LE 2: Physical Environment

Question 1

What is the study of ecology?

Answer 1

how living things interact with environment

Question 2

What do living organisms interact with?

Answer 2

Biotic factors: living things
1. other living organisms, etc.
Abiotic factors: non-living things
1. sun, light, water, etc.

Question 3

What is albedo and how does it relate to temperatures in the city?

Answer 3

Definition: the proportion of sunlight that is reflected back up from whiter surfaces

1. it can cause sunburn
2. cities form microclimates from how hot it is from processes and it absorbs the heat

Question 4

How does uneven heating of the sun affect seasons on different hemispheres of the Earth?

Answer 4

The orientation of the earth when it orbits, affects the summer in different hemispheres:

Northern hemisphere: Earth faces the sun in June

Southern hemisphere: Earth faces the sun in December

Question 5

How can shadows indicate the time of the day?

Answer 5

During sunrise and sunset, the sun is low: shadows are long

Near noon, the sun is overhead: shadows are short

Note: sun rises in the east and sets in the west

Question 6

What is the solar equator?

Answer 6

Solar equator: latitude where the sun will be directly overhead at noon

1. the sun will only be directly overhead if locations are in between the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn

Tropic of Cancer: 23.5° N of equator

Tropic of Capricorn: 23.5° S of equator

Question 7

What is the geographic equator and how does it affect daylight?

Answer 7

It is at zero degrees and never moves.

On September 21st, the geographic equator = solar equator

1. On March 21st and September 21st, there is equal length in daylight
2. When a location is further from the equator, more drastic changes in daylight occur.

Question 8

What are Hadley cells?

Answer 8

They’re pockets in the atmosphere that drives the flow of moisture and are caused by the uneven heating of the earth.

Equator has a lot of sunlight and moisture because plants can recycle moisture

Process:
1. Air at the equator is heated and warm air rises (evaporation of moisture)
2. Warm air cools and precipitates because warm air is not able to hold a lot of moisture
3. Air falls and warms: hot, dry air
4. Warm, dry air picks up moisture again

Question 9

How do Hadley Cells affect biomes?

Answer 9

Hadley cells drives the flow of moisture in biomes.

1. Moisture content decreases linearly
2. Temperature of air decreases and increases (positive parabola)

note: temperature of air depends on position

Question 10

What is the Coriolis effect?

Answer 10

The deflection of air because of the difference in pressure from the different speeds of air and the rotation of the earth.

Causes:
1. Deflection of air
2. Global wind patterns: prevailing wind affected by sun heating the earth unevenly and the earth spinning

From the Bernoulli effect:
1. faster moving air has lower pressure (at equator)
2. slower moving air has a higher pressure (at 30° N + S)

Question 11

How does air pressure relate elevation?

Answer 11

Lower elevations has higher air pressure because of its weight and vice versa for higher elevations. Air is warmer and denser at sea level.

Question 12

How do mountains prevent moisture from moving over land?

Answer 12

Process:
Moist warm air moves in from the ocean and flows up the mountain…

1. Cools at higher altitudes because there is less pressure at higher elevations. Air particles are moving slower = less energy produced = lower temperatures
2. Precipitation occurs because there is a lack of moisture (snow, rain, etc)

Question 13

What is a rain shadow?

Answer 13

It occurs on the leeward side of the mountain, where there is little precipitation from the air moving up the mountain.

Question 14

How do large bodies of water affect temperatures?

Answer 14

Water has a high specific heat (the minimum temperature needed to heat an object before there is a change in temperature by 1°). It buffers the temperature of the ocean and its surrounding environment.

More moisture leads to a higher specific temperature. Humidity buffers temperature transitions.

In deserts, it is hot in the morning and drastically cold at night.

Question 15

How are ocean currents affected by uneven heating and cooling, prevailing winds, and distribution of land?

Answer 15

Process:
1. Warm water flows from the Gulf of Mexico to the Atlantic: freezes and evaporates
2. Remaining water is saltier and denser: sinks to the bottom of the Ocean
3. Cold water travels along the Ocean floor and connects the Oceans
4. Cold, deep water eventually rises and circulates back to the North Atlantic

Question 16

What is an upwelling and its effects?

Answer 16

When prevailing wind pushes the water parallel to shoreline, resulting in a rich environment.

Process:
1. Faster moving water has lower pressure, which draws up colder, nutrient water.
2. Slower moving water has higher pressure which moves it offshore

Specific conditions are needed in upwellings but allow for high biodiversity.