Solar Energy
Which term describes electrically charged particles that travel outward from the Sun?
Solar wind
What does wavelength measure?
Distance over which a wave's shape repeats
This term means incoming solar radiation.
What is insolation?
This approximately 24-hour motion of Earth produces the daily cycle of daylight and darkness.
What is rotation?
During both equinoxes, the subsolar point is located at this latitude.
What is 0° latitude/the Equator?
Which statement correctly distinguishes solar wind from solar radiation?
Solar wind is matter; solar radiation is energy
If wavelength becomes shorter while wave speed remains constant, what happens to frequency?
It increases
This property of Earth's shape causes parallel solar rays to strike different latitudes at different angles.
What is Earth's sphericity/curvature?
This approximately 365.24-day motion describes Earth's journey around the Sun.
What is revolution?
This Northern Hemisphere seasonal event features its longest day and shortest night.
What is the June solstice?
Which process is powered most directly by incoming solar energy?
Evaporation
Which sequence goes from shorter toward longer wavelengths?
A. Infrared → visible → ultraviolet → X-rays
B. X-rays → ultraviolet → visible → infrared
C. Visible → infrared → X-rays → ultraviolet
D. Ultraviolet → X-rays → infrared → visible
X-rays → ultraviolet → visible → infrared
When solar rays become more direct, the energy is concentrated over this kind of surface area.
What is a smaller surface area?
This seasonal factor describes Earth's axis maintaining approximately the same alignment as Earth travels around the Sun.
What is axial parallelism?
During the December solstice, the subsolar point reaches this latitude.
What is 23.5° S?
Charged particles from the Sun approach Earth. Which feature deflects most of these particles?
Magnetosphere
The Sun primarily emits this type of radiation, whereas the cooler Earth primarily emits longwave radiation.
What is shortwave radiation?
Besides spreading energy across a larger surface area, a low Sun angle causes solar radiation to travel through more of this before reaching the surface.
What is the atmosphere?
Revolution, rotation, axial tilt, axial parallelism, and this property of Earth's shape make up the five reasons for seasons in lecture.
What is sphericity?
Occurring around January 3, this is the point in Earth's orbit when Earth is closest to the Sun.
What is perihelion?
Which sequence correctly connects the Sun to the formation of an aurora?
Solar wind → magnetosphere → polar atmosphere → aurora
Of X-rays, ultraviolet, visible, and infrared, this type has the longest wavelength.
What is infrared radiation?
Two locations receive equally intense sunlight, but one receives it for 15 hours instead of 9. This factor explains why its total daily insolation can be greater.
What is daylength?
Because of this approximately 23.5° characteristic of Earth, the subsolar point can migrate north and south during the year.
What is Earth's axial tilt?
During this event, the subsolar point is at the Equator and the circle of illumination passes through both poles.
What is an equinox?