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182 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
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Air pressure decreases rapidly with increasing altitude.
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True
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By chemical composition, the atmosphere is divided into the troposphere and the heterosphere.
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False
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The thermosphere, mesosphere, stratosphere, and troposphere are layers of the atmosphere with distinctly different temperature characteristics.
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True
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Gases in the heterosphere are evenly mixed and generally inert.
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False
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The thermosphere comprises roughly the same layer as the homosphere.
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False
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The ionosphere protects us from dangerous radiation by absorbing (or filtering) the shortest and most dangerous wavelengths coming from the Sun.
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True
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For practical purposes the atmosphere is considered to extend to 480 kilometers from the Earth's surface. Beyond this is the exosphere.
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True
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The tropopause is located at the top of the troposphere.
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True
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A temperature inversion occurs when temperature decreases with altitude, effectively creating a layer of cold air between two layers of warm air.
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False
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Transportation is the major anthropogenic (human-caused) source for carbon monoxide in the atmosphere.
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True
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Animal waste is the single largest source of ozone in the lower atmosphere.
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False
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Volcanoes, forest fires, and dust storms are all natural sources of air pollution.
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True
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Surface ozone is even more beneficial to humans than the ozone found higher up in the atmosphere.
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False
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When we measure air ________, we are measuring the vibrational (or kinetic) energy of the air molecules.
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Temperature
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In the list below, the layer of the atmosphere that shields Earth's surface from harmful ultraviolet radiation is the ____________.
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Ozonosphere
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Gases such as nitrogen, oxygen, and argon are considered ____________ components of the modern atmosphere.
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Stable
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While ________________ is a naturally occurring gas in Earth's atmosphere, it became a pollution problem only after fossil-fuel burning vehicles became concentrated in urban areas.
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Carbon Monoxide
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A temperature inversion can be described as a temporary reversal in the __________.
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Normal Lapse Rate
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Photochemical ____________ is formed when the products of automobile exhaust are exposed to sunlight.
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Smog
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According to your text, we might describe the next phase in the atmosphere's evolution as the ______________ atmosphere.
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Anthropogenic
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Sulfur dioxide in the atmosphere reacts with oxygen to form sulfer trioxide, a highly reactive gas that, in the presence of water, forms ________ acid.
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Sulfuric Acid
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__________ consist(s) of dirt, dust, soot, and ash from industrial and natural sources.
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Particular Matter PM
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Ninety percent (90%) of the total mass of the atmosphere can be found in the ___________.
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Trophosphere
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Correctly apply the normal lapse rate (6.4 C degrees per 1000 meters) to the following scenario. Assuming a surface temperature of 40 degrees C (over 100 degrees F!), what will the temperature be 10 kilometers (6 miles) above the surface?
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-24 degrees C (-12 degrees F)
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The source of the Sun's energy is a fission reaction in which a hydrogen nucleus splits into several helium nuclei.
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False
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The Sun emits radiation composed only of visible light wavelengths.
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False
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X-ray radiation is one component of the Sun's electromagnetic spectrum.
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True
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Sunspots are the result of magnetic storms on the sun.
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True
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At any point along the circle of illumination, the Sun would be on the horizon.
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True
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The solar constant is the position of the Sun at perihelion.
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False
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If the speed of Earth's rotation increased 50 percent, the length of a year would not change. However, each day would be shorter.
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True
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For locations north of the Tropic of Cancer, the Sun's altitude reaches its annual maximum on the December solstice.
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False
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At the equator, daylength (duration of exposure to the Sun) is a constant 12 hours/day throughout the year.
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True
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The axial tilt of the Earth is 23.5 degrees from a perpendicular to the plane of the ecliptic.
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True
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Seasons occur as Earth moves closer to -- and farther from -- the Sun during the course of the year.
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False
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The Sun's __________ is the latitude of the subsolar point.
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Declination
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A(n) __________ is a large magnetic storm that reveals unusual solar activity.
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Sunspot
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On the December solstice, the __________ is at 23.5 degrees south latitude.
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Subsolar Point
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Daylength for virtually all points on Earth is almost exactly 12 hours on the __________.
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Equinoxes
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At the South Pole, daylength is 24 hours/day for all days between __________.
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September and March
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The top of the atmosphere, also considered the outer boundary of Earth's energy system, is referred to as the __________.
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Thermopause
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__________ is the balance between incoming shortwave and outgoing longwave radiation.
