Unit 4: Earth Systems and Resources

water vapor, carbon dioxide, ozone

water vapor, carbon dioxide, ozone

variable gases in the atmosphere

troposphere, stratosphere, mesosphere, thermosphere, exosphere

List the layers of the atmosphere from lowest to highest

temperature

the layers of the atmosphere are arranged according to ____

pauses

the ____ in the layers are the transition zones between temperature changes

troposphere, stratosphere, thermosphere

all weather occurs in the ____, the ozone layer is in the ____, and glowing gases (auroras/northern lights) occur in the ____

teacher says memorize this early

what phrase can you use to memorize the layers of the atmosphere?

thermosphere

temperature _____ in the thermosphere because of high energy UV and X-ray radiation is absorbed (closer to sun), but it feels cold because the molecules are so sparse and far apart

decreases

temperature ____ in the mesopause because air becomes thinner again

increases

temperature ____ in the stratopause because of the ozone layer, which traps heat

decreases

temperature ____ in the tropopause because the air becomes thinner (molecules are farther apart)

troposphere

birds, personal jets, thunderstorms, weather balloons, and Mt. Everest are in the _____

stratosphere

Baumgartner's balloon and the ozone layer are in the ____

mesosphere

meteors burning up are in the ____

thermosphere

rockets, space shuttles, radio signals, and the northern lights are in the ____

100

space begins at ____km

air density

determines air circulation pattern, less air dense = warmer air rises

water vapor capacity

determines air circulation pattern, warm air has a higher ____ ____ ____ (humidity) and saturation point

adiabatic heating/cooling

determines air circulation pattern, response to change in pressure, air rises = low pressure = volume expands = cooler (molecules spread out = not as many collisions)

latent heat release

determines air circulation pattern, release of energy as heat when water vapor condenses into precipitation (clouds)

low, high, high, low

fill in the blanks

westerlies, northeast trades, southeast trades, westerlies

label the winds

westerlies, trades

air cools and descend at lower latitudes between the ____ and northeast/southeast ____

northeast, southeast

warm air rises and moves toward the poles between the _____ trades and the _____ trades

polar, ferrel, hadley, hadley, ferrel, polar

label the cells

pressure, precipitation, coriolos effect, opposite

wind goes from high to low ____ always, in the equator, warm air rises, which means more ____, curves of the wind are caused by the ____ _____, wind moves in the _____ direction of its name

location

global wind patterns determine the ____ of climates and biomes

Coriolis effect

the deflection of objects (wind, water) to the right of the Northern Hemisphere and to the left of the Southern Hemisphere, causes hurricanes to spin (air rushes into a low pressure region), not a real force, only a peprspective

high, low

___ pressure = denser air, less water vapor

___ pressure = thinner air, more water vapor

oceanic gyres

formed dur to rotation and wind patterns, massive, circular current systems, 5 major ones, impact temperature, salinity, nutrient distribution globally

watershed

smaller streams lead to larger streams, which lead to larger streams, then to the main waterway

area

characteristic of watersheds, affects volume of water that can be generated from rainfall (drainage basin)

length

characteristic of watersheds, can be measured in different ways, generally considered the principal flowpath

slope

characteristic of watersheds, will affect momentum of runoff, velocity of overland flow, watershed erosion potential, and local wind systems

vegetation

characteristic of watersheds, adds organic matter to the soil, tree litter protects soils surface, roots prevent erosion, canopy keeps water cool to prevent thermal pollution and reduced force of rain and wind velocity, plant cover provides food and protection for organisms, riparian zone

riparian zone

buffers waters from runoff (sediments, chemicals, nutrients)

divides

characteristic of watersheds, peaks and ridgelines with lines connecting highest points

agricultural

watershed classification, barren fields, compact soil, less infiltration, fewer streams, application of fertilizers and manure changes structure

urban

watershed classification, natural water flow pattern greatly altered, high runoff, vulnerable to flooding, fixed land use (precipitation changes all that matter(

moutainous

watershed classification, steep gradient, less porous soil (more rocky), less infiltration, high runoff, downstream areas vulnerable to flooding

forest

watershed classification, evapotranspiration dominant, high infiltration, little runoff

wetland

watershed classification, water is not a limiting factor, high rainfall, high runoff, dominant evaporation

desert

watershed classification, sandy, porous soil, little rainfall, no stream development, limited groundwater recharge

coastal

watershed classification, high rainfall, no channel control, local flooding, high water table, saltwater intrusion

upstream, downstream, fish migration

effects of dams on watersheds:

1. ____= flooding

2. ____= reduced water flow, less sediment, temperature changes affect growth of organisms

3. prevent ____ ____ (salmon canon)

fertile soil, flat terrain, transportation (close to rivers)

what 3 things make floodplains popular areas for human settlement?

land, quality

factors that need to be considered when building housing on a waterway: ___ use upstream and effects on water ____ downstream

rotation, revolution, tilt of axis

3 ways the earth moves

summer

____ (period of greatest solar radiation) occurs in the Northern Hemisphere when the earth is tilted toward the sun, sun rises higher and stays above horizon longer, rays strike ground most directly (less of an angle)

winter

earth is closest to the sun in ____ (January) not summer (July)

tilt

seasons are caused by the ___ of the earth, NOT the distance from the sun

poles, equator

temperature is colder at the ____ because the sun barely hits them while it is warmer at the ____ because the sun hits it straight on

weather

the set of short-term atmospheric conditions, typically those occurring over hours or days, for a particular area

temperature, pressure, moisture content, precipitation, sunshine, cloud cover, and wind direction and speed

examples of short-term atmospheric conditions

climate

an area's general pattern of atmospheric or weather conditions measured over long periods of time ranging from decades to thousands of years

polar, subpolar, temperate, subtropical, tropical

label the earth's climate zones (top to middle)

air, ocean, sun's rays

climate patterns are determined by:

1. global ____ circulation

2. ____ currents

3. angle of ____ ____ (tilt)

mountain ranges

topographic features can affect local/regional climate:

1. _____ ranges

2. proximity to _____

rain shadow effect

what is this called?

gyre

large-scale water circulation that moves clockwise in the Northern Hemisphere and counter-clockwise in the Southern

upwelling

upward movement of ocean water causes mixing, bringing cool and nutrient-rich water from the surface of the ocean to the surface, the warm water supports large population of phytoplankton, zooplankton, fish, fish-eating seabirds

upwelling

_____ occur along the steep western coasts of some continents, winds blowing along the coasts push surface water away from land and draw water up

el nino

occurs every few years on the Pacific Ocean, normal shore upwellings are affected by changes in weather patterns, prevailing tropical winds (E->W) weaken or reverse direction, western pacific warmer waters move toward South America, suppress the normal upselling of cold, nutrient-rich water

effects

possible ____ of el nino: decrease in nutrients (reduces primary productivity, causes decline in fish populations), can alter the weather of at least 2/3 of the globe especially in lands along the Pacific and Indian Ocean

la nina

cools some coastal surface waters & brings back coastal upwelling (includes more Atlantic hurricanes, colder winters in Canada and NE US, warmer/drier winters in the SE and SW US, more wildfires, wetter winters in the Pacific NW, torrential rains in SE Asia, lower wheat yields in Argentina