Section C Flashcards
(12 cards)
What is the biosphere maintained by
Maintained by a constant flow of energy which originates at the sun
What is net radiation budget
The difference between incoming and outgoing radiation in the biosphere
What does a change in the balance of flow of energy in the biosphere cause
Causes global temperatures to increase or decrease accordingly until a new balance is reached
What is insolation and what does it depend on
Insolation is the amount of solar energy received by a region
It depends on latitude and characteristics of the lithosphere, hydrosphere, and atmosphere
Does the sun heat the earth evenly?
No it does not
What is the angle of incidence and what degrees is it at the equator
Angle between a ray falling on a surface and a line perpendicular to that surface
At the equator it’s 0 degrees
As you move from the equator to the poles what happens to the angle of incidence….?
It Increases
The larger the angle of incidence the more ——- are sun rays?
Spread out
What’s the difference in the earth’s tilt between summer and winter
Summer you are tilted towards the sun
Winter you are tilted away from the sun
What is generally the earth’s axis tilt in degrees
Tilted at 23.5 degrees but varies over time
Give the dates of summer and winter solstice and explain what they are
Summer solstice - June 21st
Winter solstice - December 21st
What is the vernal and autumnal equinox and provide their dates
Vernal equinox - beginning of spring when both day and night are equal hours, on March 21st
Autumnal equinox - beginning of fall when day and night are both 12 hours, on September 21st
