Lecture 2: Climate

Question 1

• is the combination of temperature, humidity, precipitation, wind, cloudiness, and other atmospheric conditions
• occurring at a specific place and time
• Short-term

Answer 1

Weather

Question 2

is the long-term average pattern of weather and may be local, regional, or global

Answer 2

Climate

Question 3

• the electromagnetic energy emanating from the
  Sun
• travels more or less unimpeded through the vacuum of space
  until it reaches Earth’s atmosphere.

Answer 3

Solar radiation

Question 4

The hotter the object is, the _____ _____ the emitted photons and the _____ the wavelength

Answer 4

• more energetic
• shorter the wavelength

Question 5

The quantity of shortwave radiation reflected by a surface is a function of its reflectivity

Answer 5

Albedo

Question 6

Global annual averaged albedo

Answer 6

approximately 0.30

Question 7

Which color relflects more (albedo)

Answer 7

white, and bright colors

Question 8

Which color relflects less (albedo)

Answer 8

-black and dark colors

Question 9

is a measurement from of how reflective a surface is.

Answer 9

Albedo

Question 10

How much albedo does black objects have?

Answer 10

<0.1 (less the 10% of its infrared energy is reflected)

Question 11

How much albedo does white objects have?

Answer 11

> 0.80 ( more than 80% of infrared energy is reflected)

Question 12

net shortwave radiation absorbed by the surface formula

Answer 12

Net shortwave radiation absorbed by the surface = Incoming shortwave radiation – reflective shortwave radiation

Question 13

some of the energy absorbed by Earth’s surface (both land and water) is emitted back out into space is called

Answer 13

terrestrial longwave radiation

Question 14

If the amount of incoming shortwave radiation exceeds the amount of outgoing longwave radiation = ______

Answer 14

Surface temperature increases

Question 15

if the quantity of outgoing longwave radiation exceeds the incoming shortwave radiation = _______

Answer 15

surface temperature decreases

Question 16

Average temperature of our planet is…..

Answer 16

approximately 15°C

Question 17

Why is it hotter in the equator than the poles?

Answer 17

= At higher latitudes, solar radiation hits the surface at a steeper angle, spreading sunlight over a larger area
=solar radiation that penetrates the atmosphere at a steep angle must travel through a deeper layer of air

Question 18

What gives rise to seasons on earth?

Answer 18

IT IS BECAUSE EARTH DOES NOT STAND UP STRAIGHT BUT RATHER TILTS TO ITS SIDE

Question 19

two distinct motions of earth

Answer 19

• rotation
• revolution

Question 20

While it orbits the Sun, Earth rotates about an axis that passes through the North and South Poles, giving rise to the brightness of day followed by the darkness of night

Answer 20

The Diurnal cycle

Question 21

Earth travels around the Sun in an

Answer 21

Ecliptic plane

Question 22

Earth’s axis of spin is not perpendicular to the ecliptic plane but tilted at an angle of ____

Answer 22

23.5-24 degrees

Question 23

resulting convergence of winds from the north and south in the region of the equator

Answer 23

Intertropical convergence zone, or ITCZ

Question 24

Spin of the earth is?

Answer 24

Counterclockwise, from west to east

Question 25

part of the earth that has largest circumference

Answer 25

the Equator

Question 26

Speed of rotation and how wide is the circumference of the equator?

Answer 26

the speed of rotation is 1674 km per hour, the circumference is at 40,176 km)

Question 27

circumference and speed of 60 degrees North and South

Answer 27

Half of the equator (20,130 km circumference) and 839 km per hour (speed of rotation)

Question 28

all moving objects in the Northern Hemisphere are deflected to the

Answer 28

Right (clockwise motion)

Question 29

air masses and all moving objects in the Southern Hemisphere to the

Answer 29

Left (counterclockwise motion)

Question 30

deflection in the pattern of air flow is the

Answer 30

Coriolis effect

Question 31

The coriolis effect, named after the 19thcentury French mathematician

Answer 31

G. C. Coriolis

Question 32

How many cells does the earth have?

