Science 10 Unit D - Energy Flow in Global Systems

Weather

refers to the specific atmosphere condition at a particular location at a specific instant of time.

Climate

is the average weather conditions in a region measured over a period of several years.

Biosphere

is the narrow zone around Earth that can support life.

Atmosphere

is the layer of gases that surround Earth

Lithosphere

is the solid portion of Earth

Hydrosphere

is all the water Earth

Atmospheric dust

varying amounts of suspended particulate matter

Troposphere

the layer closest to Earth, where almost all weather occurs; the thinnest layer

*10km, 15°C to -60°C

Stratosphere

This is above the troposphere and this is where atmospheric warming takes place with increases in altitude.

*50km (-60°C to 0°C)

Ozone

is a molecule made up of three atoms of oxygen.

Ozone layer

ozone gases forms a layer in the stratosphere called the ozone layer.

Mesosphere

is the third atmospheric layer above Earth's surface.

*80km (0°C to -100°C)

Thermosphere

is the farthest layer from the Earth's surface. 85kn,-100 to +1500

Inversion

is a reversal of normal temperature patterns seen in the troposphere. May trap unusually cold air close to the ground, also less air circulation.

Adaptation

is any change in the structure or functioning of an organism that makes it more suited to its environment.

Climate change

is the change that occurs in the climate of region over time, usually minimum of 30 years.

Anecdotal evidence

relies on reports from people about particular weather events and how they interpret these events changing over time.

Scientific evidence

relies on evidence collected in a manner that, as much as possible, ensures it is unbiased and that reflects general situations.

Thermal energy

is the energy possessed by a substance by virtue of the kinetic energy.

Solar energy

energy from the sun.

Radiant energy

energy transmitted as electromagnetic waves.

Insolation

is the amount of solar energy received by a region of Earth's surface.

Angle of inclination

refers to the degree by which Earth's poles are tilted from the perpendicular of the plane of its orbit. (23.5°)

Polar regions

regions of Earth surrounding its geographical poles.

Latitude

are imaginary lines that run parallel to the equator.

Solstice

is one of two points in Earth's orbit when the poles are more tilted towards or away from the sun.

Equinox

is when the number of daylight hours exactly equal to the number of hours of night.

Angle of incidence

of a ray is the angle between the ray and a line that is drawn perpendicular to the Earth's surface.

Reflect energy

bounces light off and change the ray's direction.

Absorb energy

takes in light and converts it into another form of energy, such as kinetic energy.

Albedo

of a surface is the percent of solar radiation that it reflects.

*average albedo for the Earth's surface is 30%

Greenhouse effect

the trapping of the sun's warmth in a planet's lower atmosphere due to the greater transparency of the atmosphere to visible radiation from the sun than to infrared radiation emitted from the planet's surface.

Natural greenhouse effect

the absorption of thermal energy by the atmosphere.

Greenhouse gases

are gases that contribute to the artificial greenhouse effect.

Enhanced greenhouse effect

the change in the earths net radiation budget, caused by the increase in human generated greenhouse gases.

Incoming radiation

solar radiation that reaches the Earth.

*isn't reflected by the atmosphere.

Outgoing radiation

thermal radiation that is re-emitted by Earth's surface into space. IS not absorbed by the greenhouse gases of the atmosphere

Net radiation budget

is the difference between the amount of incoming radiation and of outgoing radiation.

*net radiation budget = incoming radiation - outgoing radiation

Radiation

is the emission of energy as particles or waves.

Conduction

is the transfer of thermal energy through direct contact between the particles of a substance, without moving particles to a new location

Convection

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

Fluids

substances with no definite shape.

Current

flow from one place to another in one direction.

Density

mass per volume of a substance.

Atmospheric pressure

is pressure exerted by the mass of air above any point on Earth's surface.

Wind

is the movement of cool air from there areas of high pressure to areas of low pressure.

The Coriolis Effect

is the deflection of an object from straight line path by the rotation of Earth.

