Ocn Chap 8

Front 1

Atmosphere
and what is it made up of

Back 1

(noun) the envelope of gases (air) surrounding the earth or another planet.

-dry air: O2, 21%
-Argon: 0.98%
-CO2: 0.038% and rising
-water vapor can be up to 4%

Front 2

drivers of atmospheric circulation= uneven solar heating

Back 2

at poles the sun's energy is spread over a larger region

Front 3

what are ways to transfer heat?

Back 3

1. conduction: transfer of heat by direcct contact. heat goes from warmer areas to colder areas

2. Radiation: any object radiates heat as electromagnetic radiation (light, infrared) based on temp of the object

3. Thermal (heat) balance=
heat in= heat out, for earth as a whole
heat in= heat out, for latitude bands
redistribution of heat drives atmospheric circulation ASK FOR HELP ON THIS ONE IS IT PART OF WAYS TO TRANSFER HEAT OR WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THIS?

4. convection: heat carried by a fluid(air, water, ect) from a region of high temp to a region of lower temp (convection cell= warmer air rises, then as it cools in sinks back down)NEED HELP WITH SLIDE 5 ON POWER POINT 6 ABOUT 3 CELL MODEL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Front 4

drivers of atmospheric circulation part 2= pressure gradients

Back 4

memorize

Front 5

Air pressure

Back 5

=Weight of column of
air above, On average = 14.7 psi
(1.033 kg/cm2)
at sea level

Front 6

Pressure Gradient

Back 6

-Air moves from regions of high pressure
to regions of low pressure

-Speed of fluid depends on the steepness
of the Pressure Gradient

Front 7

drivers of atmospheric
circulation part =
Earth rotates

Back 7

memorize

Front 8

The Coriolis Effect. LOOK AT AND UNDERSTAND GRAPHS ON SLIDE 8 POWERPOINT 6 GET HELP

Back 8

-The Coriolis effect explains the observed
deflection of moving objects caused by the
Earth’s rotation.
-In Northern Hemisphere
deflection is to the Right.
-In Southern Hemisphere
deflection is to the Left.

Front 9

Why are clouds in lows? GET HELP

Back 9

Warm air can hold more water vapor than
cool air
• Water vapor can be up to 4%
• Humid air is less dense than dry air

Average atomic weight of air = 29
Atomic weight of water = 18

Front 10

Latent heat GET HELP

Back 10

-Energy (heat) needed to break the chemical bonds
(phase change) does not result in a temperature
change (it’s hidden or latent).
-That energy (heat) is released when bonds reform.
-exsample= at equator= Warm wet air
rises, cools
(cooler air
cannot hold as
much vapor) so
it rains.Latent heat released warms the air and
it rises faster.

Front 11

Wind belts

Back 11

Doldrums= Calm equatorial area between two
Hadley Cells.

-Horse latitudes=
Area between Hadley and Ferrel cells.
Little surface wind.


-Trade winds= Surface winds of the Hadley cells.

-Westerlies Surface= winds of the Ferrel cells.

-ITCZ=
Intertropical Convergence Zone. Atmosphere’s equator.

Front 12

Storms
GET HELP

Back 12

-Low pressure system
rotates ‘cyclonically’
(with Earth’s rotation)

-Air is drawn in
along the surface

-Low pressure system
rotates ‘cyclonically’
(with Earth’s rotation)

(SOMETHING ABOUT NORTHERN HEMISPHERE)?

Front 13

Some key ideas

Back 13

• Atmosphere is thin, compared to size of the Earth.
• Different amounts of solar energy are absorbed at different
latitudes (more in tropics than at poles).
• Three ways to transfer heat.
• Warm air rises. But air cools as it rises, causing clouds to
form, and releasing heat that pushes air upward even faster.
• Air moves down pressure gradients.
• Earth’s rotation causes the Coriolis effect, the curvature of
the path of moving air.
• The major wind patterns: trades, westerlies, horse-latitudes,
doldrums, etc.