Answer 32

Six Cells, 3 on each hemisphere (North and south)

Question 33

what are the 3 cells?

Answer 33

- Polar cell - ferrel cell - hadley cell

Question 34

* The global pattern of prevailing winds plays a crucial role in determining major patterns of surface water flow in Earth’s oceans. * These systematic patterns of water movement are called

Answer 34

Currents

Question 35

* Each ocean is dominated by two great circular water motions or

Answer 35

Gyres

Question 36

Within each gyre, the ocean current moves _____ in the Northern Hemisphere and _____ in the Southern Hemisphere

Answer 36

- Clockwise in Northern hemisphere - Counterclockwise in southern hemisphere

Question 37

Formula for finding Celsius, given Fahrenheit

Answer 37

°C = (°F-32)* 5/9

Question 38

Formula to find Fahrenheit, given Celsius

Answer 38

°F = °C × (9/5) + 32

Question 39

Formula to find kelvin given celsius

Answer 39

Kelvin = Celsius + 273

Question 40

Formula to find kelvin given fahrenheit

Answer 40

1. convert fahrenheit to celcius 2. Celsius + 273=Kelvin

Question 41

Whenever matter, including water, changes from one state to another, energy is _______________

Answer 41

either absorbed or released

Question 42

amount of energy released or absorbed (per gram) during a change of state

Answer 42

Latent heat

Question 43

Latent heat from latin

Answer 43

latens, means “hidden”

Question 44

In going from a more ordered state (liquid) to a less ordered state (gas), energy is _______

Answer 44

absorbed

Question 45

going from a less ordered to a more ordered state, energy is _______

Answer 45

Released

Question 46

, the transformation of water from a liquid to a gaseous state, requires 2260 joules (J) of energy per gram of liquid water to be converted to water vapor

Answer 46

Evaporation

Question 47

evaporation requires _______ of energy per gram of liquid water

Answer 47

2260 joules (J)

Question 48

the transformation of water vapor to a liquid state, releases an equivalent amount of energy.

Answer 48

Condensation

Question 49

- The amount of pressure that water vapor exerts independent of the pressure of dry air - defined in units of pascals (Pa)

Answer 49

Vapor pressure

Question 50

The water vapor content of air at saturation

Answer 50

saturation vapor pressure

Question 51

* The saturation vapor pressure, also known as the water vapor capacity of air _________

Answer 51

cannot be exceeded

Question 52

If the vapor pressure exceeds the capacity, ___________

Answer 52

condensation occurs

Question 53

Saturation vapor pressure varies with temperature, ____________________________

Answer 53

increasing as air temperature increases

Question 54

Warm air has greater ______ for water vapor than does _______

Answer 54

capacity; cold air

Question 55

The amount of water in a given volume of air

Answer 55

Absolute humidity

Question 56

A more familiar measure of the water content of the air

Answer 56

relative humidity

Question 57

At saturation vapor pressure, the relative humidity is ____________

Answer 57

100 percent

Question 58

If air cools, while the actual mositure content stays constant then......

Answer 58

Relative humidity increases as the saturation vapor pressure declines

Question 59

If the air cools to a point where the actual vapor pressure is equal to the saturation vapor pressure, moisture in the air will ____________

Answer 59

condense

Question 60

As it rises, it cools, and as it cools, the _____________________

Answer 60

relative humidity increases

Question 61

When the relative humidity reaches 100 percent, water vapor condenses and forms _______

Answer 61

Clouds

Question 62

As soon as particles of water or ice in the air become too heavy to remain suspended _____

Answer 62

precipitation falls

Question 63

* For a given water content of a parcel of air (vapor pressure), the temperature at which saturation vapor pressure is achieved (relative humidity is 100 percent) is

Answer 63

dew point temperature