Heat And Temperature

Question 1

What are the three temperature scales

Answer 1

Degrees celsius
Fahrenheit
Kelvin

Question 2

What is 0°C in other scales

Answer 2

32°F
+273K

Question 3

How to calculate from C to F

Answer 3

(1.8 x °C) + 32

Question 4

How to calculate °C to K

Answer 4

°C +273

Question 5

Define Insolation

Answer 5

How much energy is absorbed by the earth’s surface per unit area

Question 6

Where do you get low isolation and why

Answer 6

It is less at the poles as there are less rays per unit area. The rays travel further across a wider area.

Question 7

Where do you get high isolation and why

Answer 7

At the equator
There are more rays per unit area, the heat energy transfer is greater

Question 8

How does the tilt of the earth affect isolation

Answer 8

If the earth is tilted closer to the sun the rays don’t travel as far therefore stronger upon the surface

Question 9

Name materials that absorb heat the most

Answer 9

Trees
Concrete
Sand

Question 10

Name materials that absorb heat less

Answer 10

Any form of water

Question 11

What are the methods of heat transferance

Answer 11

Conduction
Convection
Radiation
Advection
Latent Heat

Question 12

What is conduction

Answer 12

The transfer of heat through contact
The air closest to the ground will be heated during the day and cooled during the night (the amount depends on the surface type)

As air is a poor conductor of heat, air temp at higher altitudes stays constant

Question 13

What is convection

Answer 13

The transfer of heat by the Vertical movement of air
This produces thermals or convection currents which moves around the air heated below by conduction

Question 14

What is latent heat

Answer 14

The amount of heat energy absorbed or released to a substance without an overall change in temperature
Eg. Putting ice into a glass of water

Question 15

What is turbulence heating

Answer 15

The irregular combination of advection and convection in all directions causes turbulence
Eg. When the wind interacts with the hot air, mixing it around

Question 16

What is advection heating

Answer 16

The transfer of heat horizontally, including north-south movements of warm and cold air masses
This can create advection fog if warm sea and cold land, or cold sea and warm land.

Question 17

What is radiation

Answer 17

The transfer of energy by electromagnetic waves

The sun releases a short wave radiation to the earth, the earth then releases long wave radiation back up that heats up the air

Question 18

Define Diurnal Variation

Answer 18

As night falls the temperature decreases
The Tmax will never be exactly when the sun is at its highest point as radiation is slow to be remitted.

Question 19

What happens to materials that are good absorbers

Answer 19

They get very hot during the day but then very cold at night

Eg. Sahara desert

Question 20

When does the air reach its highest temp around UK latitude

Answer 20

Around 2pm

Question 21

What can affect variation of temperature

Answer 21

Cloud cover
Wind speed
Main materials of an area

Question 22

What is an inversion

Answer 22

When the temperature does the opposite of what is expected
Eg. It is increasing in temp with altitude

Question 23

What is an isothermal

Answer 23

The temperature stays constant within an area

Question 24

What are the three types of inversion

Answer 24

Ground
Frontal
Subsidance

Question 25

How can temperature be measured

Answer 25

Mercury in a glass Alcohol in a glass Electrical resistance Thermograph

Question 26

Define heat

Answer 26

A form of internal energy which causes random motion and vibrations of particals in a metal

Question 27

What measures surface temp

Answer 27

A thermometer or thermograph placed inside a Stevenson screen, which is situated 4ft above the floor

Question 28

How do you measure upper air temps

Answer 28

A radiosonde - big balloon with a transmitter Aircraft electrical thermometer

Question 30

Define specific heat

Answer 30

The heat required to raise the temp of a unit mass of a substance by 1°C

Question 31

What is terrestrial radiation

Answer 31

The earth is emitting longwave radiation constantly, this is absorbed and retransmitted as heat through water vapour and Co2. It becomes a constant cycle.

Question 32

Define insolation

Answer 32

When an amount of radiation is received on a certain plane Eg. The radiation over the poles is spread out over a larger area than at the equator

Question 33

With latent heat during evaporation what is happening to the atmosphere

Answer 33

It's cooling down as more energy is needed from the surroundings to evaporate the water

Question 34

What is the difference for temps on earth during a cloudy day and a clear day

Answer 34

On a cloudy day more incoming isolation is absorbed by the clouds so less reaches the earth than on a clear day

Question 35

What is the difference in temps on Earth during a cloudy night and a clear night

Answer 35

The Earth cools more slowly on a cloudy night as terrestrial radiation is trapped beneath the clouds. If there is no clouds then the radiation will escape and the earth will cool faster.

Question 36

What is the greenhouse effect

Answer 36

When water vapour and CO2 in the atmosphere absorb the long EM waves from the earth, trapping them, it means less radiation is escaping so the temps increase on the ground and in the atmosphere

Question 37

What factors can affect the earths surface temps

Answer 37

Elevation of the sun Surface conditions Cloud cover Wind Turbulence Movement of Air masses

Question 39

What is the effect of wind and turbulence on diurnal variation

Answer 39

The Tmax is reduced during the day as wind reduces the air contact time with the ground The Tmin is increased during the night as more warm air will be mixed with the cold air