Brainscape's Knowledge GenomeTM


Top Flashcards (Certified)
All Flashcards

intergrated > Ocean, atmosphere, and weather > Flashcards

Ocean, atmosphere, and weather Flashcards

(96 cards)

Start Studying
1
Q

Earth is ___% covered by water. Water’s high specific heat accounts for moderate temperatures in coast line areas

A

71

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

Earths early atmosphere appeared before the Sun was fully formed

A

Hydrogen and Helium (from volcanos)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

Stages of the Earths atmosphere

A

Hot gasses escaped through volcanoes and fissure
Free oxygen occurred as a result of photosynthesis by cyanobacteria
Ozone bean to accumulate in the upper atmosphere
Water vapor condensed to form oceans

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

Continental Shelf

A

Shallow, underwater extension of the continent (granite)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

Continental slope

A

Marks boundary between continental and oceanic crust

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

Continental rise

A

wedge of accumulated sediment at base of continental slope

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

Abyssal plains

A

Flattest place on Earth

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

Deep ocean basin

A

Abyssal plains-flattest part of the ocean floor due to sediment
Ocean trenches-long, deep, steep troughs at subduction zone

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

Mid ocean ridges

A

sites of seafloor spreading(volcanic and tectonic activity)

Global mid ocean ridge system winds all around the Earth

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

Deepest part on the ocean is near_____ Shallowest water are in the _____ of the ocean around underwater mountains

A

Continents, middle

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

Ocean trenches are the deepest parts of the ocean floor because

A

that is where subduction occurs

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

Characteristics of waves

A

Crest is the peak of the wave
Trough is the low area between waves
Wave height is the distance between a trough and a crest
Wavelength is the horizontal distance between crest
Wave period is the TIME interval between the passage of two successive crests

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

Height, Length, and period of a wave depend on

A

Wind speed, length of time wind has blown, Fetch- distance that the wind has traveled across open water

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

Waves move on the

A

surface

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

Wave energy moves forward

A

the disturbance moves, not the water

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

Waves at the shore line

A

Shallow water the ground begins to feel bottom
Waves grows higher as it slows and wavelength shortens
Steep wave front collapses, wave break
Turbulent water goes up the shore and forms surf

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
17
Q

When a wave approaches the shore the water depth decreases. This affects the wave by flattening its circular motion

A

decreases its speed and distance between waves causing wave height to increase

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
18
Q

Coral reef are composed of actively growing coral organisms Organisms secrete ______ _______ as the grow
Reef survive on _________ _____. Indicator of global warming is called _____

A

Calcium carbonate
photosynthetic algae
bleaching

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
19
Q

Tides occur because of the difference in the _____ pull exerted by the moon on opposite sides of the Earth

A

gravitational

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
20
Q

Earth spins on its axis once a day it have distinct tides ___ hours apart.

A

12

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
21
Q

Alignment of the Sun, Earth, and Moon cause ______ ____ more dramatic highs and lows

A

Spring tides

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
22
Q

Ocean waves are because

A

mass of 2 objects

how far the objects are from each other (distance)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
23
Q

When the pull of the Sun and moon are perpendicular to each other, we get _____ _____ lower highs and higher lower

