Help
Options
Didn't know it?
click below
click below
Knew it?
click below
click below
Don't Know
Remaining cards (0)
Know
retry
shuffle
restart
0:00
Embed Code - If you would like this activity on your web page, copy the script below and paste it into your web page.
Normal Size Small Size show me how
Normal Size Small Size show me how
Geography Exam One
Geography 111 flash cards for Exam One
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| What is an atom? What determines what element an atom is? | - A sphere about 1 angstrom (A) in diameter At the center of the atom is the nucleus which contains most of the mass of the atom § Protons with a positive charge § Neutrons with no charge – neutral The number of protons determines the element. |
| What is fusion? Fission? | -Fusion: nucleus of two or more elements combine. (happens in the middle of the sun) -Fission: nucleus of an element breaks apart (large elements tend to break apart, but other isotopes can too) i.e. plutonium |
| Describe the protoplanet (nebular) hypothesis of the formation of the solar system. Why is it implausible that the planets were captured by the sun? | Gas cloud MassInCntr Turbulent eddies collect matter meters across; small chunks grow and collide, eventually becoming large aggregates of gas and solid chunks Protoplanets, much bigger than present planets, eventually contracted due to their own gravit |
| Why do the planets rotate about their axis and the sun in the same direction? | Because the planets formed at the same time |
| How old is Earth? | 4.6 billion years |
| How did the moon form? | Impact Theory - At 4.5 billion years a large collision between earth and a mass the size of mars causes the formation of the moon. Giant Impact - Before 4.5 billion years ago. |
| What is the solar wind? How does it interact with earth’s magnetic field? How are auroras produced? | The sun blows out a constant stream of particles called the solar wind. (it is a plasma made up of electrons, hydrogen and helium atoms) Particles travel at speed of around 400 km-s takes about 3 days to reach earth Check other page for more info |
| What is an electromagnetic wave? | Light, or electromagnetic rad e.g. solar rad (origin sun), terrestrial rad (origin earth). It can also be labeled by its proper name: UV, visible, infrared, microwave, etc. Or by wavelength. Short wave rad (solar rad) and long wave rad (terrestrial rad) |
| What is the relationship between the temperature of a body and the wavelength of the electromagnetic waves that it emits? What is the relationship between emission energy and temperature? | Stefan Boltzman law: As T (temperature) increases, E (energy) increases by the power of 4. Wein's law: the wavelength of peak radiation emitted by an object is inversely related to temperature |
| Know these terms for various wavelengths of electromagnetic waves: solar, terrestrial, shortwave, longwave, visible, infrared, ultra violet. | solar: shortwave rad, higher energy terrestrial: longwave rad shortwave: < or = to 3 micrometers longwave: > 3 micrometers infrared: Rad with longer wavelength than visible light UV: very short wave rad |
| Understand how the pattern of insolation versus latitude is produced. | Distribution of Insolation of Tropics receive more concentrated insolation due to the earths curvature./ kmk ,m -Tropics receive 2.5 times more than poles |
| Know the direction of the sunrise and sunset in the winter and summer. | Northern Hemisphere Winter: southeast sunrise, northwest sunset Summer: northeast sunrise, southwest sunset Southern Hemisphere Winter: northeast sunrise, southwest sunset Summer: southeast sunrise, northwest sunset Equinox: directly east and we |
| Explain the reason for the seasons, and know the definitions of winter and summer solstice, and fall and spring equinox. | Tilt of earth’s axis: 23.5 degrees from plane of ecliptic Winter- Sun is furthest south from celestial equator Summer- Sun is furthest north from celestial `equator Equinox - the sun is on the exact same plane as the equator. Day and night have = lengt |
| List the four layers of the atmosphere defined by temperature. What does the temperature profile look like in each of these layers? | Troposphere - 0 to -60*C Stratosphere - -57 to 0*C (Ozone layer: below 48km) Mesosphere - 0 to -90*C Thermosphere - 90 to 2000*C |
| What is the composition of the air around you? What are the major elements? | Nitrogen - 78% by weight - Inert Oxygen - 21% by weight - Critical to Life Argon - .9% be weight - Inert |
| What is ozone, and what is its importance? How has humankind affected ozone in the stratosphere? | ozone is a layer about 15 miles and absorbs UV radiation from the sun,protecting inhabitants of earth.located near the stratosphere. -CFC is one of the main causes of ozone depletion |
| Understand how photochemical smog is produced. Be familiar with the following pollutants: ozone, particulates, NOx. | photochemical smog produced by artificial sources. Carbon, chemicals, NOx mix in the atmosphere with incoming solar radiation. The radiation acts on the mixture and produces ozone and PAN and can produce acid rain. Includes particulates |
| How do temperature inversions form, and how do they affect air pollution? | inversion layer: warmer layer of air in the atmosphere. Forms by cooling of the air near the ground at night. Affects pollution by inhibiting(preventing) mixing and traps pollutants. More common in the winter. |
| What are transmission, scattering, and refraction? | Transmission: passage of energy through atmosphere or water Scattering: changing direction of lights movement without altering wavelength. Refraction: change in speed and direction of light. |
