Atmosphere
Name all 5 layers of the atmosphere.
Troposphere
Stratosphere
Mesosphere
Thermosphere
Exosphere
What is the name given where two masses of air of two different temperatures meet?
What is a front.
What is the difference between weather and climate?
the current state of the atmosphere- weather
The average weather of a place over a long period of time(30+ years)- climate
Do darker or lighter colored materials have higher albedos?
What is lighter?
What layer of the atmosphere does weather occurs?
troposphere
What is the typical direction of hot air?
What is the typical direction of cold air?
what is it rises.
what is it sinks
Why do we have different weather in different seasons of the year?
the Earth is tilted on it's axis and revolves around the sun, causing certain parts of the Earth to receive more or less sunlight at different times of the year
List the 3 climate zones
tropical, polar, and temperate
What are 3 factors that shape climate?
Latitude
Distance from Water
Elevation
Global Winds
Ocean Currents
Topography
approximately what percent of Earth is covered by water?
71%
define clouds
large collections of tiny liquid droplets or frozen crystals. when these droplets become too heavy for air currents to hold them up, they fall down as precipitation.
Heat from the sun's energy is transferred in 3 ways, what are these?
What is convection, radiation and conduction.
What are 3 consequences of climate change?
more extreme weather patterns
rising sea levels and flooding
polar ice caps melting
droughts that can affect food sources
disappearance of habitats
extinction of species
What are the two main jobs of the atmosphere?
Protection- from meteors/UV light
Trapping- of gasses needed for life and heat
what is wind?
the movement of air from one high pressure to low pressure, to try to equalize the temperature.
What are 3 processes that ensure water is cycled in Earth's system?
Evaporation-heats water from surface causing it to rise into the atmosphere
Condensation- cools water vapor and form clouds
Precipitation- water falls back to surface to be reused
The equatorial and tropical areas are heated more intensely by the sun, why does this happen?
What is earth tilt.
The polar ice caps receive little warmth even though they are very exposed to the sun, why is this?
What is reflection of sun rays. (Albedo)
list at least 3 gases that Earth's atmosphere is made up of and their percentage.
78% nitrogen
21% oxygen
Less than 1% other gases such as argon, carbon dioxide and water vapor.
Air is a good insulator, but water is a good what?
What is a good conductor.
These form when dry air sinks and warms quickly in mountain ranges.
What are Chinook Winds?
Name 3 ways vegetation affects local climate.
Increasing humidity, decreasing air temperature, & decreasing wind...
What is the greenhouse effect? How do humans contribute to the greenhouse effect?
greenhouse gases trap radiation from the sun in the atmosphere causing the Earth to warm, the burning of fossil fuels in factories or transportation by humans releases carbon dioxide which is a greenhouse gas