What is the focus of BIO104 General Ecology?
Click to see answer
The study of climate.
Click to see question
What is the focus of BIO104 General Ecology?
The study of climate.
Is precipitation evenly distributed across the Earth?
No, precipitation is not evenly distributed.
What is albedo?
A measurement of how reflective a surface is.
What are the five major circular currents in the ocean called?
Gyres.
What factors determine the type of ecosystem in a geographic region?
Temperature, humidity, precipitation, and other atmospheric conditions.
What is the trend of net surface radiation from the equator toward the poles?
There is a distinct latitudinal gradient of decreasing net surface radiation.
What is the definition of weather?
The combination of temperature, humidity, precipitation, wind, cloudiness, and other atmospheric conditions occurring at a specific place and time.
What does the global map of average annual surface radiation illustrate?
It shows the latitudinal gradient of net surface radiation.
What are the main types of winds generated by air circulation on a rotating Earth?
Trade winds, westerly winds, and easterly winds.
What is the albedo of sea ice and glaciers?
About 0.6.
How does latitude affect solar radiation?
At higher latitudes, solar radiation hits the surface at a steeper angle, spreading sunlight over a larger area.
What are the two types of net radiation regions?
Positive (surplus) and negative (deficit) net radiation.
How is climate defined?
As the long-term average pattern of weather, which may be local, regional, or global.
What is the albedo of black objects?
Less than 0.1.
What causes the circulation of air around the Earth?
The rotation of the Earth.
What is a major source of plastic pollution in the ocean?
Plastics released from ships and rivers.
What happens to solar radiation at steep angles in the atmosphere?
It must travel through a deeper layer of air, encountering more particles that reflect more shortwave radiation back into space.
What is the albedo of ocean water?
About 0.06.
Is there a pattern in surface radiation across latitudes?
Yes, there is a distinct latitudinal pattern of surface radiation.
How much infrared energy do black objects reflect?
Less than 10%.
What is the significance of air circulation belts?
They influence global wind patterns.
What is the angle of tilt of the Earth on its north-south axis?
23.5°.
What does the color enhancement in satellite images of the Gulf Stream indicate?
Surface water temperatures increase from blue to red.
What is the outermost layer of Earth's atmosphere?
The Exosphere.
What is commonly found in the stomachs of dead beached whales?
Plastic bags.
What role do prevailing winds play in ocean currents?
They determine major patterns of surface water flow in Earth's oceans.
How does the Coriolis force affect ocean currents in the Northern Hemisphere?
It causes clockwise movement.
How does the albedo of sea ice and glaciers compare to that of ocean water?
Sea ice and glaciers have a much higher albedo (0.6) compared to ocean water (0.06).
How does temperature influence air moisture content?
Temperature affects the ability of air to hold moisture.
What direction do trade winds push warm surface waters along the equator?
Westward.
What happens when relative humidity reaches 100 percent?
Water vapor condenses and forms clouds.
What is the average net radiation of the planet?
Zero.
What happens to saturation vapor pressure (VP) as air temperature increases?
Saturation VP increases with air temperature.
What layer lies directly below the Exosphere?
The Thermosphere.
What is the albedo of white objects?
Greater than 0.8.
Where does the Sun migrate directly overhead during the year?
From the Tropic of Cancer (23.5° N) to the Tropic of Capricorn (23.5° S).
What type of waters does the Gulf Stream carry northward?
Warm tropical waters.
What environmental issue is highlighted by the presence of plastics in marine life?
Ocean pollution.
What happens to the average amount of solar radiation as one moves from the equator to the poles?
There is a decrease in the average amount of solar radiation reaching Earth's surface.
What happens to air at the equator?
It rises and forces air masses to spread north and south toward the poles.
What are systematic patterns of water movement in the oceans called?
Currents.
What direction do ocean currents move in the Southern Hemisphere due to the Coriolis force?
Counterclockwise movement.
What happens to energy when matter changes state?
Energy is either absorbed or released.
What happens to warm surface waters when they encounter the eastern margins of continents?
They split into north- and south-flowing currents along the coasts, forming north and south gyres.
What causes the seasons on Earth?
The tilt of the Earth on its axis.
What is the Coriolis Effect?
The apparent deflection of moving objects caused by the rotation of the Earth.
What determines the exact nature of the energy emitted by an object?
