AOS 1 - Final Study guide
What is the difference between weather and climate? - Answer-Weather is a short term (a few days)
evolution of the atmosphere while climate is a long term (over years) statistic of the weather. There is a
misconception that these terms mean the same thing, but in reality they are far from different.
What is the greenhouse effect? - Answer-Incoming solar raditiation passes through the atmosphere, and
it is absorbed and re-emitted in all directions of the Earth's surface, and some of the terrestrial radiation
goes back up towards the atmosphere, which intereacts with greenhouse gases in the atmosphere,
finally that interaction causes the earth's surface to be more warmed. The greenhouse effect is radiation
that is absorbed in the atmosphere.
How has human acitivities changed the greenhouse gas effect? - Answer-The greenhouse effect is a
natural cycle, however human acitivity causes an enhacing of the greenhouse effect to cause global
warming. Human acitivities range from burning of fossil fuels (by driving) and deforestation (to build
land), and the gases released to increase the greenhouse effect, which leads to a warming of the Earth.
What are the changes in the global carbon cycle due to human activities? - Answer-Humans are
changing altering the slow carbon cycle, and transferring it to the fast carbon cycle. Humans overall are
moving carbon in different places (such as the atmosphere) due to their activities of burning fossil fuels.
The slow carbon cycle has to do with gases moving from rocks, soil, and more; this process takes millions
of years. Then, the fast carbon cycle is quicker and moves between life forms such as plants. An example
would be photosynthesis.
What is the difference between solar and terrestrial radiation? - Answer-Solar radiation is from the sun,
and it enters at the atmosphere (has a shorter wavelength) and it is not absorbed strongly in the
atmosphere other than the ozone layer, so the sunlight tends to get through and heat the ground. Then
terrestrial radiation comes from earth's surface (has longer wavelengths) and it is absorbed and emitted
in the atmosphere
, What is Earth's energy budget? - Answer-The flow of incoming and outgoing energy. Earth's energy
budget accounts for the balance between the energy Earth receives from the Sun, the energy Earth
radiates back into outer space.
Example: convection, precipitation, etc.
Explain troptical circulation. - Answer-The tropical circulation deals with the Hadley cell, it is circulation
that features air rising near the Equator, flowing poleward above the earth's surface, descending in the
subtropics, and then returning equatorward near the surface.
ITCZ bands produce the Hadley cell (the band is a cloud "stripe" that is the main area where heat is rising
and producing precipitation and clouds), the band of clouds is associated with the rising of the Hadley
cell.
What are the basic operations of water vapor feedbacks? - Answer-the higher concentration of water
vapor is able to absorb more thermal infrared energy radiated from the Earth, thus further warming the
atmosphere. The warmer atmosphere can then hold more water vapor and so on and so on. Water
vapor feedbacks are positive, and it starts with the warming of the atmosphere. Then there is an
increase in temperature, increase in evaporation, more water vapor in the atmosphere, more
condensation, and more precipitation.
Example: wet areas become more wet and dry areas become more dry
What are the basic operations of the carbon cycle? - Answer-The carbon cycle is the process in which
carbon travels from the atmosphere into organisms and the Earth and then back into the atmosphere.
Carbon concentration feedback is negative because more carbon in the atmosphere means that plants
take it in. However, carbon-climate feedback is positive because the temperature, metabolism of soil
microbes, and decay matter increase. Along with CO2 in the atmosphere. The carbon cycle
concentration and carbon-climate cause an overall negative feedback on cliamte change.
What caused the declined in Arctic sea ice? - Answer-The decline of Arctic sea ice is linked closely to
temperature and its strong seasonal cycle. The temperature increases, which leads to less sea ice. The
ice has a high albedo compared to water, so the less solar energy reflected means more heat is
absorbed for the ice to melt. The sea ice albedo has positive feedback, replacing high albedo ice with
low albedo open ocean continues to decline of sea ice.
What is the difference between weather and climate? - Answer-Weather is a short term (a few days)
evolution of the atmosphere while climate is a long term (over years) statistic of the weather. There is a
misconception that these terms mean the same thing, but in reality they are far from different.
What is the greenhouse effect? - Answer-Incoming solar raditiation passes through the atmosphere, and
it is absorbed and re-emitted in all directions of the Earth's surface, and some of the terrestrial radiation
goes back up towards the atmosphere, which intereacts with greenhouse gases in the atmosphere,
finally that interaction causes the earth's surface to be more warmed. The greenhouse effect is radiation
that is absorbed in the atmosphere.
How has human acitivities changed the greenhouse gas effect? - Answer-The greenhouse effect is a
natural cycle, however human acitivity causes an enhacing of the greenhouse effect to cause global
warming. Human acitivities range from burning of fossil fuels (by driving) and deforestation (to build
land), and the gases released to increase the greenhouse effect, which leads to a warming of the Earth.
What are the changes in the global carbon cycle due to human activities? - Answer-Humans are
changing altering the slow carbon cycle, and transferring it to the fast carbon cycle. Humans overall are
moving carbon in different places (such as the atmosphere) due to their activities of burning fossil fuels.
The slow carbon cycle has to do with gases moving from rocks, soil, and more; this process takes millions
of years. Then, the fast carbon cycle is quicker and moves between life forms such as plants. An example
would be photosynthesis.
What is the difference between solar and terrestrial radiation? - Answer-Solar radiation is from the sun,
and it enters at the atmosphere (has a shorter wavelength) and it is not absorbed strongly in the
atmosphere other than the ozone layer, so the sunlight tends to get through and heat the ground. Then
terrestrial radiation comes from earth's surface (has longer wavelengths) and it is absorbed and emitted
in the atmosphere
, What is Earth's energy budget? - Answer-The flow of incoming and outgoing energy. Earth's energy
budget accounts for the balance between the energy Earth receives from the Sun, the energy Earth
radiates back into outer space.
Example: convection, precipitation, etc.
Explain troptical circulation. - Answer-The tropical circulation deals with the Hadley cell, it is circulation
that features air rising near the Equator, flowing poleward above the earth's surface, descending in the
subtropics, and then returning equatorward near the surface.
ITCZ bands produce the Hadley cell (the band is a cloud "stripe" that is the main area where heat is rising
and producing precipitation and clouds), the band of clouds is associated with the rising of the Hadley
cell.
What are the basic operations of water vapor feedbacks? - Answer-the higher concentration of water
vapor is able to absorb more thermal infrared energy radiated from the Earth, thus further warming the
atmosphere. The warmer atmosphere can then hold more water vapor and so on and so on. Water
vapor feedbacks are positive, and it starts with the warming of the atmosphere. Then there is an
increase in temperature, increase in evaporation, more water vapor in the atmosphere, more
condensation, and more precipitation.
Example: wet areas become more wet and dry areas become more dry
What are the basic operations of the carbon cycle? - Answer-The carbon cycle is the process in which
carbon travels from the atmosphere into organisms and the Earth and then back into the atmosphere.
Carbon concentration feedback is negative because more carbon in the atmosphere means that plants
take it in. However, carbon-climate feedback is positive because the temperature, metabolism of soil
microbes, and decay matter increase. Along with CO2 in the atmosphere. The carbon cycle
concentration and carbon-climate cause an overall negative feedback on cliamte change.
What caused the declined in Arctic sea ice? - Answer-The decline of Arctic sea ice is linked closely to
temperature and its strong seasonal cycle. The temperature increases, which leads to less sea ice. The
ice has a high albedo compared to water, so the less solar energy reflected means more heat is
absorbed for the ice to melt. The sea ice albedo has positive feedback, replacing high albedo ice with
low albedo open ocean continues to decline of sea ice.