Jet stream

is band of fast-moving air in the stratosphere. important to predicting weather changes

Specific heat capcity

is the amount of energy required to raise the temperature of 1g of the substance by 1°C.

Quantity of thermal energy

is amount of thermal energy absorbed or released when the temperature of a specific mass substance changes by a certain number of degrees.

*Q = mcΔt

Calorimeter

is any device used to determine the transfer of thermal energy.

Hydrologic cycle (water cycle)

constantly moving water molecules moving among the components of the biosphere.

Heat of fusion

the amount of energy absorbed when 1 mol of the substance changes from solid phase to liquid phase.

Heat of solidification

energy released during the reverse phase change, when 1 mol of a solid forms.

Heat of vaporization

the amount of energy absorbed when 1 mol of substance changes from liquid phase to vapor phase.

Heat of condensation

the energy released during reverse phase change, when 1 mol of vapor condenses to a liquid.

Open system

a system that exchanges both matter and energy with its surroundings.

Closed system

any system that exchanged energy with it's surroundings but does not exchange matter.

Biome

is a large geographical region with a specific climate that the plants and animals that inhabit are adapted to.

Tundra

-Perma forest, bitter cold, and high winds means no trees or tall plants. Little rainfall but accumulation on top of perma forest.

-Mountaintops around the world can be alpine tundra.

Taiga (boreal forest)

-large terrestrial biome

-mostly evergreen trees (coniferous)

-adapted to heavy snowfall

Deciduous forest

-mid latitudes,with enough moisture to support trees.

-deciduous trees drop their leaves in the winter

Grassland

-deep, rich topsoil, great for agriculture.

-seasonal drought, fire, grazing large mammals who prevent shrubs and trees establishment.

Rain forest

-great diversity of plants and animals.

-closed tree canopy.

-pronounced vertical stratification (layering)

Desert

-little to no rainfall.

-extreme temperature (hot and cold).

-organisms adapted to conserve water.

-many protective adaptation of plants to deter herbivory.

Climatograph

is a summary of the average temperature and precipitation for each month of the year.

Average precipitation

is always plotted as a bar graph.

Average temperature

is always plotted as a line graph.

Carbon source

any process that releases carbon into the atmosphere.

Fossil fuels

are fuels that contain large amounts of carbon.

Carbon sink

forests' are called this because photosynthesis removes carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.

Halocarbons

human-made chemicals that can absorb significant amount of thermal energy.

Global warning

refers to the observed increase in Earth's average temperature.

Hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs)

any of a class of inert compounds of carbon, hydrogen, hydrocarbons, chlorine, and fluorine, used in place of chlorofluorocarbons as being somewhat less destructive to the ozone layer.

Sustainable development

is the use of the world's resources in ways that maintain these resources for future generation.

Carbon dioxide sequestering

process where carbon dioxide gas is pumped into the ground to help extract underground oil reserves.

Global warning potential (GWP)

of an atmosphere gas is a measure of thy relative ability to trap thermal energy in the atmosphere.

Persistence

is how many years a gas will remain in the atmosphere.

Evidence of global warming

1. flowers in the northern hemisphere have begun to bloom earlier and earlier over the past century.

2. the incidence of extreme weather events such as ice storm and flood have been on a rise.

3. snow in some polar regions has decreased

4. the average level and temperature of the Earth'd ocean have been increasing.

The atmosphere rises over ____ from earths surface

500km

The atmosphere is mainly composed of a mixture of different gases that include.

78.0% nitrogen. 20.95% Oxygen. 0.97% other gases.

The Atmosphere is divided into 4 parts

Troposhere,Stratosphere,MesopheremThermosphere

Net radiation budget and latitude

Latitude is an important factor in predicting whether the net ration budget of a region will be out of balance

Thermal energy transfer

the movement if thermal energy from an area of high temperature to an area of low temperature, Can occur by conduction or convection