The object's temperature.
What occurs when particles of water or ice in the air become too heavy?
Precipitation falls.
In which direction does the Earth spin on its axis?
From west to east (counterclockwise).
Which atmospheric layer is known for its ozone layer?
The Stratosphere.
What is the seasonality like in the equatorial region?
There is little seasonality in net radiation, temperature, or day length.
What is the Coriolis effect?
The deflection of air masses and moving objects due to Earth's rotation.
How much infrared energy do white objects reflect?
More than 80%.
What balances the average net radiation on Earth?
The incoming shortwave radiation absorbed by the surface is offset by outgoing longwave radiation.
How is relative humidity calculated?
Relative humidity is the ratio of current VP to saturation VP multiplied by 100.
What is absolute humidity?
The amount of water in a given volume of air.
Where does the Gulf Stream carry warm waters?
Along the east coast of North America and into the North Atlantic.
What are the key points in Earth's yearly orbit that illustrate changes in the angle of the Sun?
Equinoxes and the winter and summer solstices.
What is the effect of declining net radiation with latitude?
It creates a gradient of decreasing mean annual temperature from the equator toward the poles.
What occurs to air masses as they move poleward?
They cool, become heavier (more dense), and sink.
What is the first factor influencing the variation of solar radiation at higher latitudes?
Solar radiation hits the surface at a steeper angle, spreading sunlight over a larger area.
What is the annual temperature range?
The difference in temperature (°C) between the coldest and warmest month of the year.
What are the two great circular water motions in each ocean called?
Gyres.
What is latent heat?
The amount of energy released or absorbed per gram during a change of state.
What factors influence ocean current circulation?
Coriolis force and continental landmasses.
What occurs to ocean water as currents move farther from the equator?
The water cools.
What are the two distinct motions of Earth?
Rotation and revolution.
What is saturation vapor pressure?
The water vapor capacity of air that cannot be exceeded.
How does the tilt of the Earth affect seasonal changes?
It leads to variations in solar radiation received, causing changes in temperature and landscape.
What defines net radiation?
The difference between incoming shortwave (solar) radiation and outgoing longwave (terrestrial) radiation.
What is the layer of the atmosphere where weather occurs?
The Troposphere.
What happens to some of the shortwave radiation that reaches the Earth's surface?
It is reflected back into space.
What effect does air experience when moving poleward?
Longitudinal compression, leading to increased density.
What type of radiation does the Sun emit?
Shortwave radiation.
What is net shortwave radiation?
Incoming shortwave radiation minus reflective shortwave radiation.
How does the Coriolis Effect influence wind patterns?
It causes winds to curve to the right in the Northern Hemisphere and to the left in the Southern Hemisphere.
What is the dew point temperature?
The temperature at which saturation vapor pressure is achieved (relative humidity is 100 percent).
What happens if incoming shortwave radiation exceeds outgoing longwave radiation?
Surface temperature increases.
How does seasonality change as one moves from the equator to the poles?
Seasonality systematically increases from the equator to the poles.
What is relative humidity?
The amount of water vapor in the air expressed as a percentage of the saturation vapor pressure.
What is the dew point?
The temperature at which saturation vapor pressure occurs for a given VP.
In which direction are air masses deflected in the Northern Hemisphere?
To the right (clockwise motion).
How often does each point on Earth's surface complete a rotation?
Every 24 hours.
What would happen if the average net radiation were not zero?
The average temperature of the planet would either increase or decrease.
What effect does the tilt of the Earth have on sunlight distribution?
It causes the point where the Sun is directly overhead to migrate throughout the year.
What is the second factor affecting solar radiation at higher latitudes?
Solar radiation must travel through a deeper layer of air at a steep angle.
How does the Gulf Stream affect temperatures in Western Europe?
It moderates temperatures.
What does the global map of mean annual temperature represent?
Annually averaged near-surface air temperature from 1961 to 1990.
What does sinking air at the poles create?
A high-pressure zone and raises surface air pressure.
What time period is used for the mean monthly temperatures in the global map of annual temperature range?
1979 – 2004.
What occurs when water changes from liquid to gas?
Energy is absorbed.
What type of winds do currents encounter at higher latitudes (30 – 60 ° N and 30 – 60 ° S)?
Westerly winds.