A

neap tides

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
24
Q

Troposphere

A 
Lowest and thinnest layer
16 km at equator 8 km at poles
90% of the atmosphere's mass 
where weather occurs -water vapor and clouds
Temperature decreases with altitude
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
25
Stratosphere
Top of the troposphere to 50 km above the surface. Ozone layer-absorbs harmful UV radiation Temperatures increase because of ozone absorption of UV radiation
26
Mesosphere
Extends from stratosphere to altitude of 80 km | Temperature decreases with altitude
27
Thermosphere
Temperature increases with altitude 60 miles up Temperature is related to average speed of gas molecules- very high speed give high temperatures -Very low density of gas molecules means very little heat absorption it would feel colder
28
Ionosphere
Electrified region within the themosphere and upper mesosphere Auroras (northern and southern lights) near the earths poles
29
Exosphere
interface between Earth and space | Beyond 500 km, atoms and molecules can escape to space
30
Solar energy- forms light | Solar radiation is electromagnetic energy emitted by the Sun
Visible, short wavelength radiation Xray Gama ray ultraviolet
31
Terrestrial radiation is remitted solar radiation from Earths surface
infrared, longer wavelength radiation
32
Sun warms earths ground and the ground in turns warms the earth
Earths temperature varies according to the degree of solar intensity- amount of solar radiation per area Where solar intensity is higher, temperatures are higher
33
Solar intensity is highest where the Sun's rays strike
Earths surface straight on
34
Solar intensity is weaker where the Suns rays strike
Earth surface at a angle
35
The lower atmosphere is directly warmed
by the emission of terrestrial radiation
36
Which one of the following is the most abundant gas in the atmosphere?
nitrogen
37
Ozone is concentrated in the
stratosphere
38
The lowest layer of the atmosphere is the
troposphere
39
_____ of the Earth's axis helps to explain the different seasons
Tilit
40
Sun's rays are closest to perpendicular at any spot on the Earth, that region's Season is in _____
summer
41
Six months later, as the rays fall upon the same region more obliquely, the season is ______
winter
42
Human activities pump greenhouse gases into the atmosphere
carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous, oxide, ozone, CFC's | The result is a warming Earth
43
Climate
what happens over time
44
Weather
what is happening right now
45
____ pressure in Amarillo and ____ at the coast
Less | more
46
Atmosphere pressure=force the atmosphere exerts on an area of ____
surface
47
Force =
weight (mass) of air molecules above that surface
48
At any level in the atmosphere, ____=total weight of air above that level
Force
49
Atmosphere pressure is greatest near the earth's surface because
of the weight of all the air above
50
Wind is air that flows horizontally from ______ pressure to ____ pressure
high | low
51
Pressure differences are caused by uneven heating of the earths surface. Local differences in ______ contributes to small scale local winds
heating
52
Plant-scale differences occur because of
solar intensity variation-equatorial regions have greater solar intensity than polar regions (different contribute to global wind patterns-prevailing winds
53
Warm air
expands and has lower density and lower pressure
54
Cool air
contracts and higher density and higher pressure
55
What drives air from areas of high pressure to areas of low pressure
pressure gradient force
56
Equinoxes
equal day and night
57
Green house effect
warming of lower atmosphere
58
convention current
convection cycle and thermal circulation of air results of wind
59
Pressure gradient force
Pressure between two different locations
60
Air currents are sensitive to change in pressure and temperature. In general, air moves from regions of
high pressure to region of low
61
The force that generates wind is
pressure gradient force
62
The two most important heat absorbing gases in the lower atmosphere are
water vapor and carbon dixide
63
The summer solstice in the Northern Hemisphere occurs on this date
June 21
64
Low pressure system turn
counter clockwise
65
Thunder is a result of _____
Lighting (lighting heats up the air, the air expands and we hear thunder) Every 5 second =1mile
66
Thunderstorms begin with humid air rising, cooling, and condensing in to a
single cumulus cloud
67
When fed by unstable, moist air, a cumulus cloud grows into a
thundercloud
68
Cyclone is an area of
low pressure around wind flow (Air converges in the center -lowest pressure- and is forced to rise upward)
69
3 types of Atmospheric lifting
Convectional lifting-cumulus clouds Orographic lifting-rain shadow frontal lifting- cirrus clouds changing to cumulonimbus clouds
70
Virga
evaporation occurs, raindrops may disappear before they reach the ground
71
Precipitation formation
- Formation of dust (must have nucleus) - Updraft - Growth of stationary rain drops of water - Falling of rain drop
72
``` High clouds begin with ____ Middle cloud begin with ____ Low clouds begin with ____ Precipitation has with ___ Vertical clouds begin with ___ ```
``` Cir Altos Strat or Nim nimbus cum ```
73
Temperature Inversion
upper region of the atmosphere are warmer than lower regions, which is opposite of what normally occurs
74
Clouds develop when
condensation rate exceeds evaporation rate above the lifting condensation level
75
Unstable air
rising air stays warmer than the surrounding air, it will continue to rise instead of retuning to its starting position
76
Chinooks
warm, dry winds-occur when cold air moving down a mountain slope is compressed as it moves lower elevation and becomes warm
77
Adiabatic processes occur when air is
expanded or compressed without heat exchange (vertical ) form when unstable, saturated air and warmer air rises
78
Adiabatic lapse rate
rate of cooling of dry air
79
Air pressure
the movement of air molecules into each other. The faster the air molecules move, the greater their kinetic energy and the greater the air pressure (Warmer air exerts more air pressure on its surrounding than cooler air)
80
Dew point is the
temperature at which saturation occurs
81
Condensation occurs when the dew point is reached
Water vapors condenses high in the atmosphere and forms clouds Water vapor condenses close to the ground surface to form dew, fog, or frost
82
Four factors influence weather
Atmosphere Temperature Air pressure Arrangement of land and water features
83
Humidity is the mass of water vapor a given volume of air contains
amount of water vapor in air ___________________________ amount of water vapor air can hold at that temperature (Warmer air can hold more than colder air) Temperature rises humidity goes down, temperature lowers humidity goes up
84
Evaporation rate depends on temperature. Condensation rate dose not.
Evaporation rate is greater than condensation rate, the relative humidity is always less than 100 percent
85
La nina
more cold water driving storms westward (dry and warm for us )
86
El nino
Driving cold water east ward (cold and wet for us)
87
Low air
rises converging air (set up for vertical circulation)
88
High air
descending, diverging air
89
Winds is air flow
horizontally from higher to lower pressure (gradient pressure)
90
More energy is required to raise the temperature of water that that of land. Once heated, water will retain the heat long than land. This concept is related to
water's high specific heat capacity
91
Global circulation of the atmosphere result from unequal heating of the earth's surface and Earth rotation
our winds come from the southwest (westerly's)
92
Coriolis force
deflect to the right in the Northern Hemisphere, to the left in the southern hemisphere (wind varies according to speed and latitude
93
The prevailing westerly winds are affected by the Coriolis effect by the deflection of winds
Right in the north and left in the southern
94
Factors that effect the wind
Pressure gradient force- air moves from high to low Coriolis force- apparent deflection of wind due to earths rotation Frictional force- air moving close to ground encounters friction
95
Surface currents are created by ____ | Surface ocean currents correspond to the direction of the ____ wind
Wind | prevailing
96
Gyres
cause heat transport from equatorial regions to higher latitudes (north hemisphere rotate clockwise southern counter clockwise)

intergrated (5 decks)

Brainscape helps you reach your goals faster, through stronger study habits.
© 2025 Bold Learning Solutions. Terms and Conditions