| What is albedo, and why is it important to the radiation balance? | albedo is Reflective Property of a Surface or Body. Reflects Solar Radiation. Light Colors have higher Albedo and Dark Colors have lower Albedo. |
| Why is the sky blue and sunsets red? How are rainbows formed? | blue: light from sun scatters and blue light scatters better. red: light must penetrate a much greater distance, causing the blue to go away since it scatters more, leaving read rainbows: light refraction and reflection off water molecules in the air. |
| What happens to incoming short wave radiation from the sun and outgoing long wave radiation from the earth’s surface? | SW rad can be absorbed by the atmosphere, reflected by clouds, particles, air molecules, it can be transmitted to surface and refelctback to space LW Rad Escapes through atmosphere to space and cools planet, Absorbed by gasses and clouds in the atmospher |
| What is “Net R”? | Net incoming radiation, (shortwave in) - shortwave out) + (longwave in) - (longwave out) |
| Understand how radiation budgets are different at a desert surface versus a highly vegetated or agricultural land surface. | The radiation budget is the balance between the incoming energy from the sun and the outgoing energy from the Earth. Highly vegetated surfaces are able to absorb more energy and reflect less, because the plants use that energy to grow. |
| Explain the atmospheric greenhouse effect. What are the major greenhouse gases? | CO2 and Water Vapor,methane atmoshphers traps in some heat and longwave radiation from the earth slowing down its release into space causing warming. |
| How do clouds affect shortwave and longwave radiation? How do they affect nighttime and daytime temperatures? | Low clouds have a high albedo so they reflect short waves thus cooling the temperatures during the day but trap longwave radiation at night making warmer nights. |
| Understand the different means by which heat can be transported: conduction, convection, advection, radiation, latent energy? | 1: molecule to molecule transfer (very slow) 2: energy transferred by movement 3: horizontally dominant movement 4: energy traveling through air and space 5: the heat released or absorbed by a body during a change of state without change of temperature. |
| What factors contribute to an urban heat island such as Phoenix? | Skyscrapers, asphalt, and the removal of natural environment with higher Albedo. The urban area absorbs and traps heat, leading to a more constant temperature. During the night, Phoenix retains more of its heat, making it a heat island. |
| What’s the difference between temperature and heat? | Temperature: average kinetic energy of individual atoms and molecules Heat: total kinetic energy of the molecules or atoms composing a substance |
| Why are temperatures cooler at greater latitudes and elevations? | Greater latitudes get less direct sunlight; greater elevations have less air, so less heat can be held |
| What are the differences between marine and continental climates, and what explains these differences? | Land near large bodies of water have very little temperature variation because the water regulates it. |
| What is the thermal equator, and where is it in January and July? | January: thermal equator movement is southward July: thermal equator movement is northward Thermal equator very similar to where the ITCZ is. Where intense radiation is hitting the Earth. |
| Where are seasonal temperature ranges the greatest, and why? | Inside the continents, away from oceans. Siberia, Northern Canada Because there isn't any water to regulate the temperature |
| What is the purpose of wind chill and the heat index | Wind chill: correlates cold and wind speed Heat index: correlates heat and humidity |
| What are Rossby waves and jet streams? | Jet streams are fast flowing, narrow air currents found in the atmospheres. Rossby waves are waves within the jetstream caused by the Coriolis effect |
| What causes katabatic winds such as the Santa Ana? | Katabic winds: cooling from the high elevation producing strong winds The greater the temperature difference the stronger the wind. |
| What produces the monsoon system in Asia? | Warm air coming from the oceans that is pushed on shore pushing up against the Himalayas. Moist air rises and clouds form, ITCZ and thermal equator moves upward |
| What drives the sea surface gyres. What is westward intensification and how does it produce the Gulf Stream and Kuroshio currents? | Subtropical high drives sea surface gyres. Westward intensification pushes warm water from the equator. |
| Why is the water warmer on the east coast than the west cost of the US? | The trade winds push warm water up against the east coast. The West Coast has cold water because of the upwelling. |
| What is upwelling and why is it important? How does upwelling affect the west coast of the US? | High pressure off of the coast produces northerly winds, those winds push coastal ocean water south, surface water moving off-coast must be replaced by deeper “upwelling water” which is cold and nutrient-rich. It produces fog and high productivity. |
| What is hydrogen bonding and what unique properties does it impart to water? | Dipolar molecule 2 hydrogens+ and 1 oxygen- creating a hydrogen bond. Three forms of water (solid, liquid, gas) Solid is lighter than liquid. |
| How does relative humidity change during a day? | It changes throughout the day because of temperature changes. Warmer temperatures can hold more moisture, so as the temperature rises, the relative humidity decreases since the warmer air has the potential to hold more moisture. |
| What is virga? | A streak of precipitation that falls from a cloud but evaporates before hitting the ground. |
Created by:
Chvie06
Popular Earth Science sets