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79 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
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Weather
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patterns of atmospheric circulation, temperature, and precipitation over short time periods such as hours to days
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solar radiation
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??
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vernal equinox
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March 20 or 21 on the N. Hemisphere
time when the perpendicular rays of the Sun strike the equator, and the Sun is directly overhead at the equator |
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autumnal equinox
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September 22 or 23
time when the perpendicular rays of the Sun strike the equator, and the Sun is directly overhead at the equator |
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Tropic of Cancer
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parallel of 23.5 N latitude
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Tropic of Capricorn
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the parallel of 23.5 S latitude
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summer solstice
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for places in the n. hemisphere, june 20 or 21
the date when the sun is directly overhead along the tropic of cancer (longest day of year) for places in the s. hemisphere, dec. 21 or 22, directly overhead at noon at the tropic of capricorn |
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winter solstice
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S. Hemi = june 20 or 21
sun at noon is directly overhead at tropic of cancer N. Hemi=dec 21 or 22 directly overhead at tropic of capricorn (shortest day of year) |
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short waves
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radiant energy emitted by the sun in wavelengths about .2 to .5 microns
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long waves
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radiant energy emitted by the sun
5 to 30 microns |
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greenhouse effect
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atmospheric warming that results from the passage of incoming shortwave energy and the capture of outgoing longwave energy
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convection
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circulation in a fluid caused by temperature-induced density differences, such as the rising of warm air in the atmosphere.
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advection
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horizontal movements of air or substances by wind or ocean currents
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condensation
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water changing from a gas state (vapor) to a liquid or solid state
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relative humidity
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the actual water content of the air expressed as a percentage of how much water the air could hold at a given temp
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Convectional precipitation
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air warmer than its surroundings rises, expands, and cools by this expansion (cloudy) pg 56
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orographic precipitation
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wind forces air up and over mountains pg.56
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frontal precipitation
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air is forced up a boundary (front) between cold and warm air masses pg 56
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cold front
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the boundary where a cold air mass advances against a warmer one
blue, biting teeth |
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warm front
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the boundary where warm air mass advances against cooler air
warm, red, little half circles |
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average atmospheric pressure
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measured with a barometer. in mbs
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coriolis effect
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the tendency of an object moving across earth's surface to be deflected from its apparent path as a result of earths rotation
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air pressure
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varies with altitude, the higher you go, the less air exists above you. it is greater at sea level than in a mountain
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highs and lows of air pressure
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-air descends in regions of high pressure
-air rises in areas of low pressure -wind blows from areas of high to low pressure |
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ITCZ intertropoical convergence zone
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zone between the tropics of cancer and capricorn where surface winds converge
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polar pressure zone
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intense cold caused by meager insolation creates dense air and high pressure
-very little moisture |
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hurricanes
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an intense tropical cyclone that develops over warm ocean areas in the tropics and subtropics, primarily during the warm season.
in pacific = typhoons indian ocean =cyclones |
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el nino
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a circulation change in the eastern tropical pacific ocean, from westward flow to eastward flow that occurs every few years
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tornadoes
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a rapidly roatating column of air usually associated with a thunderstorm
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climate
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the totality of weather conditions over a period of several decades or more
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vertical climate zones
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-tierra helada
-puna -tierra fria -tierra templada -tierra caliente |
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tierra helada
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snow line 14000 ft below 20 degrees
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puna
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grazing 10000 ft, bottom is tree line 20-55 degrees
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tierra fria
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potatoes cerals apples, vegies 6000 ft
55-65 degrees |
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tierra templada
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coffee citrus fruit field crops 3000 ft 65-75 degrees
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tierra caliente
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bananas rice sugar cane pineapple sea level 75-80 degrees
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A (tropical, low latitude)
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Af - Humid tropical, wet each month
Aw seasonal humid tropical, distinct wet and dry season |
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B(Dry)
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Bw - desert, <250 mm
Bs - Semi arid, 251-500 mm |
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C (warm mid latitude)
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Cfa - Humid subtropical
Cfb - marine west coast, cloudy wet Cs - mediterranean, hot dry summers, mild wet winters |
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D (cold mid latitude)
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Dfa - humid continental
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global warming
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a general increase in temperatures over a period of at least several decades believed to be caused by increased levels of c2o in earths atmosphere
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geomorphology
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the study of the shape of earth's surface and the processes that modify it
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tectonic plates
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peices of the earths rigid crust
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volcanoes
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a vent in earths surface where lava emerges
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igneous rocks
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rocks formed by crystallization of magma
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sedimentary rocks
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rocks formed thru accumulation of many small rock fragments at earths surface
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metamorphic rocks
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rocks formed by modification of other rock types, usually by heat and or pressure
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shields
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vast areas of continental crust; some have not been significantly eroded or changed for millions of years
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normal faults
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rocks that break apart because they are stretched
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weathering
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the chemical and or mechanical breakdown of rocks into smaller particles at earths surface
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continental glaciers
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a thick glacier hundreds to thousands of kilometers across large enough to be only partly guided by underlying topography (surface relief)
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moraine
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an accumulation of rock and sediment deposited by a glacier, usually in or near the melting area
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outwash plain
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an accumulation of sand and gravel carried by meltwater streams from a glacier, usually deposite immediately beyond the terminal moraine from the glacier
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U shaped valleys
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as an alpine glacier flows thru a V shpaed valley it scours away the rock and rounds the valley bottom
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coastal erosion
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an especially active area of erosion because an enormous amount of energy is concentrated on the shorelines from pounding waves
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tsunami
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an extremely long wave created by an underwater earthquake
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quantities of water in storage
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oceans have 97 percent, the rest is in glaciers, then streams, lakes, and atmosphere
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parent material
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the mineral matter from which soil is formed
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soil
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dynamic, porous layer of mineral and organic matter
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soil horizons
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O - organic
A B C Bedrock pg 146 |
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oxisols
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deciduous trees
low nat. fertility acidic S. America, tropical forest |
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mollisols
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grasses
black soil high organic matter neutral/slightly basic high natural fertility mid USA |
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ultisols
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pines and deciduous
A = 18-24" acidic low natural fertility SE USA |
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spodosols
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pine trees
A=1-2" E (white) acidic low naturla fertility N. MI and Wisc. and NE USA |
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vertisols
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grass
lots of clay high fertility hard to manage E. Texas and Cali |
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alfisol
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deciduos trees
A= 4-6" slightly acidic treat well and will be very productive Midwest, ohio and S. MI |
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histisols
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muck
A = 1-20' C = acidic dry blows away or catches fire |
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soil fertility
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the ability of a soil to suppot plant frowth thru making nutrients available
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succesion
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a process of ecological change in which organisms modify their immediate environments in ways that allow other species to establish themselves and dominate
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tropical rainforest
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has a top layer, or canopy, and 2 or more layers beneath that. Each layer has a diff. dominant species and associated animal communities
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biomes
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large areas of natural vegetation
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broadleaf deciduous forest
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exists in subtropical and midlatitude humid environments where seasonally cold conditions limit plant growth
much less diverse than tropical rain forests,but still support many species |
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boreal forest
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cold, continental midlatitude climates. northern hemi.
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temperate forest
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west coasts of n and s america. lush evergreen coniferous forests grow.
moderate temps and ample rainfall all year round few species |
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savanna
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large seasonally dry areas in tropical Africa and S. America.
fire is common grasses and scattered trees |
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chaparral
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in mediterranean climates
shrub woodland dominated by hard leaved trees and shrubs that whithstand the severe summer aridity. fire is common |
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praire
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tall grass
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steppes
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short grass
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xerophytes
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plants adapted to moisture stress (deserts)
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