Shared Flashcard Set

Details

Physical Geo-1
N/A
101
Geography
Undergraduate 3
09/13/2012

Additional Geography Flashcards

 


 

Cards

Term
Components of a system
Definition
-flows of energy and/or matter
-a boundary separating the contents of the system from the external environment
-internal transformation
Term
Give an example of what is not true about systems
Definition
when outpout is greater than input, storage will increase
Term
Body temp increases, you sweat. Is this positive or negative?
Definition
Negative
Term
What is not caused by the rotation of earth?
Definition
wind
Term
The angular distance along a parallel between the prime meridian and a given point on the globe is the ___ of that point
Definition
longitude (angle!)
Term
A north-south line on the earth's surface that connects the poles is a ..
Definition
meridian
Term
The _______ Solstice occurs when the subsolar point is at 23.5 degrees south
Definition
December Solstice
Term
The article circle is at 66.5 degrees N experiences 24 hours of day in the ______
Definition
june solstice
Term
Meridians of longitude are all parallel to each other and parallels of latitude intersect at the poles
Definition
FALSE

meridians of longitude intersect at poles
parallels of latitude are parallel
Term
Radius of the Earth
Definition
64000 km
Term
What coordinate does NOT represent a point that actually exists on the earth
Definition
109 N and 85 E.
Term
Latitude is from...
Definition
0-90 degrees North to South
Term
What is equilibrium?
Definition
A state of balance between opposing forces
A tendency of a system to vary around a stable average condition
Term
When someone describes an idea or theory it means that..
Definition
it is a unifying concept that predicts and helps to explain a broad range of evidence
Term
What sphere intersects all of the others?
Definition
Biosphere
Term
The imaginary straight line that runs through the center of the earth?
Definition
uhhh
Term
An east-west circle on the Earth's surface that lies in a plan parallel to the equator is a...
Definition
parallel
Term
The angular distance along a meridian between the equator and a given point is the ______
Definition
latitude
Term
Earth rotates ___ degrees in 1 hour
Definition
15
Term
Seasons are primarily the result of
Definition
the tilt of the earth's axis
Term
A great circle is ___ to the circum. of the earth
Definition
equal
Term
A system of parallels and meridians that are superimposed on the earth's surface on a globe or map is...
Definition
geographic grid
Term
The earth’s axis is
Definition
23.5 degrees away from the perpendicular to the plane of the eliptic
Term
One degree of latitude (measured along a meridian) represents pretty much the same distance anywhere on the earth's surface, but one degree of longitude (measured along a parallel) represents different distances on the surface depending on the latitude where the measurement is made. True or false?
Definition
true
Term
Which of the following is not a great circle or part of a great circle?
Definition
Tropic of Cancer
Term
Which of the following is an accurate projection with respect to shape, size and direction?
Definition
No such thing... bitch!
Term
Eratosthenes figured out a way to do what?
Definition
Estimate the earth's circumference
Term
Why is water considered such an important part of the earth system?
Definition
...all of the above are true
Term
What is the plane of the ecliptic?
Definition
the plane defined by the earth's orbit around the sun
Term
What is the highest latitude at which the sun is ever seen directly overhead in either hemisphere?
Definition
23.5 degrees
Term
If the earth's diameter were only half as large as it is now, how many degrees of latitude would separate the equator from the North Pole?
Definition
90
Term
On which of the following dates is the sun directly overhead at noon on the equator?
Definition
March 21
Term
Dec. 22
Definition
(None of the above).. Dec. 21st
Term
When does everywhere experience 12hrs day and 12hrs of night?
Definition
Sept 22nd
Term
How high is the sun in the sky on June 21 at latitude 75 degrees South?
Definition
the sun is not above the horizon
Term
The earh reaches periphelion at?
Definition
Jan 3
Term
What has the shortest wavelength?
Definition
gamma rays
Term
With increasing temperature, what happens to the emission of radiant energy?
Definition
the amount emitted increases and the wavelength becomes shorter
Term
The max intensity of solar radiation occurs in what part of the electromagnetic spectrum?
Definition
visible
Term
The earth emits mainly.... radiation
Definition
infared
Term
shortwave radiation includes..
Definition
visible, uv, near infared
Term
If the sun was cooler...
Definition
more radiation would be infared
Term
Solar Constant?
Definition
the rate at which solar energy approaching the earth passes through a unit surface area above the earth's atmosphere per unit time
Term
Which latitude receives the highest daily maximum (i.e. maximum for any single day, not average daily) amount of insolation over the course of the year?
Definition
the poles
Term
Latitudes closer to the equator than about 40 degrees have a surplus of net radiation when averaged over the year. What happens to that surplus energy?
Definition
it drives the circulation of the atmosphere and ocean surface, which carry surplus energy toward higher latitudes in the form of latent and sensible heat
Term
What controls annual variation of insolation at the top of the atmosphere for any given latitude?
Definition
variations in the angle of incidence of the sun's rays and in the duration of daylight
Term
Daily net radiation averaged over the course of the year is highest where?
Definition
equatorial latitudes
Term
What is the third-most abundant gas in the atmosphere?
Definition
Argon
Term
In which layer of the atmosphere does temperature RISE with INCREASING altitude?
Definition
stratosphere
Term
Tropopause
Definition
boundary between tropo and strato
Term
Normal lapse rate is the average rate of decline of atmospheric pressure in the troposphere with increasing altitude; environmental lapse rate is the rate that would be observed at a specific place and time.
Definition
false
Term
Atmospheric pressure at sea level is
Definition
1013.2 millibars
Term
What are we actually measuring when we measure atmospheric pressure?
Definition
atmospheric pressure is the weight of the column of air above a specific point, per unit of surface area
Term
Which of the following best describes how atmospheric pressure changes with increasing altitude?
Definition
within the first 10 miles above the surface, atmospheric pressure drops to about 10% of the atmospheric pressure at sea level and then continues to drop even further at higher altitudes
Term
The change in pressure per kilometer of altitude in the atmosphere is the same no matter where in the atmosphere you measure that change
Definition
FALSEE
Term
What is the correct explanation for the observed trend in temperature of the stratosphere?
Definition
temperature increases with altitude because the ozone layer in the stratosphere absorbs ultraviolet radiation, which in turn heats the air and raises the temperature
Term
Which of the following pictures best represents the trend of atmospheric temperature (horizontal axis) with increasing altitude (vertical axis) from the surface to an altitude of about 120 km?
Definition
zig zag
Term
Which of the choices in the previous question best represents the trend of atmospheric pressure with increasing altitude?
Definition
downward curve
Term
Which of the following is most commonly responsible for a visible buildup of pollutants and smog in the lower atmosphere?
Definition
temp inversion
Term
Why does the Antarctic ozone hole typically develop and reach its maximum extent from September into early October?
Definition
chlorine ions derived from CFC emissions are trapped by ice crystals in polar stratospheric clouds through the winter; the ice crystals then melt in spring, releasing Cl ions to react with ozone molecules
Term
anthropogenic pollutants
Definition
carbon monoxide
nitrogen oxide
ozone

