Climate Flashcards
(54 cards)
1
Q
How did scientist traditionally, identify climate?
A
using temperature, precipitation, and plant communities
2
Q
What climate zone is Ontario in?
A
Continental with warm summer
3
Q
What is weather?
A
A description of atmospheric conditions, including temperature, precipitation, wind, and humidity, and a particular location over a short time period
4
Q
what is climate?
A
The average weather in region over a long period of time, usually 30 years
5
Q
What is the scientist who studies weather called?
A
meteorologist
6
Q
what are Eco regions?
A
New climate zones that classify climate based on the ecosystems in different parts of the world
They are based on temperature, precipitation, plants, landforms, soil, and animals
7
Q
What is a bio climate profile?
A
A series of graphs that shows temperature and moisture conditions at a given location
They only describe temperature and precipitation and display the locations. Projected climate 40 to 80 years into the future.
8
Q
Factors affecting climate
A
latitude/distance from the equator, presence of large bodies of water, ocean, currents, air currents, land, formations, and height above sea level/altitude
9
Q
Climate system
A
Earth has a global climate system that includes air, land, liquid water, ice, and living things
Climate system is powered by energy from the sun
10
Q
What types of radiation does the sun emit?
A
Ultraviolet, radiation, visible light, and infrared radiation
11
Q
what happens to the suns radiation when it comes to earth
A
- 51% is absorbed by land and oceans
- 19% is absorbed by clouds and atmosphere
- 6% as reflected by atmosphere
- 20% is reflected by clouds
- 4% is reflected from earth surface
(70% absorbed and 30% reflected)
12
Q
How does Earth monitor its temperature?
A
- Earth surface absorbs energy from the sun, gains thermal energy, and warms up
- Earth’s warm surface emits infrared radiation back out
- The amount of energy absorbed by earth equals the amount of energy radiated by earth so the global temperature stays fairly constant
13
Q
Percentage of energy radiated by earth
A
- 64% radiated to space from clouds atmosphere and indirect from earth
- 6% radiated directly directly to space from earth
(outgoing, lower energy, infrared radiation 70%)
14
Q
Latitude and climate zones
A
- the climate is warmer at lower latitudes and colder at higher latitudes
- Near the equator the sun’s energy is more direct and is spread out over a smaller area making it more intense
- Near the equator, the sun’s energy passes through less of the atmosphere less energy is absorbed and more reaches earths surface
15
Q
How does the climate system keep earths global temperature constant
A
- absorbing energy from the sun
- trapping, storing, and transporting energy from one place to another
- eventually radiating all the energy back out to space
16
Q
four components of the climate system
A
- atmosphere
- Hydrosphere
- Lithosphere
- living things
Each component receives energy from the sun and interacts with the other components , individual parts are continuously changing
17
Q
atmosphere
A
- made up of 78% nitrogen, 21% oxygen, and 1% mixture of other gases
- the lowest parts are the troposphere and stratosphere
- the atmosphere reflects some of the sun’s energy, absorbs and radiate some, and transmit to earths surface
- the atmosphere is like a blanket layer wrapped around earth, conserving, thermal energy to keep earth warm
18
Q
Ozone in the stratosphere
A
- 03 prevents most dangerous UV radiation from reaching earth surface
- human made compounds cause ozone depletion in the stratosphere which have caused ozone holes to form over the arctic
- CFC’s were banned and the ozone layer will recover in about 50 years
19
Q
ozone in the troposphere
A
- UV radiation combines with car exhaust to produce smog (toxic chemicals, and ozone)
- Ozone is in the trophy. Fear does not move up into the stratosphere and does not shield us from UV radiation.
20
Q
The Hydrosphere
A
- liquid water, absorbs energy from air in the sun and then release his energy back. It also reflects some of the sun’s energy.
