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APES Unit Two Test Review
Weather, Climate, Air, Geology, and Water
115
Environmental Studies
12th Grade
10/14/2013

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Term
Atmospheric Pressure
Definition
Measure of Mass Per Unit of Air, contigent of gravity
Term
Troposphere
Definition
Level of atmosphere where we live, weather takes place here, gets warmer as you go up.
Term
78% N2, 21% 02,trace H2O, AR, and CO2
Definition
Composition of Troposphere
Term
Weather
Definition
Short Term Atmospheric Conditions
Term
Climate
Definition
Combination of Average Temperature and Average Precipitation
Term
Stratosphere
Definition
Second Layer of the atmosphere, Contains Ozone which blocks out harmful UV rays.
Term
Ultraviolet Radiation
Definition
Ozone Blocks out 95% of this
Term
Stratospheric Ozone
Definition
O3, Considered the good kind of Ozone
Term
Photochemical Ozone
Definition
Dangerous variety of Ozone, caused by Smog and Pollution
Term

High Pressure Air Mass

Definition
Cooler Denser Air, Less water vapor, less humidity, clear sunny skies
Term
Low Pressure Air Mass
Definition
Lower Denstiy, More Water Vapor, forms clouds and precipitation, creates stroms and Hurricaines
Term
Warm Front
Definition
Warm air overides cool air, longer duration, causes clouds and rain. [image]
Term
Cold Front
Definition
Cool Air going underneath warm air, moves quickly causes thunder clouds and high winds, very sudden
Term
Dew Point 
Definition
the temperature below which the water vapor in air at constant barometric pressure condenses into liquid water at the same rate at which it evaporates.
Term
Tornadoes
Definition
When large warm air masses move rapidly over the more dense mass of cold air and rises rapidly to form strong verticle convection currents that suck air upwards.
Term
Tropical Cyclones
Definition
when Low Pressure cells form over Warm Tropical Ocean Water. There is rapid evaporation and condesation as winds begin to swirl due to the low prressure, when it cools it starts to violently rain.
Term
Thunderheads
Definition
Caused by cold front, a rapidly moving towering cloud
Term
Jet Streams
Definition
Hurricane Force Winds that circle the Earth and have a Strong Infulence of Weather Patterns
Term
Stationary Front
Definition
When a warm front or a cold front stops moving
Term
Upwelling
Definition
When Wind blows warm water away from a coast and pushes cold nutrient rich water to the top.
Term
ENSO
Definition
Changing of Wind directions, consits of El Niño and La Niña.
Term
El Niño
Definition
When winds in Southern American Pacific Coastal Waters change from goin East to West to going to West to East. Causes warmer waters but fewer upwellings.
Term
La Niña
Definition
Causes water in Southern American Coastal Waters to change from blowing West to East to blowing East to West. Causes more upwellings and cooler water.
Term
Climate Zones
Definition
Different areas that experience different climates.
Term
Factors that affect global air circulation
Definition
Uneven Heating of the Earth's Surface, Tilt of the Earth's Axis, Seasonal Changes, and Air speed of Wind in over Equator vs. over the Poles.
Term
Greenhouse Effect
Definition
When the Earth's Atomosphere traps some Gasses instead of ejecting all of it out into space.
Term
Global Warming
Definition
Unatural Increase of Greenhouse Gasses caused by Human Activity. Burning Fossile Fuels, effects of Agriculture, and Deforestation.
Term
Prevailing Winds
Definition
Wind Patterns that typically only blow in one direction.
Term
Rain Shadow Effect
Definition
Prevailing Winds pick up moisture from the ocean and releases the moisture on the windward side of a mountain, while on the leeward side of the mountain dry air decends and releases very little moisture. This creates micro climates.
Term
Windward Side
Definition
Rain Shadow Effect causes this side to be moist
Term
Leeward Side
Definition
Rain Shadow Effect causes this side to have dry climates
Term
Geology
Definition
Study of the Earth's internal and external processes
Term
Gelogists
Definition
Those who study the Earth
Term
Dynamic Planet
Definition
The concept that Earth is every changing
Term
Core
Definition
Hot solid layer of the Earth, surronded by a molten outer layer.