SO2
Term
Which of the following statements is NOT true?
Definition
Despite efforts to regulate sources of air pollution there has been no improvement at all in the acid precipitation problem in the eastern U.S. over the last several decades
Term
Aerosols are
Definition
extremely small particles suspended in the air

associated with both natural and anthropogenic sources of atmospheric pollution

potentially dangerous to human health, especially at the smallest sizes
Term
If the sun were cooler than it is
Definition
More of the sun's incoming radiation would be infared
Term
The Earth's albedo is
Definition
31%
Term
What process is responsible for the sky being blue and sunsets are yellow?
Definition
Scattering
Term
What has the lowest albedo?
Definition
Forest
Term
What quantity is calculated by summing insolation and downward longwave radiation, then subtracting reflected shortwave and emitted upward longwave radiation?
Definition
net radiation
Term
What fraction of shortwave radiation reaching the earth is returned to space as longwave radiation?
Definition
a little more than two thirds
Term
The sky as seen from the daylit side of the moon is black; this is not true on the earth because of what process?
Definition
Scattering (it's always fucking scattering!)
Term
The bending of light rays as they pass through a gas or a liquid is called
Definition
refraction
Term
Transmission of heat energy between one material substance and another by direct contact, or from one part of an object to another, is ___________.
Definition
conduction
Term
Heat energy transmitted by a moving fluid, particularly through vertical currents caused by heating, is called
Definition
convection
Term
the amount of energy leaving the earth's surface as latent heat is equal to the amount of shortwave radiation absorbed at the earth's surface.. T/F?
Definition
FALSE!
Term
T/F?
some SW that was absorbed by the earth's surface is emitted upward by the surface as shortwave radiation
Definition
False
Term
Which is the least efficient means of transmitting heat energy?
Definition
conduction (conductors touching ;b)
Term
Which of the following is likely to have the highest emission of sensible heat on an annual basis?
Definition
hot ass places..