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Net Radiation
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The Earth is at __________ during the Northern hemisphere winter (on or about January 3).
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Perphilion
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The Earth's __________ produces the continually changing daily pattern of day and night.
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Rotation
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The __________ consists of billions of stars as well as our own solar system.
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Milkyy Way Galaxy
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The passage of shortwave and longwave radiation through the atmosphere is called refraction.
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False
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Surfaces with high albedo reflect more light than those with low albedo.
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True
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Energy is transferred from low latitudes to high latitudes by advection.
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True
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Emissions of sulfer dioxide may offset some of the effects of greenhouse warming by increasing albedo.
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True
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Naturally occurring carbon dioxide in the atmosphere is responsible for the greenhouse effect.
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True
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Urban heat islands result from the fact that metal, glass, concrete, and other construction materials reflect more insolation than do natural vegetation and soil.
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False
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Most longwave energy emitted by Earth's surface is absorbed by the atmosphere before it reaches space.
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True
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When solar energy entering the Earth/atmosphere system is accounted for, 31% is absorbed at Earth's surface, 21% is absorbed by atmospheric gases, dust, and clouds, 3% is absorbed by ozone, and the remaining 45% is reflected back to space.
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False
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Insolation is absorbed by atmospheric gases, dust, clouds, and statospheric ozone, as well as by land and water surfaces.
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True
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In the natural radiation balance between Earth and the atmosphere, nonradiative transfers of energy occur by convection, conduction, and latent heat of evaporation.
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True
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Light entering the atmosphere bends in a process known as _________________
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Refraction
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________________ is the difference between absorbed and emitted radiation.
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Net Radiation
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From approximately 36 degrees N latitude to 36 degrees S latitude, an energy __________ occurs in the radiation balance.
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Surplus
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_________ is the molecule-to-molecule transfer of heat energy as it diffuses through a substance.
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Conduction
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Albedo is properly associated with ______________ of shortwave radiation.
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Reflection
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From approximately 36 degrees N latitude to 36 degrees S latitude, an energy __________ occurs in the radiation balance.
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Surplus
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_________ is the molecule-to-molecule transfer of heat energy as it diffuses through a substance.
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Conduction
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Albedo is properly associated with ______________ of shortwave radiation.
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Reflection
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An increase in albedo caused by clouds is described by the term __________.
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Cloud albedo forcing
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Rainbows and mirages are examples of __________.
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Refraction
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Over time, Earth reradiates back to space an average of __________ percent of total incoming energy.
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69
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__________ is the unobstructed and unaltered passage of shortwave and longwave energy through either the atmosphere or water.
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Transmission
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Of the total solar energy arriving, an average of __________ percent is reflected back to space by the Earth's surface and atmosphere. This is called the Earth's albedo.
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32
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Assume the following hypothetical radiation data collected at some point on Earth: 60 units incoming shortwave (radiation from the Sun), 15 units outgoing shortwave (sunlight reflected back toward space), 50 units incoming longwave (from the atmosphere), and 25 units outgoing longwave (emitted from Earth toward space). The albedo of the surface is _________.
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25%
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Altitude is the single most important influence on temperature variations.
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False
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Within the troposphere, temperatures decrease with increasing altitude above Earth's surface.
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True
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Approximately 84 percent of all evaporation on Earth is from the land.
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False
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Mixing spreads available energy over a greater volume. Thus, the oceans have more evenly spread surface temperatures than do the continents.
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True
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Locations near the centers of continents are described as having more "maritime" influences than are locations near the coasts.
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False
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On average, the coldest region of Earth is in northern Canada.
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False
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Apparent temperature is the perception of temperature, and it varies among individuals and cultures.
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True
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The coldest wind-chill factors are produced by low temperatures and high winds.
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True
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The heat index is a combination of temperature and humidity.
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True
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In July, isotherms in the northern hemisphere shift toward the poles over land since higher temperatures occur in continental interiors.
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True
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Compared to a land surface exposed to the same solar radiation, an ocean surface should have a higher annual temperature range.
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False
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Compared to a land surface exposed to the same solar radiation, an ocean surface should have a higher annual temperature range.
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False
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A traveler heading due east from San Francisco, CA in January will generally experience warmer overall temperatures as he/she approaches the interior of the continent.
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False
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The _______________ temperature scale is used in scientific research because temperature readings are proportional to the actual kinetic energy in a material.
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Kelvin
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Holding all other factors constant, air temperature decreases with increasing altitude because the ________ of the atmosphere changes.
