16- climate and biomes

Flashcards based on lecture notes to prepare for an exam.

Define weather

the temperature, humidity, precipitation, wind, and other atmospheric conditions at a specific place & time

Define climate

the weather conditions prevailing in an area over a long period (i.e., long-term average pattern of weather).

which objects emit radiant energy?

all objects

what is shortwave radiation?

emitted by a very hot surface and not all energy reaches surface

what can be absored and reflected by shortwave radiation?

atmosphere absored it and clouds or surface reflect it

what is Longwave radiation?

emitted by a cooler object and majority of longwave is absorbed and re-emitted by atmosphere

What type of radiation does the sun emit?

Shortwave radiation

What is albedo?

Fraction of solar energy (shortwave radiation) reflected from the Earth back into space.

Since amount of solar radiation absorbed varies across Earth’s surface, what does absorption look on cold verses warmer surfaces?

surfaces without snow or ice absorbs more heat and surfaces with snow and ice reflects more heat

what determines the surface temperatures?

net radiation

What is net radiation?

Defined by the difference between inbound (shortwave) and outbound (longwave) radiation

Why are polar regions colder than the equator?

More solar radiation is intercepted at the equator than at the poles because the earth is round.

What causes the seasons?

Earth's tilt and its movement around the sun.

What is a Hadley Cell?

A large-scale atmospheric convection cell in which air rises at the equator and sinks at about 30° north or south.

What is the Coriolis Effect?

It causes air to sink and sets up global wind patterns due to the difference in rotation speed at different latitudes.

How does altitude affect climate?

Climate changes with elevation, with temperature generally decreasing as altitude increases.

How do rain shadows form?

1. Warm, moist air rises over high areas

2. air cools and condenses forming clouds and rain

3. air descends, warms, and becomes drier on the other side of the mountain

How do humans influence climate patterns?

Human greenhouse gas emissions affect the amount of heat Earth retains.