Weather and climate test 1

What are the two branched of geography?

Human & Physical

What is Physical Geography

involves the study of the four main spheres of Earth Atmosphere•

Hydrosphere (and Cryosphere)•

Biosphere•

Lithosphere

What is Human Geography

the branch of geography dealing with how human activity affects or is influenced by the earth's surface.

What is Atmosphere?

the envelope of gas that surrounds the planet and is held by the Earth's gravitational attraction (approximately 10 km)

What is Hydrosphere

All the water areas on Earth Includes oceans, lakes, rivers, ground water, and glaciers (approximately 70% of Earth's surface)

What is Biosphere?

is the zone of life that includes all of the Earth's plants, animals, and soil.

What is Cryosphere?

includes all frozen water on Earth (e.g., glaciers, snow cover, permafrost)

Latitude

Lines of latitude are parallel lines that run E-W across the globe and measure 0° to 90° North or South of the Equator

Longitude

Lines of longitude are N-S lines that measure from 0° to 180° East or West of the Prime Meridian

(Intersect at the poles)

Time Zone

Dependent on longitude

What is the international date line

At the 180° meridian of longitude, is the International Date Line (IDL), where each new day begins •

New dates begin at the IDL and proceed westward, so that west of the line is always one day later than east of the line.

Conical Projection Map

cylindrical projection

planar projection maps

Mercator Map

From cylindrical Projection

Robinson Map

Representative fraction

1:63,360

Topographic Maps

elevation or temp. differences

Dot Density Map

dense vs. not dense areas

Proportional Circle Map Type

emphasizing volume

Choropleth Map

different categories and intensity

Cartogram

• displaying a phenomena in relation to area

Flow Line map

show diffusion patterns

What is Remote sensing

a tool used in Geography that involves obtaining information (images) about an area without having physical contact with that area

Geographic Information Systems (GIS)

use the map and information to manipulate, analyze and graphically display referenced information

What is Statistical Analysis

to verify a statistically significant relationship

What is meteorology

the study of the atmosphere and atmospheric processes

([Weather - present state of the atmosphere]

What is climatology?

study of weather conditions for the longer period

[Climate - average of all weather conditions for an area]

What is the role of the atmosphere

Supplies oxygen we breathe and carbon dioxide for plants

• Shields Earth from UV rays (ozone layer) •

Acts as a blanket to hold in heat (greenhouse gases) and redistributes heat across the globe (wind circulation) •

Helps maintain the hydrologic cycle

Evolution of Earth Atmosphere: Primordial (4.6 billion yrs ago)

Hydrogen and Helium

Evolution of Earth Atmosphere: Primitive (4.5-3.8 billion yr ago)

Earth begins to cool and degassing occurs •

Water Vapor (80%), Carbon dioxide (10%), and some Nitrogen

Evolution of Earth Atmosphere: Heavy Precipitation Period (3.8 billion years ago)

Water Vapor to Liquid Water •

Carbon dioxide levels dwindle; Nitrogen levels increase

Evolution of Earth Atmosphere: Oxygen Period (3 billion years ago)

Water Vapor molecules split to Hydrogen and Oxygen •

Oxygen combined with another O molecule - ozone layer •

Photosynthesis occurring in oceans

Earths Atmosphere Composition

mixture of solids (dust and ice), liquids (water) and gases

Green House Gasses

responsible for the actual heating of Earth (without GHG's, the Earth would be below freezing and there would be no liquid water)

Structure of the Atmosphere: Troposphere (0-10 km)

Where most weather takes place

Structure of the Atmosphere: Stratosphere (10-50 km)

Temperature inversion - increase elevation, increase temperature •

Ozone layer (shields Earth from UV rays)

Structure of the Atmosphere: Mesosphere (50-80 km)

Increase elevation, decrease in temperature

Structure of the Atmosphere: Thermosphere (80 km and higher)

Very few molecules - cold; essentially outer space

Structure of the Atmosphere: Ionosphere (60-1000 km)

area dominated by ions (particles with electrical charges); area important for radio transmission and both northerly and southerly lights

What is heat energy

is the total kinetic energy in an object

Heat energy ALWAYS moves from higher temperatures to lower temperatures

Three ways heat is transferred

conduction, convection, radiation

What is temperature

the measure of the average kinetic energy in a substance

What does solar radiation cause

ultimate source of energy that drives our weather

(30% of radiation is reflected or scattered)

How much radiation from solar radiation

50% absorbed by Earth and 15% absorbed to atmosphere

what is terrestrial radiation

Solar radiation reaches Earth's surface and the Earth then radiates that energy (heat).

What is revolution?

Earth revolves around the sun in an elliptical orbit - 365 days, 5 hours and 48 minutes (365 ¼ day).

What is Rotation?

Earth rotates on an imaginary axis every 24 hours. This is what causes day and night

Revolution Vs Rotation

The earth rotates on its axis and revolve around the sun

Plane of Ecliptic

imaginary plane is based on the plane formed by the sun and Earth's orbital path

Tilt of the earth

Earth remains at a constant angle relative to the plane of ecliptic

Slope Aspect

North-facing slopes - receive less solar energy (cooler and more moist) -

South-facing slopes - receive more solar energy (warmer and more arid)

Cloudy Day

Loss of energy through clouds (scattered, reflected and absorbed), so temperatures cooler on Earth's surface

Cloudy night

Clouds trap terrestrial radiation leaving Earth, so temperatures warmer on Earth's surface

Albedo

percent of sunlight reflected off of a surface

High albedo

cooler temperatures (absorbs less solar radiation)

Low albedo

warmer temperatures (absorbs more solar radiation)

Daily mean temp

the average maximum and minimum temperature for a day

Daily range of temperature

• the difference between the high and low temperature on a given day

Monthly mean temperature

average temperature of the month (summing daily mean temp/# days in a month)

Annual mean temperature

summing the monthly mean temperature and dividing by 12

Annual temperature range

the difference between the means of the warmest and coldest month

Urban Heat Island

Urban climate warmer than rural climate due to the change in surface cover (roads, buildings, factories, etc.)