What happens if vapor pressure exceeds saturation vapor pressure?
Condensation occurs, reducing the vapor pressure.
How are oceans connected?
By currents.
What causes the diurnal cycle of day and night on Earth?
Earth's rotation about an axis that passes through the North and South Poles.
How does the ocean current move in the Northern Hemisphere?
Clockwise.
What happens during summer in relation to Earth's tilt?
The Northern or Southern Hemisphere is tilted towards the sun, resulting in hotter days.
How is net radiation calculated?
By subtracting the amount of longwave radiation emitted back into space from the amount of shortwave radiation absorbed by a surface.
What is the layer below the Stratosphere?
The Mesosphere.
What prevents a direct flow of air from the equator to the poles?
The Coriolis effect and longitudinal compression.
What factors affect the strength of the Coriolis Effect?
The speed of the moving object and the latitude at which it is moving.
What is the average surface temperature of the Sun?
5800 °C.
What happens to some of the energy absorbed by Earth's surface?
It is emitted back into space as terrestrial longwave radiation.
What is the term used to describe the reflectivity of a surface?
Albedo.
What occurs when outgoing longwave radiation exceeds incoming shortwave radiation?
Surface temperature decreases.
What phenomenon occurs on a cool fall morning when temperatures drop?
Dew or frost forms as relative humidity rises.
What happens to day length at the Arctic and Antarctic circles throughout the year?
Day length varies from 0 to 24 hours.
What is the relative humidity at saturation vapor pressure?
100 percent.
How does the angle of solar radiation affect its distribution?
At higher latitudes, it spreads over a larger area due to a steeper angle.
Is the average net radiation the same geographically across the planet?
No, geographically this is not the case.
In which direction are air masses deflected in the Southern Hemisphere?
To the left (counterclockwise motion).
What is the speed of rotation at the equator?
1674 km per hour.
Where is the mean annual temperature highest?
At the equator.
What is evaporation?
The transformation of water from a liquid to a gaseous state.
What is the result of the pressure gradient from the poles to the equator?
Cooled, heavier air flows toward the low-pressure zone at the equator.
What does the global map of annual temperature range illustrate?
The difference in temperature between the coldest and warmest months across different regions.
What do eastward-moving currents form when they encounter the western margins of continents?
Cool currents that flow along the coastline toward the equator.
What occurs when water changes from gas to liquid?
Energy is released.
What do blue arrows represent in ocean current diagrams?
Cool water.
What type of energy does solar radiation represent?
Electromagnetic energy emanating from the Sun.
How does the ocean current move in the Southern Hemisphere?
Counterclockwise.
In what plane does Earth travel around the Sun?
In an ecliptic plane.
How does saturation vapor pressure change with temperature?
It increases as air temperature increases.
What types of radiation are involved in net radiation?
Shortwave (solar) radiation and longwave (terrestrial) radiation.
What seasonal changes occur as summer transitions to fall?
The colors of leaves change as temperatures drop.
How many main layers are there in Earth's atmosphere?
Five main layers.
What are the belts of prevailing winds named for?
The direction they come from.
What type of radiation does Earth emit?
Longwave radiation.
What is an example of when surface temperature decreases?
During the night.
What determines the amount of energy emitted by Earth's surface?
The temperature of the surface; hotter surfaces emit more radiant energy.
What happens to dew as the sun rises?
Dew evaporates, increasing vapor pressure in the air.
Why is the Coriolis Effect important in meteorology?
It helps explain the rotation of weather systems and ocean currents.
How is albedo expressed?
As a proportion (0 – 1.0) of the shortwave radiation that is reflected.
What happens to relative humidity if air cools while moisture content remains constant?
Relative humidity increases as saturation vapor pressure declines.
What occurs on the winter solstice at the poles?
A day of continuous darkness.
How does mean annual temperature change as you move toward the poles?
It decreases.
What replaces the warm air rising over the tropics?
Cooled, heavier air flowing from the poles.
Where do ocean waters circulate unimpeded around the globe?
Just north of the Antarctic continent.
What is the circumference of Earth at 60° N or S?
Approximately 20,130 km.
Who analyzed the Coriolis effect?
G. C. Coriolis, a 19th-century French mathematician.
Which region receives the largest annual input of solar radiation?
The equatorial region.
How much energy is required for evaporation per gram of liquid water?
