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Description
Flashcards by Olivia Gniadek, updated more than 1 year ago
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Created by Olivia Gniadek
over 8 years ago
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| Question | Answer |
| Define Weather | The state of the atmosphere at a particular place and time as regards to heat, cloudiness, dryness, sunshine, wind, rain etc |
| Define Climate | The weather conditions prevailing in an area in general or over a long period of time |
| What are the 6 elements of weather, what units are they measured by and how the instruments measure the elements | Air Temperature - Thermometer - Degrees Air Pressure - Barometer - Millibars Humidity - Hygrometer - Percentage Cloudiness - By Eye - Octas Precipitation - Rain Gauge - Millimeters Wind - Anenometer (Speed)/ Weather Vane (direction) - N, S, E, W |
| List and Explain the 5 factors affecting temperature | Ocean Currents Warm Currents = Warmer Climate Cold Currents = Cooler Climate Length of Day (depending on time of year) Latitude Incoming solar radiation (insolation) is concentrated near the equator Insolation near the poles has to pass through a greater amount of atmosphere and there is more chance of it being reflected back into outer space Albedo (the reflective properties of a surface) Closeness to the sea Water moderates the temperature Cooler summers and warmer winters |
| Why does Adelaide have a cooler climate to Darwin | Adelaide is closer to the south pole where the temperatures are cooler, however Darwin is located in the tropics therefore it is closer to the equator where a majority of the sunlight hits the earth. This gives Darwin warmer temperatures |
| Elements of a synoptic chart | Isobars show pressure closer the isobars are to each other the lower the pressure and they also indicate strong winds, the further away they are the higher the pressure Red line with semicircles indicate warm fronts Blue line with triangles indicate cold front Warm fronts bring steady and continuous rain Cold fronts bring cloud and heavy rain/showers |
| Define Atmosphere | The Atmosphere is an envelope of transparent, odourless gases held to the earth by gravitational attraction |
| What are the four layers of the Atmosphere | Thermosphere Mesosphere Stratosphere Troposphere |
| Facts about the Troposphere | Contains most of the Atmosphere's water vapour, cloud, dust and pollution Temperatures decrease by 6.4 degrees celcius with every 1000m increase in altitude Layer is unstable |
| Facts about the Stratosphere | Characterised by a steady increase in temperature caused by ozone (O3) Ozone absorbs incoming ultra-violet radiation from the sun Protects the earth from meteorites that usually burn out before they enter the earth's gravitational field |
| Facts about the Mesosphere | No water vapour, cloud, dust or ozone to absorb incoming radiation Temperatures drop rapidly Coolest of all the layers at -90 degrees celsius and strongest winds at almost 3000km per hour |
| Facts about Thermosphere | Temperatures rise rapidly, to 1500 degrees celcius This is due to increased amounts of atomic oxygen that absorbs incoming ultra-violet radiation |
| Gases in atmosphere and their composition in percentage | Nitrogen = 78% Oxygen = 21% Argon = 0.9% Other gases, e.g. Carbon dioxide, helium and ozone = 0.1% |
| Define Insolation | The amount of solar radiation reaching a given area |
| What is the % of insolation absorbed by the earth and its atmosphere What is the % of insolation that is reflected into space | Absorbed by the Earth = 46% Reflected by Earth's surface = 6% |
| What is the % of insolation absorbed by land, oceans, clouds and atmosphere | Absorbed by cloud = 4% Absorbed by water vapour = 19% |
| What is the % of insolation reflected back into space by the atmosphere, clouds and earth's surface | Reflected by atmospheric gases and dust = 8% Reflected by clouds = 17% |
| Define Albedo | The proportion of the incident light or radiation that is reflected by a surface, typically that of a planet or moon |
| What is the albedo of fresh snow and an ideal black surface | Asphalt 0.05 - 0.10 (new) 0.10 - 0.15 (weathered) Snow 0.80 - 0.90 |
| Define heat budget | Incoming heat being absorbed by the Earth, and outgoing heat escaping the Earth in the form of radiation |
| What would happen if the amount of heat being absorbed and reflected by the Earth was unbalanced | If both were not balanced, the Earth would be getting either progressively warmer or progressively cooler with each passing year |
| Earth's Energy Budget | |
| Define Urban Heat Island | An Urban Heat Island (UHI) is city or metropolitan area that is significantly warmer than its surrounding rural areas due to human activities |
| Urban Heat Island Causes | Concrete and asphalt tend to increase the amount of solar radiation absorbed Cities tend to have fewer trees and thus the cooling effects of shade and evapotranspiration are reduced. The cooling effects of winds can also be reduced by buildings |
| Effects of UHI on weather, environment and global warming | UHI can alter local wind patterns, the development of clouds and fog, humidity and the rates of precipitation |
| How can the effects of UHI be minimised | Painting structures white, or other light colours Installation of green roofs atop city buildings Roof sprinkling is another evaporative cooling solution |
| Types of precipitation | Rain Hail Sleet Snow |
| The Water Cycle | |
| Types of Rainfall | Convectional Frontal Orographic |
| Convectional Rainfall | |
| Frontal Rainfall | |
| Orographic Rainfall | |
| What is this... | The Stevenson Screen It is a standard shelter (from rain, snow and high winds, but also leaves and animals) for meteorological instruments, particularly wet and dry bulb thermometers used to record humidity and air temperature. |