Term
Mantle
Definition
Solid layer of the Earth, surrounds the core, thickest layer of the Earth
Term
Crust
Definition
Very thin outermost layer of the Earth, oceanic and continental
Term
Astehnosphere
Definition
Located just under the lithosphere this layer is located in the upper mantle, it is generally solid but parts of it could be melted.
Term
Continental Crust
Definition
Crust located on land
Term
Oceanic Crust
Definition
Crust located on ocean floor
Term
Convection Currents
Definition
Moves large volumes of heat and rock like a conveyer belt in large loops. Soft hot rock is pushed upwards, and hard rock is pushed downward as it cools
Term
Mantle Plumes
Definition
Mantle Rock flows up slowly like smoke in a chimney and then spreads out in a radical pattern in all directions like an umbrella
Term
Lithosphere
Definition
Contains the crust and the uppermost layer of the mantle, tectonic plates are in this layer.
Term
Tectonic Plates
Definition
There are about 15 of these, they move along the astenosphere and they are slowly moving and interacting with eachother.
Term
Contiental Drift
Definition
Theory of Alfred Wegner, the crust and the continents of the Earth are not fixed but in constant motion.
Term
Divergent Plate Boundry
Definition
When two plates move away from eachother, results in mid ocean ridges or a rift.
Term
Convergent Plate Boundry
Definition
When two plates come together. A trench will form in the ocean or a mountain if its on land.
Term
Subduction
Definition
When two plates converge and the denser one slips under the less dense plate and pushes it into the mantle . This can cause Earthquakes
Term
Subduction Zone
Definition
The area of collision between two convergent plates
Term
Trench
Definition
What will typically form when two oceanic plates converge
Term
Transform Fault
Definition
When two plates rub against eachother laterally. No major land form is created, but there is a high chance of Earthquakes.
Term
External Processes of Earth
Definition
Weathering and Erosion
Term
Erosion
Definition
The Process in which material is dissolved, loosned, or worn from one part of the Earth and is moved away to another.
Term
Weathering
Definition
Physical, Chemical, or Biological process that breaks down rocks and minerals
Term
Physical/Mechanical Weathering
Definition
Where a large rock is broken down into smaller pieces mostly by frost wedging
Term
Frost Wedging
Definition
Process in which water collects in pores of rocks, expands upon freezing, and splits off pieces of rock.
Term
Chemical Weathering
Definition
Where one or more chemical reactions decompose a mass of rock. Most common with oxygen and carbon dioxdie.
Term
Biological Weathering
Definition
The conversion of rock or minerals into smaller particles through the action of living things, such as Lichen producing chemicals and acids that breakdown rock.
Term
Earthquakes
Definition
The faulting or a later abrupt movement on an existing fault.
Term
Richter Scale
Definition
Used to measure Earthquakes. Valued 1-10, where each interger is ten times greater than the previous.
Term
Magnitude
Definition
Measured by the amount of energy released in the shockwaves of an Earthquake.
Term
Seismograph
Definition
Instrument used to measure magnitude
Term
Aftershocks
Definition
Shockwaves that gradually decrease in frequency after the main shockwaves.
Term
Primary Effects of Earthquakes
Definition
Massive release of energy, shaking, permanent displacement of the ground
Term
Secondary Effects of Earthquakes
Definition
Landslides, Flooding, Fires, Sinkholes, Tsunamis
Term
Subsidence
Definition
Motion of Earth's surface downwards.
Term
Tsunamis
Definition
Massive waves caused by Earthquakes, very destructive
Term
Focus
Definition
The Point where an Earthquake shockwave originates
Term
Epicenter
Definition
The Point on the surface above the Earth directly above the Focus point.
Term
Volcano
Definition
When an upwelling of magma reaches the surface through a central vent in the Earth
Term
Magma
Definition
Molten rock stored up in the mantle
Term
Hotspot
Definition
Stationary chamber of magma that can reach the Earth's surface, plates move on top of it.
