature

Question 22

Albedo

Answer 22

The percent of incoming solar radiation that it reflects

Question 23

Net radiation budget

Answer 23

The difference between the amount of incoming radiation and the amount of outgoing radiation

Question 24

Natural greenhouse effect

Answer 24

The absorption of thermal energy by the atmosphere

Question 25

Greenhouse gasses

Answer 25

Gases that contribute to the natural greenhouse effect

Question 26

Insation

Answer 26

The amount of solar radiation received by a region of earths surface

Question 27

Biome

Answer 27

A large geographical region with a defined range of temperature and precipitation

Question 28

Hydrosphere

Answer 28

All water on earth

Question 29

Lithosphere

Answer 29

He solid portion of earth that floats on the semi fluid portion of the mantle

Question 30

Atmosphere

Answer 30

Layer of gases that extend outward 300 km from the surface of earth

Question 31

Biosphere

Answer 31

The relatively thin layer of earth that has conditions suitable for supporting life

Question 32

Thermal energy

Answer 32

Total kinetic energy of the particles in a substance

Question 33

Solar radiation

Answer 33

Radiation transmitted as waves from the sun

Question 34

Climate

Answer 34

The average weather conditions that occur in a region over a long period of time

Question 35

Weather

Answer 35

The environmental conditions that occur at a particular place at a particular time