- water vapour does the same thing
- ice reflects about 75% of the sun energy, so permanent ice plays a vital role in the climate system
21
Q
Bodies of water affecting climate
A
Regions near an ocean or Lake tend to be cooler in summer and warmer in the fall because they take a long time to warm up or cool down
22
Q
The lithosphere
A
Absorbs higher energy radiation from the sun, converts it into thermal energy, and emits the energy back as lower energy, infrared radiation
23
Q
how many land formation and altitude affects climate zones
A
The Leeward side of a mountain receives little rain because they lose moisture as rain on the windward side
At high altitudes, the area is cooler because as air rises it expands and cools down
24
Q
living things affecting climate zones
A
Plants taken CO2 and release O2 in photosynthesis and animals do the opposite with cellular respirations
Cows, sheep, termites, produce CH4 gas
some gases in the atmosphere absorb lower energy radiation emitted by earth, if the amount of CO2 and CH4 change, it affects how much radiation the atmosphere can absorb
25
What is the greenhouse effect?
A natural process whereby gases and clouds absorb infrared radiation emitted by Earth surface and radiate it, heating the atmosphere and earths surface
earths normal temp = 15 degrees C
without GE and climate system, temp = -18 degrees C (too cold for life)
26
27
summary of the greenhouse effect
1) energy from the sun passes through the atmosphere to reach earth
2) earth surface warms up and radiates out lower energy IR radiation
3) gases in the atmosphere absorb the IR radiation and radiate the energy back in all directions
4) some radiation goes back to earths surface and warms it up even more
5) much of the radiation from the sun is trapped in a cycle between earth surface and the atmosphere
28
greenhouse gases
Absorb lower energy, infrared radiation emitted by earths surface
Greenhouse gases exist in very low concentrations in the atmosphere
Main greenhouse gases are water vapor, carbon dioxide, methane, tropospheric, ozone, nitrous oxide
29
Water vapour
- water vapour in the atmosphere causes about 2/3 thirds of the natural greenhouse effect
- the quantity of water vapour depends on the temperature of the atmosphere
- water vapour and temperature are related by a feedback loop (more water vapour leads to higher temperatures, but higher temperatures leads to more water vapour)
30
Carbon dioxide
- carbon dioxide causes up to a quarter of the natural greenhouse effect
- It comes from both natural and human sources
- natural sources of atmospheric carbon include volcanic, eruptions, burning, organic matter, and cellular, respiration of plants and animals
- living things and oceans are important carbon sinks
31
methane
- there’s much less methane in the atmosphere than carbon dioxide (1.785 ppm). This quantity has result from 0.700PPM before the industrial age
- a molecule of methane is 23 times more powerful as a greenhouse gas then a molecule of carbon dioxide
- Methane comes from both natural and human sources
- natural resources include plant, decomposition and swamps and in animal digestion
32
ozone
- ozone exists naturally in the stratosphere where it forms a protective barrier blocking UV radiation from the sun
- ozone also exists in the troposphere, mostly from human sources; in the troposphere ozone acts as a greenhouse gas
- It is difficult to calculate the quantity of ozone in troposphere as it changes rapidly
33
Nitrous oxide
- there’s much less natures dioxide in the atmosphere than carbon dioxide (0.321 ppm). This quantity has risen from 0.270 PPM before the industrial age.
- a molecule of nitrous oxide is almost 300 times more powerful as a greenhouse gas than a molecule of carbon dioxide
- It comes from both natural and human sources
- It is produced naturally by the reactions of bacteria in soil and water
34
How do greenhouse gases trap radiation?
- they have multiple types of atoms, can vibrate and wiggle in many ways, and absorb different type types of energy
- whereas N2 or O2 can only vibrate back-and-forth
35
why is the Earth unevenly heated by the sun?
- the sun’s radiation reaches earths surface with different intensities at different latitudes
- Water land absorb energy at different rates
- the atmosphere hydrosphere can absorb indoor thermal energy so they act as heatsinks
- climate system, transport, thermal energy from areas that have more energy to areas that have less energy. Most of the thermal energy circulation takes place in the atmosphere and hydrosphere.
36
what is a convection current / energy transfer in the atmosphere
- The movement of warm and cold air creates a circular current called the convention current
- They are one of the main ways that energy is transported in the atmosphere
- earth has permanent vans of high and low pressure so there are prevailing winds that blow in the same direction almost all the time
- Prevailing winds, move warm air and warm water from the equator towards the poles
37
Energy transfer in the oceans
- cold, dense ocean water at the polls sink to the ocean floor
- warmer surface water from the equator, then flows to the poles that take its place
- this process is called the thermohaline circulation of the oceans
- ocean currents around the globe slowly move water and the thermal energy carries from the equator to the polls
38
Long and short term change in climate
- long-term changes happen due to changes in earths orbit
- short term variations and climate can be caused by events such as volcanic eruptions
39
Long-term changes due to continental drift
- plate tectonics caused earths continents to move over the surface of the glow for hundreds of millions of years
- continental drift changes the distribution of land mass, and as a result, also changes major air in ocean currents. These changes have large effects on climate.
