Weather n Climate Test

What is spatial analysis?

Studying the location, distribution, and patterns of features on Earth’s surface.

What is geography?

The study of Earth’s physical features, human activities, and the relationship between them.

What are great circles?

The largest circles that divide Earth into equal halves (e.g., Equator, any meridian with its opposite)

What are small circles?

Circles that divide Earth unevenly, smaller than great circles (e.g., Tropics, Arctic Circle).

What is the geographic grid?

A coordinate system of latitude and longitude used to find locations on Earth.

What is the International Dateline?

A line near 180° longitude where dates change by one day when crossed.

What is latitude?

Distance north or south of the Equator, measured in degrees.

What is longitude?

Distance east or west of the Prime Meridian, measured in degrees.

What is a map?

A scaled, 2D representation of Earth’s surface.

What is a map projection?

A way to represent Earth’s curved surface on a flat map.

What is map scale?

The ratio between map distance and real-world distance.

What are isolines?

Lines on maps that connect points of equal value.

What are isobars?

Isolines showing areas of equal air pressure.

How was the Prime Meridian selected?

Chosen by international agreement in 1884, running through Greenwich, England.

What is remote sensing?

Collecting Earth data from satellites or aircraft.

What is GIS?

Geographic Information System—computer mapping and analysis of spatial data.

What is GPS?

Global Positioning System—satellites that pinpoint locations on Earth.

What are geostationary weather satellites?

Satellites that orbit with Earth’s rotation, staying fixed over one location to monitor weather.

What is Earth’s shape?

An oblate spheroid (slightly flattened at poles, bulging at equator).

Earth’s circumference at equator vs. poles?

Slightly larger at the equator than at the poles.

What are contours?

Isolines that show elevation on maps.

What is insolation?

Incoming Solar radiation reaching Earth’s surface

What is the subsolar point?

The point where the sun is directly overhead at noon. Moves between Tropic of Cancer and Tropic of Capricorn throughout the year.

What is the plane of the ecliptic?

Earth’s orbital path around the sun.

What is aphelion?

When Earth is farthest from the Sun (early July).

What is perihelion?

When Earth is closest to the Sun (early January).

What is revolution?

Earth orbiting the sun (365 days).

What is rotation?

Earth spinning on its axis (24 hours).

What is seasonality?

Variations in temperature/day length due to Earth’s tilt.

What is the Tropic of Cancer?

23.5°N latitude; northernmost point of direct sun.

What is the Tropic of Capricorn?

23.5°S latitude; southernmost point of direct sun.

What is a solstice?

Longest/shortest day of year; sun at max tilt north or south.

What is UV radiation?

Ultraviolet energy from the sun, can damage skin/eyes.

What is an equinox?

Day and night are equal length (around March 21 & Sept 23).

What is Earth’s tilt?

23.5° off vertical, causes seasons.

What is atmospheric composition?

Mainly nitrogen (78%) and oxygen (21%), with trace gases.

What is the electromagnetic spectrum?

Range of energy waves, from radio to gamma. Includes UV-A, UV-B, UV-C.

What is visible light range?

About 380–780 nanometers.

Role of water vapor in atmosphere?

Stores heat, forms clouds, drives weather.

What is the solar constant?

Average solar energy at the top of Earth’s atmosphere.

What is the greenhouse effect?

Gases trap longwave radiation, keeping Earth warm.

What is shortwave radiation?

Sunlight (visible/UV) coming into Earth.

What is longwave radiation?

Heat (infrared) Earth emits back into space.

What are CFCs?

Chlorofluorocarbons—chemicals that destroy ozone.

Ozone’s 2 functions?

In stratosphere: blocks UV (“good”). Near ground: acts as pollutant (“bad”).

What is the Montreal Protocol?

1987 agreement to protect the Earth's ozone layer by phasing out CFCs

What is a thematic map?

A map showing specific data (e.g., climate, population).

What is the circle of illumination?

The dividing line between day and night on Earth.

What are constant gases?

Gases always in the same proportion

What are inert gases?

Non-reactive gases

What are time zones?

24 standard divisions of Earth each 15° longitude wide.

What are conduction, convection, radiation?

Heat transfers: contact, fluid motion, electromagnetic waves.

What is albedo?

Reflectivity of a surface. Snow = high, asphalt = low.

Structure of atmosphere?

Troposphere, Stratosphere, Mesosphere, Thermosphere.

Hypoxic conditions and fish?

Low oxygen in water causes fish kills.

Why isn’t insolation uniform across Earth?

Because of Earth’s tilt, shape, and uneven heating—direct sun at equator, slanted sun at poles.

Why do tropics get ~2.5× more insolation than poles?

Sunlight is more direct and concentrated at low latitudes.

How does Earth’s tilt impact seasonality?

Creates varying day lengths and solar angles → causes seasons.

Where are day length extremes greatest?

At the poles

How often is the subsolar point over… Equator? 20°N? 2°S? 23.5°S?

Equator = 2x/year. 20°N = once. 2°S = twice. 23.5°S = once.

Relationship between temperature & wavelength?

Hotter objects → shorter wavelengths. Cooler objects → longer wavelengths.

Where is ozone thinning worst?

Antarctica, due to CFCs + polar stratospheric clouds.

Natural role of greenhouse gases?

Trap heat, keep Earth habitable.

Main cause of ozone destruction?

CFCs releasing chlorine in stratosphere.

Why do poles get 24-hr daylight sometimes?

Earth’s tilt keeps them in sunlight during summer solstice.

Ozone “good” vs “bad”?

Good in stratosphere (blocks UV). Bad in troposphere (pollutant).

UV and sunscreen?

Sunscreens must block UV-A and UV-B per FDA.

Temp trends in troposphere vs stratosphere?

Troposphere: decreases with height. Stratosphere: increases with height (ozone absorbs UV).

Why won’t ozone recover until 2060–2080?

Long lifetime of CFCs in atmosphere.

Why is sky blue?

Rayleigh scattering makes shorter blue wavelengths scatter more than red.