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Density
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On a sunny summer day, we can attribute the difference in temperature between the hot surface of a sandy beach and the cooler sand a few centimeters below the surface to the very low ________________ of the sand.
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Transpearency
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One of the primary reasons that water changes temperature more slowly than soil or rock is because of its higher ________.
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Specific Heat
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Temperature maps commonly use lines of constant (equal) temperature called __________________ to portray the spatial pattern of temperature.
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Isotherms
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Everything else being equal, you would expect higher temperatures associated with _______________.
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Low Elevations
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The isoline corresponding to the highest temperatures on Earth's surface is called the___________.
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Thermal Equator
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The isoline corresponding to the highest temperatures on Earth's surface is called the___________.
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Heat index
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Places with the lowest annual temperature ranges on Earth are __________________.
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Low altitudes
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On a global scale, ____________ is the single most important direct influence on temperature.
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Insolation
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An outdoor thermometer reading ________ degrees Celsius would indicate a very hot but bearable day.
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40
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A line connecting all points along the same meridian.
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Meridian
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Marks the place where each day begins
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International Dateline
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The hotter the object ____.
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The shorter the wavlengths emitted.
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Sun emits ______ radiation.
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Shortwave
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Earth emits _____ radiation.
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Longwave
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Latitude of the subsoalr point
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Declination
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Atmospheric Criteria: (3)
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Compostion, temperature, function
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How fast is the earth rotating?
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67,000 miles per hour.
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Amount of solar energy reaching the earth is __________.
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so vast that in one year it is about twice as much as will ever be obtained from all of the Earth's non-renewable resources of coal, oil, natural gas, and mined uranium combined
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How much energy is intercepted by earth?
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Only a small fraction of this energy is intercepted by the earth and other solar planets.
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The amount of solar energy reaching the earth's surface is determined by_____________.
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the amount of atmosphere through which it must pass.
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Blackbody Radiator ___________.
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Absorbs all the radiant energy that it recieves and subsequently emits all that it recieves.
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The temperature difference between the surface and a point 10 feet below the surface is
__________ for land than for water because __________. |
greater; land is opaque
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Land has a __________ specific heat than water and therefore heats more __________.
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lower, quickly
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During summer, cities located near the coast are __________ than those in the interior at the
same latitude, while in the winter they are __________. |
cooler, warmer
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The Gulf Stream __________.
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moves northward in the western Atlantic, moderating temperatures in Iceland
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Which of the following is true of the thermal equator during the month of July?
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It trends poleward over continents and equatorward over the oceans.
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Air flow is initiated by the __________.
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pressure gradient force
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The horizontal motion of air relative to Earth's surface is __________.
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wind
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The normal range for air pressure at sea level is __________.
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980-1050 mb
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The Coriolis force __________.
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causes the apparent deflection of winds from a straight path
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Which of the following matches is incorrect relative to air circulation?
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anticyclone = clockwise circulation in the Southern Hemisphere
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Albedo
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The reflection of a surface
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The upper layer in a two part classification of the atmosphere based on the general homogeneity of chemical composition. In this layer, oxygen atoms and nitrogen molecules dominate and remain constant in their relative quantities. The heterosphere extends upward from a height of 80 to 100 kilometers depending on latitude. Below this layer is the homosphere.
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Heterosphere
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Color temperature is a ____.
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characteristic of visible light
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Anything that has a temperature (>0 K) emits
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Radiation
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Solar radiation is ______ as it passes through the atmosphere and interacts with gas molecules, aerosols, and cloud droplets
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modified
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Transmission
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passage of EM Radiation through a medium (air or water)
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Scattering
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the interaction of atmospheric gas molecules and aerosols with radiation as it passes through the atmosphere—this interaction does not change the wavelength of the radiation
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Insolation passing through the atmosphere encounters an exponentially _____ number of air molecules.
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increasing
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Rayleigh occurs when ___
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wavelength > the particle size
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Mie occurs when ___
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wavelength < particle size
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Reflection
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when radiation is bounced back at space at the same angle it arrived at
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Color of object
The angle of radiation the smoothness of a surface Clouds and aerosols |
Determines albedo
lower = higher more smooth = higher |
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Earth’s average albedo is
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31%
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Humans account for __ of atmospheric aerosols through biomass burning, driving, and industry.
