climate

what does the biosphere contain

• conditions suitable for supporting life

• all living things on earth

• contains all the spheres

what is the atmosphere

layer of gases that surrounds the earth

the atmosphere is composed of ___% oxygen

21

the atmosphere is composed of ___% nitrogen

21

what is the distance of the troposphere from the earth

0-10 km

what does the troposphere contain

most of the atmospheres gas and dust

which sphere does weather occur in

troposphere

what is special about the troposphere

only part of the atmosphere that can support life

what is the distance of the stratosphere from the earth

10-50 km

what does the stratosphere contain

the ozone layer

what is the distance of the mesosphere from the earth

50-80 km

what is the distance of the thermosphere from the earth

80-500 km

how much of the gases does the thermosphere contain

very little

what does the hydrosphere contain

all the water on earth

percentage of water stored as salt water

97%

what the lithosphere contains

rocks, minerals, elements

temperature

the measure of thermal energy

thermal energy

kinetic energy of molecules or atoms

insolation

amount of solar energy received by a region on earths surface

angle of incidence

angle between a ray falling on a surface and the line perpendicular to it

where the angle of incidence increases

the poles

why the angle of incidence increases

the curvature of the earth

why do seasonal changes occur

earths angle of inclination

what happens to the angle of inclination in the northern hemisphere during the summer solstice

angle of inclination causes the north pole to be closer to the sun

what happens when the north pole is closer to the sun

greater insolation, more hours of daylight

what happens to the angle of inclination in the northern hemisphere during the winter solstice

angle of inclination causes the north pole to be farther from the sun

what happens when the north pole is farther from the sun

less insolation, less hours of daylight

albedo

percentage of solar radiation that a surface reflects

average earth albedo

30%

net radiation budget

incoming radiation - outgoing radiation

when particles reflect energy

change the rays direction

incoming radiation

solar energy that reaches earths surface

outgoing radiation

thermal radiation that is emitted by earths surface

net radiation budget deficit

regions near the poles

net radiation budget surplus

regions near the equators

green house effect

absorption of outgoing thermal energy by water, co2, and other gases

radiation

emission of energy as particles or waves that can be absorbed

conduction

transfer of thermal energy through direct contact

convection

transfer of thermal energy through movement

convection currents

air moving from areas of higher pressure to areas of lower pressure

global wind patterns

caused by unequal heating and cooling of the earth, plus the Coriolis effect

jet streams

fast moving air in the stratosphere

thermal energy trasnfer

transferred through water using convection currents

specific heat capacity

amount of energy required to raise the temperature

why does water have a high specific heat capacity

hydrogen bonds

quantity of thermal energy

amount of energy absorbed or released when temperature changes