Climate
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What is an Open System? How does it work?
Materials enter, get acted on, then exit the system One way flow Requires a constant input of materials
What is a Biogeochemical Cycle?
The movement of chemical elements between the Earth and living organisms
What is the difference between Abiotic and Biotic factors?
Abiotic:refers to the non-living environment (rocks, air, amount of sunlight, wind, humidity) Biotic:refer to living organisms (is alive, was alive, will be alive, or produced by a living organism)
What is a Closed System? How does it work?
Materials remain in the system, no loss or addition of materials, requires continual reuse and recycling
How are climate and weather different?
Climate:long-term average of conditions in atmosphere, what we would expect Weather:current state of the atmosphere, what is going on right now
What role does the Sun play in determining climate?
Provides the energy to power climate
Why does the Earth heat unevenly?
The Earth is curved
How does the Angle of Incidence affect heating on the Earth?
The sun shines from one direction Only 1/2 of the planet can ever be lit at one time Some light is direct and some light is indirect
Where is the angle of incidence the greatest, where is it the least?
Greatest:equator Least:South and North Pole
How much is the Earth’s axis tilted?
23.5 degrees
How are seasons determined?
The tilt of the Earth and which way is tilted towards and away from the sun
How does color affect the ability of a surface to absorb heat?
Dark color:heats up and cools down faster than light colors Light color:doesn’t change temperature as fast as dark colors
How does water compare to land in its ability to heat and cool?
Water warms and cools slower than air The temperature affects the air temperature which affects the land
How does the uneven heating of the Earth produce density currents and wind systems?
Uneven heating produces areas that are hot and areas that are cold Cold air/water is more dense and creates areas of high pressure Warm air/water is less dense and creates areas of low pressure Air/water tends to move from areas of high pressure to areas of low pressure
What is the Coriolis Effect and how is it produced?
The deflection in the movement of large objects (air masses and ocean currents) over the Earth’s surface Produced by the rotation of the Earth
How do currents affect coastlines of continents?
East coast currents tend to be warm West coast currents tend to be cold The water temp of the current will cool/warm the air above it That air moves over the land and cools/warms the land
How does the Coriolis Effect affect global winds?
Coriolis Effect breaks the movement into 3 smaller circulations called wind systems
What are the three main wind systems?
Prevailing Westerlies, Polar Easterlies, and Trade Winds
Where is each found and which direction does each blow?
Prevailing Westerlies:found from 30-60 degrees (from SW to NE) Polar Easterlies:found from 60 degrees-the poles (from NE to SW) Trade Winds:found from 15-30 degrees (from NE to SW)
What occurs at roughly 30 degrees latitude around the globe? Why?
Deserts, because the air is sinking and warming between wind systems. Skies will clear because the air can hold more water
What is a Rain Shadow? What causes it? What happens on the windward and leeward side of mountains?
The dry area on the leeward side of the mountain The water on the windward side has all ready precipitated and there’s little to no water left on the leeward side Windward:humid air gets forced up the mountain, air cools to dew point and precipitates Leeward:air warms as it descends, dries and there is no precipitation
How do large bodies of water affect local climates?
Water warms/cools slower than air Water temp will warm/cool the air above it The air moves over the land and will warm/cool the land
What types of cycles are Energy and Matter here on Earth? Why is each the type it is?
Energy:open system-requires constant energy from sun and leaves as low quality heat Matter:closed system-we recycle all of our matter
What are the two main factors that describe climate?
• Temperature 2. Precipitation