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10%
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Absorption
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assimilation and conversion of radiation by molecules into a different form
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Transfer of energy (heat) through molecule-to-molecule collisions
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Conduction
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Transfer of energy (heat) through vertical mixing of molecules (liquid or gas)
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Convection
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Taken as a whole, Earth is in radiactive _______
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equilibrium
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Atmosphere absorbs
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heat energy
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Atmosphere _____ transfer of heat from Earth into space
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delays
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Heat involved in water phase changes
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Latent
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Heat you measure with a thermometer—what you can sense
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Sensible
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As long as net radiation is positive, air temperature will ______.
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Increase
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Second Law
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Energy spontaneously disperses from being localized to becoming spread out if it is not hindered from doing so
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First Law
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Energy can be transferred from one system to another in many forms
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As a result of the orbital geometry, the southern hemisphere (SH) summer is slightly more ______ than the NH summer
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Intense
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Energy from the Sun is transferred via _______.
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Electromagnetic (EM) radiation
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Earth emits maximum amount of EM radiation in:
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Thermal Infered
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The amount of energy emitted depends on the ______ of an object
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Temperature
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Harmful X-rays and UV radiation do not reach the surface easily because _________.
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Absorption of those wavelengths takes place high in the atmosphere
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When the Sun is directly overhead (90° above horizon)
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Zenith
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The point on the surface where the zenith occurs and insolation is maximum
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Subsolar Point
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Reasons for Seasons
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Revolution (around the sun)
Rotation (on its axis) Axial tilt (relative to Earth’s orbital plane about the Sun) Axial parallelism Sphericity (Tropics receive more concentrated insolation due to the Earth’s curvature) |
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Axial Parallelism
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Same alignment relative to plane of ecliptic
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Over a long period of time incoming solar radiation and
emitted radiation from the Earth _______ |
Balance Out
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Axis maintains ______ during orbit around the Sun.
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alignment
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Axial Parallelism
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Same alignment relative to plane of ecliptic
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What causes wind?
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Differences in air pressure (density)
Dense air: exert higher pressure Less dense air: exert lesser pressure (than dense air does) |
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Wind Patterns are due to: (3)
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Pressure gradient force (PGF)
Coriolis force Friction force Gravity |
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Why do we have areas of higher and lower pressure?
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Due to uneven heating of the surface
Cold, dense air: exert higher pressure Warm, less dense air: exert lesser pressure (than cold air does) |
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Isobar
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A line of equal pressure
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Space between two consecutive isobars indicates the intensity of the pressure difference.
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PGF
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If Earth were NOT rotating, winds move in a straight line from areas of high pressure to areas of low pressure
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Coriolis force
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The effect of Coriolis force increases as the speed of the moving object _____.
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Increases
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Friction force
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Earth's surface is not smooth.
Causes Turbulence of air Slows wind speed |
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Friction ______ wind speed
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Reduces
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Heat vs. Temperature
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Heat: cool gas, fewer and less collisions
Temp: opposite |
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Clouds
Daytime |
lower maximum temperature
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Clouds
Nighttime |
raise minimum temperature
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Principal Controls on Temperature: (4)
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Latitude
Altitude and elevation Cloud cover Land-water heating differences |
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Clouds ______ latitudinal and seasonal temperature differences
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Reduce
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Land heats and cools _____ than water
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Faster
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Energy comes from the surrounding environment _____ing temperatures.
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Lowering
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temperature change occurs right at the _____ level
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Ground
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Water cools down more ______ than land does
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Slowly
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Transport energy from regions of energy surplus to those of energy deficit
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Gulf Stream
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Moderating effects of the oceans
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Marine Effect
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Far distant from the oceans—no moderating effect.
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Continental Effect
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Tropopause - where ____ takes place.
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Weather
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Greenhouse gases: function like a _____ for Earth
Without it, Earth’s average temperature would be _______. |
Blanket; lower
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Air is basically a mixture of _____ and _____ with some trace gases
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Nitrogen
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If Earth were lifeless, its atmospheric composition would be very ______.
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Different
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Argon
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Produced by radioactive decay of potassium
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The tropical tropopause is twice as ____ as the polar tropopause because of vigorous surface heating at _____ latitudes
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high; low
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Ozone in stratosphere absorbs UV radiation from the sun thus ______ its temperature and re-radiates the energy at longer wavelengths
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increasing
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Where is good ozone (O3) located?
Absorbs most of ____s. |
Stratosphere
UVs |
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Tiny solid or liquid particles suspended in the atmosphere – they affect visibility, the amount of incoming solar radiation, air chemistry, and cloud formation
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Aerosols
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