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Chapt. 17 & 19 Study Guide
The Atmosphere: Structure and Temperature
31
Environmental Studies
9th Grade
02/14/2013

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Cards

Term
How does weather and climate differ?
Definition
Weather - events occurring now
Climate - weather that occurs year long
Term
List the items found in the atmosphere along with its percentage.
Definition
Nitrogen - 78%
Oxygen - 21#
other gases - 2%
Term
Explain the difference between primary pollutants and secondary pollutants. Give examples of each.
Definition
Primary Pollutant - pollutants that enter the atmosphere from a visible source
Secondary Pollutant - pollutants that enter the atmosphere through other methods
Term
Where is ozone found? What is its purpose?
Definition
Ozone is in the stratosphere. Its purpose is to lock in heat.
Term
What happens to pressure and temperature as you increase in altitude?
Definition
Pressure and temperature decreases.
Term
Explain the differences between rotation and revolution.
Definition
Rotation - the spinning of a body on its axis (day and night)
Revolution - the movement of a body around another body (365.25 days)
Term
List the layers of the atmosphere from the Earth's surface upward.
Definition
Troposphere, Stratosphere, Mesosphere, Thermosphere
Term
Explain the difference between solstice and equinox. List the dates for spring and fall equinox as well as the summer and winter solstice.
Definition
Solstice - winter (shorter days and longer nights); summer (longer days and shorter nights)
Equinox - day and night are equal in length (fall and spring)
Term
Differentiate between the tree ways heat is transferred.
Definition
Conduction, radiation, and convection
Term
What happens to solar radiation?
Definition
Solar Radiation - 50% is absorbed on earth, 20% is absorbed in clouds, 30% is reflected off clouds
Term
Explain the difference between reflection and scattering.
Definition
Reflection - rays bouncing off clouds
Scattering - rays are moving in all directions
Term
List the ways temperature can vary on Earth.
Definition
Land hears up quick and cools quickly, water heats up slowly and cools slowly, as you move up a mountain temperatures cool off. as you move up in altitude temperatures cool down, clouds help lock in the temperature at night and reflect off radiation during the day.
Term
How do temperatures vary form land to sea?
Definition
Land heats up quick and cools quickly, water heats up slowly and cools slowly
Term
What is albedo and how does it change from day to night?
Definition
clouds help lock in the temperatures at night and reflect off radiation during the day
Term
How does altitude affect temperature?
Definition
as you move up in altitude, temperatures cool down
Term
Explain air pressure. What unit do we measure pressure?
Definition
air pressure in a force exerted in all directions, millibars
Term
What is a barometer? List the two types.
Definition
tool measuring air pressure, mercury and aneroid
Term
How does wind form?
Definition
sun and pressure differences
Term
Winds move from a ____ to ____ pressure system?
Definition
high to low
Term
Describe an isobar. What happens if they are closely spaced together? Far apart?
Definition
isobars are lines of equal pressure, closely spaced lines are low pressure and widely spaced lines are high pressure
Term
Describe a high and low pressure system. Include weather conditions too.
Definition
high pressure system - good weather (anti-cyclone moving clockwise)
low pressure system - stormy weather (cyclone moving counterclockwise)
Term
What direction does the Coriolis effect spin in the Northern Hemisphere?
Definition
counterclockwise
Term
How does friction affect wind?
Definition
slows wind down
Term
What direction does the jet stream travel in the northern hemisphere?
Definition
west to east
Term
where do you find friction at its strongest point?
Definition
in mountain areas
Term
Describe the movement of cyclones and anticyclones.
Definition
cyclones move counterclockwise, anti-cyclones move clockwise
Term
Describe the movement of trade winds, westerlies and polar easterlies.
Definition
trade winds - move east to west
westerlies - move west to east
polar easterlies - move east to west
Term
Explain the difference between land and sea breezes. How are they different in the day as to the night?
Definition
land breezes occur at night where wind moves from the land to sea, sea breezes occur during the day where wind moves from sea to land
Term
What instrument is used to determine the direction of the wind?
Definition
wind vane
Term
How do you classify the direction of the wind?
Definition
by the direction it came from
Term
Describe the difference between El Nino and La Nina.
Definition
El Nino - the periodic warming of the oceans
La Nina - the periodic cooling of the oceans
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