Topic 4.1-4.2
This type of fault is most commonly responsible for earthquakes.
What is a transform fault?
This type of soil is known for being the most universally beneficial for crops.
What is loam?
Due to Earth's tilt and rotation, what is the longest day of the year in the Southern hemisphere?
December solstice= more of the S hemisphere is titled towards the sun's rays
This is the side of a mountain that is generally arid due to the rainshadow effect.
What is "leeward"?
The solid surface of the earth is known as the...., which sits atop the liquid layer known as the....
lithosphere; athenosphere
Troposphere-- Warmth from Earth's surface increases temperatures at lower altitudes
Why is wind deflected East to West between 30 degrees S and 30 degrees N?
The speed of Earth's rotation (fastest at the equator)
Define upwelling, and describe the direct benefit to coastal ecosystems it brings.
The Atlantic ocean is expanding at the Mid-Atlantic ridge plate boundary. How/why in relation to tectonic activity? (Sorry again I can't put in diagrams)
Divergent plate boundary leads to the oceanic plates slowly shifting away from one another (only type of plate boundary that causes seafloor spreading)
This layer of the atmosphere sees the Northern lights when gas molecules are electrically charged with solar energy
What is the thermosphere?
Watershed-- Build buffer zones of vegetation around/ no clearcutting, better waste water treatment and limit of NPK fertilizers
Explain albedo. Name an example terrain with a high albedo, and then an example with a low albedo.
Albedo-- amount of solar insolation reflected away from earth's surface. High albedo: snow/ice ; low albedo: asphalt or soil
What do you expect to see in O and A soil horizons for a healthy forest with moderate precipitation?
Darker, moister soil (moisture content) and larger humus composition
Describe the 3 main soil particles, their relative sizes, and their relative porosities and permeabilities.
Clay --> Silt --> Sand. Higher porosity = higher permeability, with sand being the most porous and permeable
The September and March equinoxes both see 12 hours of daylight for both N and S hemispheres. Why?
At these two points in Earth's rotation (and due to tilt), solar insolation is equally enveloping the hemispheres
What could be potential benefit to farmers in Southern California during an El Nino event?
Moister, warmer air and precipitation moving to the coast could increase soil moisture/ benefit growing conditions especially if an area is in a drought
Give a brief order and description of the main 4 soil horizons
O- organic matter
A- top soil
B- sub soil
C- closest to parent material
Where is the Ozone layer in the atmosphere? Describe the effects of Ozone regarding atmospheric temperatures. Where is ozone beneficial and where is it harmful?
Stratosphere (beneficial), harmful in the troposphere. Ozone is a GHG and traps heat from incoming solar insolation. This contributes to the warming of the stratosphere at higher levels
Explain the formation of Hadley cells in the tropics, which covers 30 degrees S to 30 degrees N (sorry I can't put pictures in the free version)
The sun heats the air at the equator (perpendicular insolation angle) = warm, moist air rises due from the equator (low density) and moves N and S to eventually descend and condense to colder air at 30 degrees... process repeats
The local Peruvian anchovy population is declining after a period of upwelling, hurting local fisherpeople. What is happening in relation to ENSO?
Upwelling has stopped, cutting off nutrient rich waters that had previously been coming to the coast. This impacts the total food chain. Could be due to El Nino happening OR La Nina (lots of upwelling) just ended.