40
interglacial periods vs ice ages
- for the last 800,000 years or more, earths climate has cycled between freezing ice ages and warmer inter glacial periods
- the Anković theory states that the cycles are triggered by three changes in earth orbit around the sun
1. eccentricity: the shape of earth’s orbit varies in a cycle of 100,000 years
2. tilt: earth tilt back-and-forth over cycle about 41,000 years
3. precession of tilt: as it spins earth slowly wobbles in a cycle over 26,000 years
- earth is in a warm interglacial period
41
short term variations in climate
- happen over tens of years to hundreds of years
- volcanic eruptions, be rocks, dust, and gases high to the atmosphere, blocking radiation from the sun, and as a result Earth temporarily cools down
- If the sun radiates slightly more energy, earths, climate warms up
- Changes to the oceans thermohaline circulation may cause abrupt changes in climate
- Some changes in air and ocean currents occur regularly, such as El Niño
42
Feedback loop effects
- small changes are sometimes made bigger by feedback loops and vice versa
43
Water vapour feedback loop
more water vapour enters the atmosphere when the climate warms up
Water vapour is a greenhouse gas so it’s presence causes the climate to warm up even more
Conversely, if the climate cools down less water vapour forms, and the climate cools further
44
Low clouds feedback loop
Low clouds, trapped, thermal energy near earth surface
As earth warms more clouds form
45
High clouds feedback loop
High clouds reflect the sun’s radiation back out to space, resulting in cooler temperatures and fewer clouds
46
The albedo effect
- the proportion of radiation reflected by a surface is called its albedo (ie/ ice has a high albedo)
- the albedo effect is a feedback loop between ice on earths surface and earths average temperature
- If earths average temperature drops slightly more ice forms. This ice reflects more of the sun’s radiation and earths Temperature decreases even more.
- If earths average temperature increases slightly more ice melts. More of the sun’s radiation is absorbed and earths. Temperature increases even more.
47
clues to past climate
Palaeoclimatologists study pass climate, using proxy record, such as fossils, tree rings, ice, cores, and coral reefs
48
ice cores
- ice cores drilled in Antarctica and Greenland contained trapped air bubbles
- studying the air bubbles gives information about concentrations of greenhouse, gases, and air temperature at the time they formed
- Scientist have learned that:
1. concentrations of greenhouse gases have changed dramatically over earths history
2. temperature and greenhouse gas concentrations increase, and decrease at the same time
3. earth has gone through many changes in climate from ice age is to interglacial periods and back and forth
- ice cores provide records going back 800,000 years
49
tree rings
- studying tree rings gives info on growing conditions at the time each ring formed (for example of warm, wet year versus cold dry year)
- tree rings provide records going back 10,000 years
50
coral reefs
- Scientists drill cylinders of coral and study their layers
- studying coal layers gives info on ocean temperature at the time each layer grew
51
Rock
- layers of rock contain clues, such as plant pollen or fossils, to the climate at the time and place where the rock formed
52
Ocean sediment
- scientists drill sediment cores from the ocean floor
- the layers contain fossils and other clues that provide evidence of different climates overtime
53
caves
- in caves rock formations grow as the minerals dissolved in dripping water solidify into rock
- scientist can measure and date rock layers in caves to obtain the info on how much precipitation occurred at different times in the past
54
Evidence of a changing climate
- average global temperatures are increasing
- the average size of glaciers around the world is decreasing, ice sheets covering Greenland and a Antarctica are melting, Antarctic sea ice is disappearing
- the sea level is rising due to melting land ice, but mainly due to thermal expansion as ocean water warms up
- heat waves and hurricanes are becoming more intense
- some places have more annual precipitations while other areas are becoming drier
- the frequency of very cold days is decreasing, cold days and nights are coming later in the fall and ending earlier in spring (longer growing szn)
- plants are flowering earlier, animals are breeding earlier, plants and animal community are migrating slowly towards the polls and to higher altitude
