2414045
Description
Flashcards by Sydney Routley, updated more than 1 year ago
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Created by Sydney Routley
about 9 years ago
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| Question | Answer |
| Weather? | Short term atmospheric conditions |
| Climate? | Long term atmospheric conditions |
| Atmosphere composed of...? | Nitrogen 78% Oxygen 21% Other 0.04% |
| 4 layers of the atmosphere? (top to bottom) | Thermosphere (Mesopause) Mesosphere (Stratopause) Stratosphere (ozone layer) (Tropopause) Troposhere |
| Thermosphere...? | 85-1000km Temp increase with altitude due to oxygen absorbing UV radiation |
| Mesosphere...? | 50-85km Temp decrease with altitude because its being warmed by the Stratosphere |
| Stratosphere...? | 12-50km Temp increase with altitude due to the ozone layer absorbing UV radiation |
| Troposphere...? | 0-12km Temp decrease with altitude because the earths surface warms the troposphere. Turbulence due to warm air rising + cold sinking. Clouds due to water vapor and jet stream. |
| Atmospheric Heat Budget? | Heat gained and lost by the earth |
| Insolation? | Short wave radiation from the sun to earth |
| Insolation goes...? | 50% absorbed by the Earth 25% reflected back into space 20% absorbed by air and clouds 5% reflected back into space |
| 4 main factors that effect the Atmospheric Heat Budget (AHB)? | Solar Constant Earths distance from Sun Height of Sun in the sky Length of Day and Night |
| Solar constant affects the AHB because? | amount of solar radiation we receive. Varies with suns activity |
| Earths distance from the sun affects the AHB because? | closer the sun the more concentrated radiation |
| Height of sun in the sky affects the AHB because? | Varies with latitude. Equator = sun overhead = radiation spread over smaller surface area. |
| length of day and night affects the AHB because? | Varies with seasons. Longer nighttime less solar radiation? |
| Higher latitudes are colder because? | They receive less solar radiation because: The sun is lower in the sky Fewer hours of daylight in winter |
| Higher altitudes are colder because? | Earths surface heats atmosphere - further away colder it gets Air pressure decreases with altitude - less molecular movement |
| Wind? | large scale movements of air caused by differences in air pressure. |
| Low pressure | warm air rising |
| High pressure | Cold air sinking |
| Winds move..? | From high TO low pressure |
| Pressure Gradient | Difference between high and low pressure |
| 3 main types of global atmospheric circulation cells? | Polar Cell Ferrel Cell Hadley Cell |
| At the Equator...? | Sun warms the earth which warms the air warm air rises creating low pressure, clouds and rain |
| Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ)? | low pressure zone of rising air at the equator. |
| 30* North and South...? | Cool air sinks creating high pressure Sub-tropical jet streams are found here. |
| Jet streams? | Fast moving currents of air |
| Trade winds? | surface winds blowing towards the equator. The blow from the NE in the northern hemisphere. |
| Westerlies? | Surface winds blowing towards the poles. Blow from the SW in the northern hemisphere. |
| 60* North and South of the Equator? | Warmer surface winds meet colder air from the poles. Warmer air is less dense so it rises. Creating a low pressure. |
| At the Poles...? | Cool air sinks. Creating a high pressure. this high pressure is drawn back towards the equator in surface winds. |
| Ocean Currents? | large scale movements of water caused by differences in water density. |
| Water density depends on..? | Water temp Salinity |
| Currents affected by..? | Surface winds Position of land masses and other currents |
| Warm ocean currents? | Raise air temp which warms the land nearby |
| Cool ocean currents...? | Lower air temp which cools the land nearby |
| Ocean currents travel...? | clockwise in the northern hemisphere due to surface winds |
| Gulf Stream? | Carries warm water from the Caribbean sea along e.coast of USA and across Atlantic to Western Europe. |
| UK Climate? | Cool Temperate Western Maritime |
| UK climate is a result of...? | Latitude Location in relation to atmospheric cells Maritime location Located near the Gulf Stream. |
| Latitude affects UKs climate how? | Not hot because the sun is never high in the sky Not cold because we get daylight hours all year round |
| UKs latitude? | 50*-55* North |
| Location in relation to atmospheric cells affects UKs climate how? | UK on the North edge of Ferrell Cell Surface winds bring warm air creating a low pressure also causes depressions which cause rain. |
| Maritime location affects UKs climate how? | UK surrounded by water (which loses heat slower than land) keeping it warmer for longer in winter = warm winds in winter (Reverse for summer!) |
| Located near the Gulf Stream affects UKs climate how? | Makes the UK warmer than other places on the same latitude eg. Canada |
| How does temperature vary within the UK? | Warmer in South due to more isolation as the sun is higher in the sky more hours of daylight |
| How does precipitation vary within the UK? | Wetter in the west because South westerly surface winds bring warm wet air from Atlantic. Forced up over land where it cools and water vapor condenses. |
| How does wind vary within the UK? | Wind speeds stronger in the west because South Westerlies arrive unobstructed (slowed when they hit hills) Stronger at higher altitudes because Fewer obstacles to slow them down |
| Onich? | Temp: Jan - 6* July - 14* Rainfall: 2500mm |
| Aberystwyth? | Temp: Jan - 8* July - 16* Rainfall: 750mm |
| London, Kew? | Temp: Jan - 8* July - 16* Rainfall: 625mm |
| Plymouth? | Temp: Jan - 8* July - 16* Rainfall: 1000mm |
| Air Mass? | large volume of air with similar temp and water vapor content cover large areas and travel long distances |
| Arctic Maritime (Am)? | Formed over arctic ocean Brings cold, wet air Causes cold weather and rain |
| Polar Maritime (Pm)? | Formed over North Atlantic Ocean Brings cold wet air Causes cold weather and rain |
| Polar Continental (Pc)? | Formed over Serbia Brings cold dry air causing snow if the air mass picks up moisture from North sea |
| Tropical Maritime (Tm)? | Formed over Atlantic ocean Brings warm wet air Causing warm weather and rain |
| Tropical Continental (Tc)? | Forms over Africa Brings warm dry air Causing hot dry weather |
| Depressions? | low pressure weather system |
| Weather ahead of the warm front? | No rain High thin clouds Falling pressure Cool temp Increasing SE winds |
| Weather as warm front passes? | Drizzle Low thick cloud Falling pressure Rising temp Strong SE to SW winds |
| Weather with warm air overhead? | No rain No clouds Steady pressure Warm temp Decreasing SW wind speed |
| Weather as the cold front passes? | Heavy rain Towering thick clouds Suddenly rising pressure Falling temp Strong SW to NE winds |
| Weather with cold air overhead? | Showers High broken clouds Rising pressure Cold temp Decreasing NW wind speed |
| Anticyclone? | High pressure weather system caused by a large mass of falling air |
| Winter anticyclones? | Low daytime temps Extremely cold nights Low level cloud High levels of atmospheric pollution |
| Summer anticyclones? | No clouds -> increased isloation -> Hot Temperature inversions Increased pressure gradient Thunderstorms due to a lot of rising warm air |
| Blocking anticyclones? | Sit over UK deflecting depressions. Often cause of extreme weather eg. heatwaves in summer and freezing in winter. |
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