Term
Cooling Effect
Definition
Theory that states that after a volcano eurupts average temperature drops about two degrees in the next two years.
Term
Positive Effects of Volcanoes
Definition
Makes fertile soil, creates new land, and is nice scenery
Term
Negative Effects of Volcanoes
Definition
Causes damge and destroys things, ejects ash that blocks out the sunlight, cools atmosphere, and creates acid rain.
Term
Water's unique properties
Definition
Hydrogen Bonds, High Boiling Point, High Heat Capacity, Evaporative Cooling, Natural Solvent, Blocks UV radiation, capilary action, and expands when freezes.
Term
Saline Water
Definition
Unusable water supply makes up 97.4% of world's water supply
Term
Fresh Water
Definition
Water useable by humans, 2.6% of total water supply
Term
Ice Caps and Glaciers
Definition
Makes up 1.984% of water supply, not available to humans.
Term
Groundwater
Definition
0.592% of water supply, not readily accessible to humans
Term
Hydrologic Cycle
Definition
Includes evaporation, transpiration, precipation, infiltration, etc.
Term
Evaporation
Definition
Process where water heats up and turns from a liquid to a gas
Term
Transpiration
Definition
When water evaporates from the surface of plants
Term
Precipitation
Definition
The cooling process of water where it turns from a gas to a liquid
Term
Infilitration
Definition
Process in which surface water penetrates the surface and becomes ground water
Term
Runoff
Definition
When water flows on the Earth's surface
Term
Watershed
Definition
The area where surface water drains into a river, lake, wetland, or other body of water
Term
Drainage Basin
Definition
Where water drains into a body of water
Term
Reliable Runoff
Definition
The amount of water that is generally sustainable and useable anually
Term
Zone of Aeration
Definition
Area of an aquifer that is less deep and is a mix of air and water
Term
Zone of Saturation
Definition
Area of an Aquifer that is all water and is deep.
Term
Water Table
Definition
Fluctuating boundary between area of saturation and aeration
Term
Aquifers
Definition
Underground regions of porous rock and sand through which water can flow, there is a slow recharge of this area by penetration
Term
Unconfined Aquifer
Definition
Aquifer where the groundwater is in direct contact with the atmosphere through open pores in the rock
Term
Confined Aquifer
Definition
Aquifer that is typically deeper, and is overlain by inpermeable rock. Restricts movement of water
Term
Artesain Well
Definition
A well in which water is forced to the top by hydrologic pressure.
Term
Pump Well
Definition
A well in which water must be retrieved using manual energy
Term
Natural Recharge
Definition
The process in which runoff penetrates the ground and sinks into an aquifer, replenishing the supply
Term
Lateral Recharge
Definition
Where water flows into an aquifer from the side
Term
Hydrological Connection
Definition
Idea that eventually most groundwater flows into rivers, lakes, and other bodies of water.
Term
Non-replenishhable Aquifers
Definition
Aquifers that are found very deep underground, so deep that they will not replenish themselves
Term
Water Mining
Definition
Drilling Wells to extract groundwater
Term
Withdrawl
Definition
When water is taken from from the ground
Term
Thermal Pollution
Definition
Heated water returned to the Earth that disrupts aquatic life
Term
Consumptive Water Use
Definition
When withdrawn water is not available for reuse from the basin it was removed from
Term
Irrigation
Definition
The artificial application of water to farmland
Term
Dry Climate
Definition
Naturally Low expected amount of precipitation
Term
Drought
Definition
Unexpected low precipitation
Term
Desiccation
Definition
Removing of trees to expose soil, this causes higher evaporation of water
Term
Water Stress
Definition
Human activity is using too much water
Term
Water Scarcity
Definition
Growing freshwater use, and the depletion of fresh water available
Term
Hydrological Poverty
Definition
People who can't afford safe drinking water
Term
Government Ownership
Definition
When governments control the water supply
Term
Private Organization
Definition
In developing countries this is more common, where individuals or companies control water
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