Air Temperature and Solar Radiation - Practice Flashcards

A comprehensive set of Question-and-Answer flashcards covering energy, heat transfer, temperature, solar radiation, the electromagnetic spectrum, and Earth-Sun relations based on the lecture notes.

What is energy, and what are common forms?

Energy is the ability to do work; common forms include mechanical, chemical, nuclear, thermal, and electrical.

What is kinetic energy vs. potential energy?

Kinetic energy is the energy of motion; potential energy is stored energy due to position.

What is heat energy?

Heat energy (thermal energy) is the total kinetic energy in a substance.

What are the units used to measure heat energy?

Calorie, joule, or BTU.

In which direction does heat energy always flow?

From higher temperatures to lower temperatures.

Name the three methods of heat transfer.

Conduction, convection, and radiation.

Why are convection and radiation important in weather and climate?

They drive weather and climate processes (e.g., sea breeze and land breeze).

What is temperature?

The measure of the average kinetic energy in a substance.

What are the common temperature units?

Celsius, Fahrenheit, and Kelvin.

What happens to air as it is heated?

Heated air expands and rises; cold air descends.

What is the ultimate energy source driving weather?

Solar radiation.

What regions are included in the electromagnetic spectrum?

Gamma rays, ultraviolet, visible, X-rays, infrared, microwaves, and radio waves.

What percent of solar radiation is Visible Light?

41%.

What is the visible-light wavelength range?

Approximately 400 to 700 nanometers.

What are the possible fates of solar radiation entering Earth's atmosphere?

Reflected, scattered, or absorbed.

What percent of incoming solar radiation is reflected or scattered (albedo)?

Approximately 30%.

What is albedo?

The percentage of sunlight reflected off a surface.

Which surface has high albedo according to the data?

Snow (about 80–90% reflectance).

What percentage of solar radiation is absorbed by the Earth?

About 50% (with about 15% absorbed by the atmosphere).

What percentage of solar radiation is absorbed by the atmosphere?

About 15%.

What is terrestrial radiation?

The energy the Earth radiates as heat after absorbing solar energy.

Which gases contribute to warming via the greenhouse effect?

Water vapor and carbon dioxide.

What is the difference between shortwave insolation and longwave terrestrial radiation?

Shortwave insolation is solar radiation; longwave terrestrial radiation is the Earth’s emitted thermal radiation.

What factors cause actual air temperature to vary by location?

Latitude, time of year, time of day, cloud cover, slope aspect, proximity to water, altitude, and surface cover.

What are the four main principles of Earth-Sun relations?

Revolution, Rotation, Plane of the Ecliptic, Tilt of the Earth.

How long is a year in the Earth-Sun system?

Approximately 365 days, 5 hours, and 48 minutes.

What are aphelion and perihelion?

Aphelion: farthest from the Sun (about July 4; ~94.5 million miles). Perihelion: closest to the Sun (about January 3; ~91.5 million miles).

Do seasons arise from Earth’s revolution around the Sun, according to these notes?

No; seasons are primarily due to the tilt of the Earth; revolution yields about 7% more solar radiation in January.

What causes day and night?

Earth's rotation on its axis every 24 hours.

What is the circle of illumination?

The boundary between day and night on Earth.

What is the plane of the ecliptic?

The imaginary plane formed by the Sun-Earth orbital path.

What is the tilt of the Earth?

Approximately 23.5 degrees relative to the plane of the ecliptic.

What are equinoxes and solstices?

Equinox: Sun strikes the equator, ~12 hours day and night. Solstice: Sun at maximum distance from the equator; Summer Solstice ~June 21-22; Winter Solstice ~December 21-22.

What is the Vernal (Spring) Equinox?

The first day of spring in the Northern Hemisphere.

What is the Autumnal (Fall) Equinox?

The first day of autumn in the Northern Hemisphere.

What is the Summer Solstice?

When the Sun is at the Tropic of Cancer (23.5°N), around June 21-22; longest day in the Northern Hemisphere.

What is the Winter Solstice?

When the Sun is at the Tropic of Capricorn (23.5°S), around December 21-22; shortest day in the Northern Hemisphere.

Why is solar radiation critical to weather?

It is the ultimate source of energy that drives weather processes and atmospheric temperature.

What is the difference between direct solar radiation and diffuse radiation?

Direct radiation travels straight from the Sun to Earth; diffuse radiation is scattered in the atmosphere and reaches the surface from multiple angles.

What is the role of surface reflectance data (albedo) in climate studies?

Shows how different surfaces reflect sunlight, influencing surface heating and energy balance.

What is the relationship between albedo and surface type (examples)?

Surfaces like snow have high albedo (80–90%), oceans have low albedo (about 5%).