Flashcards on Energy Fluxes in Planetary Systems

Vocabulary flashcards related to energy fluxes in planetary systems.

Biosphere

All components of Earth where living organisms are found, including biotic matter and the environment supporting life.

Hydrosphere

All water on Earth, in all states (solid, liquid, gas).

Lithosphere

The solid/rocky layer of Earth.

Atmosphere

The gaseous component surrounding Earth, composed of a mixture of gases separated into layers by altitude.

Troposphere

The atmospheric layer closest to Earth's surface (0-10 km), supporting living organisms and where weather events occur.

Stratosphere

The atmospheric layer above the troposphere (10-50 km), containing the ozone layer that protects against UV radiation.

Mesosphere

The atmospheric layer above the stratosphere (50-80 km).

Thermosphere

The highest atmospheric layer (80-300 km), characterized by very high temperatures due to proximity to the sun.

Conduction

The transfer of heat through direct contact between particles, common in solids.

Convection

The transfer of heat through the movement of particles from one place to another, present in liquids and gases.

Convection Current

A cycle where particles heat up, move faster, become less dense, rise, cool down, and then fall back down.

Wind

The movement of air from an area of high pressure to an area of low pressure.

Coriolis Effect

The deflection of North-South air currents to the right in the Northern Hemisphere and to the left in the Southern Hemisphere due to Earth's rotation.

Trade Winds (Alizés)

Regular winds that transfer heat around Earth, resulting from a combination of convection currents and the Coriolis effect.

Jet Stream

Fast-moving air currents in the stratosphere that play a role in weather patterns and severe weather events.

Mantle

The fluid layer beneath the lithosphere.

Heat Capacity/Specific Heat

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

Q (Heat)

The quantity of thermal energy in Joules (J) or Kilojoules (kJ).

m (Mass)

The mass of a substance, typically measured in grams (g) or kilograms (kg).

c (Specific Heat Capacity)

The amount of energy required to raise the temperature of 1 gram of a substance by 1 degree Celsius, Measured in (J/g ) or (kJ/kg )

Δt (Change in Temperature)

The variation in temperature, calculated as the final temperature minus the initial temperature.

Calorimeter

An insulated container used to measure heat transfer.

Heat of Fusion (Hfus)

The amount of energy absorbed when 1 mol of a substance melts from solid to liquid without changing temperature.

Heat of Vaporization (Hvap)

The amount of energy absorbed when 1 mol of a substance evaporates from liquid to gas.

Meteorology

The study of weather.

Weather

Describes the atmospheric conditions at a specific location for a specific time (day to day).

Climate

The average weather conditions of a region over a long period of time (minimum 30 years).

Angle of Inclination

Earth's 23.5-degree tilt compared to the vertical plane, influencing the amount of solar radiation received at each latitude.

Equinox

When Earth is tilted sideways to the sun, resulting in an equal number of daylight and darkness hours.

Solstice

When Earth is tilted towards or away from the sun, resulting in the longest and shortest days measured by sunlight hours.

Angle of Incidence

The angle between incoming solar rays and a line perpendicular to Earth's surface.

Albedo

The percentage of solar radiation reflected by a surface.

Global Warming

The observed increase in Earth's average temperature.

Climate Change

Long-term shifts in temperatures and weather patterns.

Greenhouse Effect

The trapping of heat in Earth's atmosphere by greenhouse gases.

Greenhouse Gases

Gases that absorb and emit radiant energy within the thermal infrared range, causing the greenhouse effect.

Global Warming Potential (GWP)

A measure of how much energy the emissions of 1 ton of a gas will absorb relative to the emissions of 1 ton of carbon dioxide (CO2) over a specified period.

Carbon Source

A process that releases CO2 into the atmosphere.

Carbon Sink

A process that removes CO2 from the atmosphere.

Biome

A large geographic region defined by average temperatures, precipitation, and the animal and plant species adapted to the region's climate.