gly102

Difference between weather and climate

Weather: Short term changes in the atmosphere
Climate: Weather over a long period of time in a specific area

3 Milankovich cycles and time scales

Eccentricity- 100,000 year cycles
Obliquity- 41,000 year cycles
Axial precession- 26,000 year cycle

3 Atmospheric Cells & location

Hadley (0-30 degrees)
Ferrel (30-60 degrees)
Polar (60-90 degrees)

What drives ocean surface circulation

prevailing winds, the rotation of the Earth, and landmasses

What is a photic zone

region where >1% of light penetrates, maxes at 200m
Max depth where photosynthetic organisms can thrive

What drives deep ocean circulation

Modern deep ocean circulation is driven by thermohaline circulations, which requires the formation of ice near the poles

What is upwelling

upwelling brings cool nutrient and oxygen rich water to the surface

How changes in water temperature and salinity affect density

Colder water/ice = more dense which makes it more salty- saltier = denser

thermohaline circulation/what it requires to function

Modern deep ocean circulation is driven by thermohaline circulations, which requires the formation of ice near the poles ANOXIC

how ocean temperature affects the solubility of CO2

[ no definition ]

4 Forms of Carbon

Carbon dioxide

Organic Carbon

Bicarbonate

Carbonates

What is a reservoir

Distinct part of the system that temporarily stores a molecule ex) amount of carbon in an acre of forest

What is flux

Rate matter is moved between reservoirs Mass per unit time

what is residence time

Average time an individual molecule spends in a reservoir Lower residence time = faster turnover

what is source

reservoir that outputs MORE than it takes in

what is sink

reservoir that outputs LESS than it takes in: Grows over time

difference between fast and slow carbon

Slow Carbon: Continents (made of rock) are exposed to air and water causes weathering and erosion

Fast Carbon: Moves carbon through atmosphere faster
Atmosphere = 5 years
Biosphere = 13 years
Hydrosphere = 350 years

the role of soil

Soil microbes can break down plant organic matter to carbon dioxide or convert it to dissolved organic carbon compounds.

the role of dead organic carbon in the carbon cycle

dead organic matter creates food for microbes, which respire and create carbon dioxide back to the atmosphere

the role of rocks in the carbon cycle

help maintain earths temperature

the role of plants/biologic life in the carbon cycle

plants absorb carbon dioxide and release oxygen

the role of ocean in the carbon cycle

absorbs carbon from fossil fuel burning

Carbon Dioxide

Volatile form of carbon
From volcanic eruptions
Distributed from atmosphere: gas
Hydrosphere: small concentration dissolved into water
Lithosphere: small concentration dissolved in magma

Organic carbon

Any carbon that is in biomolecules
Biosphere: living plants, animals, dead remains
Lithosphere: Coal, oil, natural gas
Combustion and respiration turn it back into carbon dioxide

Bicarbonate

Derived from breakdown of carbonic acid
Ultimately from weathering of certain rocks
Hydrosphere: very soluble in water found in oceans/streams
Major reason why oceans are salty

Carbonates

Formation of carbonate minerals
Lithosphere: limestones
Biosphere: shells of some aquatic organisms