Chapter 9: External energy fuels weather and climate

weather is a _ process

Short-term

• Thunderstorms, tornadoes, hurricanes, floods

Climate is a _ process

Long-term

• Glacial advance/retreat droughts, ocean circulation changes

_ powers geological disasters

energy from Earth’s interior

Example of Earth’s energy powering geological disasters

Solar radiation

Some energy comes from

Earth, Moon, Sun tides

The Sun’s electromagnetic radiation

• Radio waves through visible, X-rays to gamma rays

• Visible light: 434% of light at surface

Solar radiation: reflected/absorbed amounts vary with

Latitude

What is the average latitude ration

30/70

Net heating on the

Equitorial belt

Net cooling at

Polar regions

• Heat transfer form equator to poles

Circulation patterns determine

Weather and climate

• Orbit, energy transfer to poles

• Rotation and gravity

_ raises Earth’s surface temperature

Greenhouse effect

Solar radiation has _ wavelength

Short

Excess heat re-radiated has _ wavelength and is absorbe dby

Long

• Absorbed by greenhouse gases

Albedo is the direct reflection of

Solar radiation

_ increases albedo and why

Ice cover, keeps poles cold

_ decreases albedo and why

Liquid water, accelerates melting

The Hydrologic cycle steps

1. Water evaporates from oceans plant transpiration

2. Vapour condenses

3. Gravity returns water to the oceans

Vapour condenses: falls as

Precipitation

Gravity returns water to oceans: continuously operating as a

Distillation and filter system

¼ solar energy drives

water evaporation

Water has the _ of all solids and liquids except ammonia

Heat capacity

Water has the _ of all liquids at Earth’s surface temperatures

Heat conduction

Water has the highest _ (liquid/gas)

Latent heat of vaporization

Water has the second highest _ (liquid/solid)

Latent heat of fusion

Water has the highest dielectric constant of all liquids meaning it keeps

Ions apart, maintains solutions

By volume the atmosphere is 0 to 4% what

Water vapour

humidity is

Amount of water vapour in the air

Saturation humidity is the

Maximum vapour content

Relative humidity is the

ratio of humidity and saturation humidity

If temperature of air is lowered without changing humidity it will reach 100%

Relative humidity

When relative humidity reaches 100%, excess water vapour condenses to liquid water and reaches a

Dew point

Heat index is the

Temperature felt depending on relative humidity

Stored or released energy is

Latent heat

Low heat capacity of rock means it

Heats up and cools down quickly

During the Winter

• Land cools quickly

• cool air sinks toward the ground

• High pressure region

• Ocean retains warmth

During the summer

• Land heats up quickly

• Low pressure

• Ocean warms slowly

Atmosphere converts solar energy into

Wind

_ moves heat around Earth

Atmospheric circulation

Pressure decreased with altitude results in

Upward flow of air

Convection: added heat increases

Upward flow

Atmosphere is layered by

Temperature

Lowest layer of the atmosphere is the

Troposphere

Troposphere (temp and altitude)

temp decreases with altitude

Tropopause

Temp decrease pauses

Stratosphrere

Temp increases with altitude

Stratopause

Temp increases pauses

Mesosphere

Temp decreases with altitude

Air pressure differences result in

Pressure differentials

Pressure gradiant

Force air flows from high to low pressure

• Equalize pressure differentials

Isobar

Map line connecting point of equal pressure

Wind

Horizontal air flow

• Across isobars perpendicularly from high to low

Closely spaces isobars indicates greater

Wind speed

Coriolis effect

Force due to Earth’s rotation

Northern hem: moving objects pushed

Starboard

Southern hem: moving objects pushed

Portside

Friction

Surface (ground,trees) resists flow

Gradient, Coriolis, and friction determine

Wind direction

Anticyclone

Circular isobars, middle isobar highest

Anticlone: northern hem has _ winds

clockwise

Anticlone: southern hem has _ winds

Counterclockwise

Cyclone

Circular isobars, middle isobar lowest

Cyclone: northern hem _ winds

Counter clockwise

Cyclone: southern hem _ surface winds

clockwise

Anticlone: air aloft_ and_ out at ground

sinks and flows

Cyclone: ground air _and_ aloft

flows and rises

Solar radiation at equator powers circulation of

Hadley cells

Warm, moist air rises at

Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ)

• cools and rains in tropics

Dry air picks up moisture along surface therefore

Many great deserts in this region