Climate Change

Biosphere

Biosphere

thin layer of earth that has conditions suitable for supporting life

Atmosphere

layers of gases that surround the Earth (nitrogen, oxygen and other gases)

Atmosphere layers

troposphere, stratosphere, mesosphere, thermosphere

Hydrosphere

consists of all the water on earth, solid, liquid and gas

Lithosphere

solid portion of the Earth that sits above the mantle

Solar Energy

radiant energy, it is transmitted as electromagnetic waves

Insolation

amount of solar energy received by a region of the Earth’s surface

Angle of inclination

degree that the Earth’s poles are tilted from the perpendicular plane of orbit

Angle of incidence

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

Seasonal changes

latitudes north and south of the equator are the result of the Earth’s angle of inclination and the resulting changes in the angle of incidence

Summer solstice

June 21

Winter solstice

December 21

Albedo effect

percentage of solar radiation that it reflects

Cloud cover

reflects incoming solar radiation

Atmospheric dust

reflects incoming solar radiation

Natural greenhouse effect

absorption of outgoing infrared radiation by naturally occurring water vapor, carbon dioxide, and other gases (methane, nitrous oxide) into the atmosphere

Net radiation budget

difference between the amount of incoming radiation and outgoing radiation emitted from the Earth’s surface and atmosphere

Incoming radiation

all of the solar energy that reaches the Earth’s surface, not including the solar radiation that is reflected by the albedo of the earths surface

Outgoing radiation

thermal radiation that is remitted by the earths surface and atmosphere

net radiation budget deficit

more outgoing radiation then incoming, in the regions near the poles

net radiation budget surplus

More incoming radiation than outgoing radiation, in the regions near the equator

Thermal energy transfer

movement of thermal energy from an area of higher temperature to an area of lower temperature

Radiation

emission of energy as particles or waves that may be reflected or absorbed by particles of matter

Conduction

transfer of thermal energy (heat) through direct contact but not moving to a new location

Convection

transfer of thermal energy through the movement of particles from one location to another

Convection currents

how thermal energy is transferred through he atmosphere

Atmospheric pressure

pressure exerted by the mass of air above any point on earth’s surface

Wind

movement of cool air from areas of higher pressure to areas of low pressure

Coriolis effect

deflection of any object from a straight-line path due to the rotation of the earth (moves air in the Northern Hemisphere to the right and air in the southern hemisphere to the left)

Global wind patterns

transfer thermal energy from areas of  net radiation budget surplus to areas of net radiation budget deficit, warming areas further away from the equator

Sea breeze

as the sun rises, the land warms faster than the water and as the warmer air rises, cooler air from over the water moves in to replace it

Land breeze

at night, the water cools more slowly than the land and the breeze reverses itself

how do the hydrosphere transfer thermal energy

it transfers thermal energy from the warmer latitudes near the equator to cooler areas near the poles, through the action of global winds

Surface currents

moved by global wind patterns

How is thermal energy transferred through oceans

convection currents

Hydrologic cycle

Water molecules are constantly moving among the components of the biosphere through the action of the hydrologic cycle.

heating curve of water

the temperature changes of solid water as it is heated to a liquid and then to a vapour.