subtropical deserts (i.e. close to the tropics of Cancer and Capricorn)
Term
True or false?

large-scale motions of the atmosphere and oceans are driven by the imbalance between latitudinal regions with energy surpluses and others with energy deficits
Definition
true
Term
C-> F equation

F--> C equation

A temperature of 20 degrees Celsuis is equivalent to
Definition
C1.8-32

F-32/1.8


68F
Term
How do clouds affect the earth's radiation balance?
Definition
Reflect incoming SW
Absorb LW from Earth
Re-emit abosrbed longwave
..Net Albedo and Greenhouse

ALL!
Term
maximum daily temperature usually occurs at least a couple of hours after maximum insolation

True or False?
Definition
True
Term
Daily max of temperature occurs when in relation to net radiation
Definition
temperature continues to rise as long as net radiation is positive and begins to decline when net radiation becomes negative
Term
At what time of day do we usually experience minimum daily temperature?
Definition
at or shortly after dawn
Term
Latitudes closer to the equator than about 40 degrees have a surplus of net radiation when averaged over the year. What happens to that surplus energy?
Definition
it drives the circulation of the atmosphere and ocean surface, which carry surplus energy toward higher latitudes in the form of latent and sensible heat
Term
Temperature more than about 30 cm below the ground surface
Definition
experiences almost no temperature change during a typical daily cycle of heating and cooling at the surface.
Term
True or false?

higher amounts of sensible heat emitted in rural areas than in urban areas explains typical observed differences in temperatures between urban and rural areas
Definition
False
Term
Temperatures at maritime locations tend to be milder than at continental locations because
Definition
Water has a high specific heat

Solar energy can penetrate

Vertical mixing ;)

more of solar radiation is obsorbed by water bodies
Term
When isotherms are closer together on a map there is
Definition
large temperature gradient
Term
Cooling of the land surface on a clear night may cause _____ by just before dawn.
Definition
temperature inversion..LID!
Term
Temperature differences between equatorial and polar latitudes
Definition
winter.
Term
If the earth had no oceans,
Definition
seasonal temperature variations would be much larger than they are now
Term
T/F

Isotherms over land shift toward the equator in winter and toward the poles in summer.
Definition
true
Term
T/F

Seasonal isotherm shifts toward the poles or equator are greater over the oceans than they are over land.
Definition
False
Term
Why are isotherms generally more irregular in the northern hemisphere and more concentric and simple in the southern hemisphere?
Definition
the southern hemisphere is mostly covered by oceans with a continent on the pole, whereas the northern hemisphere has ocean at the pole but has continents alternating with oceans through most of the hemisphere
Term
The annual cycle of temperature variation near an east-coast location in the midlatitudes
Definition
is fairly similar to the pattern observed at a continental location and not as mild as the pattern observed at a west-coast location
Term
Where on the globe would you expect to see the largest annual range of temperatures?
Definition
over the high-latitude continental interiors
Term
T/F?

According to NASA, nine of the ten warmest years on record have happened since 2000 and 2012 is likely to be the warmest year on record.
Definition
True
Term
What happens to the annual cycle of temperature with increasing latitude?
Definition
temps get cooler
seasonal variations become more pronounced
Temps contrast
Term
What makes the wind blow?
Definition
differences in atmospheric pressure between one location and another.
Term
Contour lines on a map representing location with = atmospheric pressure are called
Definition
isobars
Term
What do we call the circulation of air parallel to the isobars around a low or a high in the atmosphere?
Definition
geostraphic wind
Supporting users have an ad free experience!