Climate Change Flashcards
(46 cards)
what are the three main mechanics of heat transfer?
- conduction
- convection
- radiation
what is the conduction heat transfer?
thermal energy transfer, highly energetic molecules/atoms collide with less energetic giving them energy
what is the convection heat transfer?
highly energetic molecules move from one place to another, carrying thermal energy with them
what is radiation heat transfer?
atoms/molecules emit electromagnetic waves; that are converted to thermal energy when they interact with matter
sum up solar radiation?
- radiant energy takes from in electromagnetic waves (narrow wave lengths)
- includes UV, visible, IR
- all forms of life depend on solar radiation
how do water and land retain heat?
water: greater heat capacity and depth more wide spread
land: more concentrated (warmer)
what creates wind?
when a thermal circulation occurs when warm air rises and cool air sinks, this creates wind
during the day what happens to land and air?
- land heats quicker than water
- low over land high over water
- movement of air = high to low so breeze it towards land
during the night what happens to land and air?
- land cools faster than water
- high over land. low over water
- breeze from land to water
what 4 regions can the atmosphere be divided into?
- troposphere
- stratosphere
- mesosphere
- thermosphere
sum up the troposphere.
- 11 km from earth
- area contains our weather
- temperature decreases with height
what is the tropopause?
an area between the troposphere and stratosphere, temperature doesn’t decrease with height in this area
sum up stratosphere.
- 20-50km above earth
- temp. increases with height due to presence of ozone layer
- average temp. -46 degrees c
what is the stratopause?
area between stratosphere and mesosphere
sum up the mesosphere.
- 60-90km above earth
- temp. decreases with height
- average air temp, -90
what is the mesopause?
area between mesosphere and thermosphere
sum up thermoshere.
from 110-500 km above earth
temp increases with height
UV radiation is absorbed by molecular oxygen
what is the ionosphere?
a layer of charged particles in the thermosphere, caused by the absorption of energy from the sun
how much of the earths surface is covered by water?
70%
97% saltwater
3% freshwater
explain hydrologic cycle
- evaporation comes from rivers and lakes and moist ground
- condensation occurs with cooling temps. and cloud formation
- water falls in some form of precipitation
what is the basis of the continental drift theory? (4 point)
- earths crust/mantle are divided into 7 large plates and several smaller ones
- the plates are moving in relation of one another
- continents move as the plates do
- during the past 200 million years the continents gradually moved apart to their current positions
how many glacial and inter-glacial periods have there been in the past 800,000 years
there have been 8
what are the 3 reasons behind ice ages?
- eccentricity of the earths orbit: between circular and elliptical
- tilt: the tilt of the earths axis
- procession of wobble: where direction of tilt changes
what are the 2 main reasons global warming ins occurring?
burning of fossil fuels/ deforestation