2260 joules (J).
What factors contribute to annual variations in mean monthly solar radiation?
Different latitudes in the Northern Hemisphere.
What do red arrows represent in ocean current diagrams?
Warm water.
What happens to solar radiation as it travels through space?
It travels more or less unimpeded until it reaches Earth’s atmosphere.
At what angle is Earth's axis of spin tilted relative to the ecliptic plane?
23.5°.
What is the approximate height of the Troposphere?
Up to about 8-15 km above Earth's surface.
What characterizes winter in relation to Earth's tilt?
The hemisphere is tilted away from the sun, leading to freezing temperatures and snow.
Why does warm air have a greater capacity for water vapor?
Because it has a greater quantity of thermal energy to support evaporation.
What does net radiation determine?
Surface temperatures.
Which gases absorb most of the longwave radiation emitted by Earth's surface?
Water vapor and carbon dioxide.
How many cells are created in each hemisphere due to air movement?
Three cells in each hemisphere, totaling six.
What is the average surface temperature of Earth?
15 °C.
What occurs when actual vapor pressure equals saturation vapor pressure?
Moisture in the air will condense.
What is the average balance of incoming shortwave radiation and outgoing longwave radiation on Earth?
They are balanced on average.
What is the albedo range for surfaces covered by ice and snow?
0.8 – 0.9.
What happens to day length with the arrival of spring at the poles?
Days lengthen.
What happens to air warmed at the surface?
It rises because it is less dense than the cooler air above it.
What happens during condensation?
Water vapor transforms to a liquid state and releases energy.
What is the speed of rotation at 60° N or S?
839 km per hour.
What are two examples of changes in seasonality with latitude?
Variations in temperature range and solar radiation.
What are the two types of radiation in the electromagnetic spectrum?
Solar (shortwave) and thermal (longwave) radiation.
How would the atmosphere circulate if Earth were stationary?
It would circulate in a predictable pattern without irregular landmasses.
How does Earth's tilt affect the location of the Sun at midday throughout the year?
The location migrates between 23.5° N and 23.5° S latitude.
What is the significance of the Ozone layer?
It protects Earth from harmful UV radiation.
What signifies the onset of spring?
A blanket of green as temperatures rise and days lengthen.
How does cold air compare to warm air in terms of water vapor capacity?
Cold air has a lower capacity for water vapor than warm air.
What do the cells of air movement produce?
Areas of low and high pressure.
What is the effect of absorbed longwave radiation in the atmosphere?
It is emitted downward toward the surface, keeping near-surface temperatures warmer.
How does the temperature of an object affect the emitted photons?
The hotter the object, the more energetic the emitted photons and the shorter the wavelength.
What is the average surface temperature of our planet?
Approximately 15 °C.
What happens to a warm parcel of air as it rises?
It cools, and relative humidity increases.
What occurs on the day of the summer solstice at the poles?
The Sun never sets.
What is established at the surface when air heated at the equatorial region rises?
A zone of low pressure.
What does the law of angular motion state about momentum?
An object moving from a greater circumference to a lesser circumference will deflect in the direction of the spin, and vice versa.
What is the albedo value for forests?
0.05.
What does it mean when air is saturated?
The evaporation rate equals the condensation rate.
Which types of light waves are part of the solar radiation spectrum?
Ultraviolet, visible, and infrared light waves.
What happens to air masses as they ascend and descend?
They create areas of low pressure when ascending and high pressure when descending.
What phenomenon is caused by greenhouse gases?
The greenhouse effect.
What causes air from the north and south to flow toward the equator?
The low atmospheric pressure at the surface.
What is the global annual averaged albedo?
Approximately 0.30.
How does water vapor behave in the air?
It acts as an independent gas that has weight and exerts pressure.
What lies to the left of ultraviolet radiation in the electromagnetic spectrum?
X-rays and gamma rays.
What is the convergence of winds from the north and south at the equator called?
The Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ).
What is vapor pressure?
The pressure that water vapor exerts independent of the pressure of dry air, defined in pascals (Pa).
What does wavelength (lambda) refer to in the context of radiation?
The distance between successive peaks of a wave.
What is saturation vapor pressure?
The water vapor content of air at saturation.
What does frequency (v) refer to in the context of radiation?
The number of waves that pass a point in one second.