| How do sunspots affect climate change | Despite sunspots being cooler areas on the surface of the sun, periods of increased sunspots cause a slight increase of energy emitted by the sun. However this slight variance in solar radiation can drastically affect Earth’s climate. |
| How do Volcanoes affect climate change | Volcanic eruptions release molten rock The gases and dust released from volcanoes have influences on climate Most particles released have a cooling effect on the climate as it shades solar radiation Cooling effect can last for months to years Particles can also cause global warming when extreme amounts of greenhouse gases are released into atmosphere |
| How do Ice Ages affect climate change | Ice ages are the times of extreme cooling of the Earth's climate The composition of the atmosphere changes in position of Earth around the sun, ocean currents and shifting of tectonic plates Can last hundreds of millions of years Can change the earth's surface, reshape it and makes sea levels drop When temperatures drop in areas opposite the ice cliffs, cold-weather plant life is driven to the southern latitudes |
| How does solar activity (tilt, precession and orbit) affect climate change | By burning huge amounts fossils fuels, we have actually tipped the Earth on its axis. An approx of 6-7 cm per year. The tilt and orbit would promote the growth of ice sheets. This response would be due to a warmer winter, in which warmer air would be able to hold more moisture, and subsequently produce a greater amount of snowfall. In addition, summer temperatures would be cooler, resulting in less melting of the winter's accumulation Fact: In 13000 years seasons will be opposite (WE WOULD HAVE A SNOWY CHRISTMAS) |
| How does the change in land and ocean floor topography affect climate change | Mountain ranges create barriers that alter wind and precipitation patterns that demonstrates a effect of topography on the climate. Topographical features such as an area is close to a body of water it tends to make milder climates. Mountainous areas tend to have more extreme weather because it acts as a barrier to air movements and moisture. One side of mountain can be dry while the other side is full of vegetation. all can influence the weather and climate. |
| What is El Nino | El Nino is a climate changing effect; it occurs in a 3-6 year interval, it temporarily changes the weather patterns in the Eastern Pacific Ocean by increasing the temperature by a few degrees. El Nino normally cools the warm water in the Western Pacific Ocean. This can lead to a higher probability of drought in Australia/Asia region. |
| How does El Nino affect climate change | Due to El Nino temporarily changing the weather patterns in the Eastern Pacific Ocean by increasing the temperature by a few degrees, El Nino can change these factors of weather Likelihood of frost; Likelihood of flood risk; Number of rain days; Likelihood of heat waves; Evaporation. |
| What is Anthropogenic deforestation | Anthropogenic deforestation is a human action, by deforestation approximately 18% of carbon emissions are a result of deforestation. Deforestation can naturally occur from natural disasters, however the primary cause, which is predominantly the most harmful, is human induced. Trees play a major role in the absorption of greenhouse gases. The decrease in trees lead an increase in greenhouse gases in the atmosphere – hence global warming. Forests have been called ‘The lungs of the earth’ this is because trees take carbon dioxide out of the air and replace it with the oxygen. Deforestation leads to the release of CO2 in he atmosphere, another greenhouse gas. |
| What is UHI | An urban heat island is a city or metropolitan area that is significantly warmer than its surrounding rural areas due to human activities. Factors to reduce UHI Have green roofs Incorporate more trees into the Metropolitan area Paint buildings, roads and paths a lighter shade |
| How do fossil fuels affect climate change | When fossil fuels are burned they release carbon dioxide into the atmosphere which contributes to global warming. Using fossil fuels to generate energy also releases pollutants into the atmosphere e.g sulphur dioxide. |
| What is natural and anthropogenic | Natural existing in or derived from nature; not made or caused by humankind. e.g. Erosion Anthropogenic Environmental pollution and pollutants originating in human activity. e.g. Deforestation |
| What is the difference between the Greenhouse Effect and the Enhanced Greenhouse Effect and what are their conditions | Greenhouse Effect The trapping of the sun's warmth in a planet's lower atmosphere, due to the greater transparency of the atmosphere to visible radiation from the sun than to infrared radiation emitted from the planet's surface. Enhanced Greenhouse Effect Sometimes referred to as climate change or global warming, is the impact on the climate from the additional heat retained due to the increased amounts of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases that humans have released into the earths atmosphere since the industrial revolution. |
| What are the greenhouse gases | Carbon Dioxide Methane Nitrous Oxide Tropospheric Ozone CFC-12 HCFC-22 Sulfur Hexaflouride |
| Features of El Nino and La Nina | El Niño events are associated with a warming of the central and eastern tropical Pacific La Niña events are the reverse, with a sustained cooling of these same areas. These changes in the Pacific Ocean and its overlying atmosphere occur in a cycle known as the El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO). |
| Results of the Microclimate study | The hottest location was in direct sunlight with a low albedo making the area hot The coolest location was under the shade also with a low albedo, however the plants made the area cool because of the process of transpiration. |
| Define Conflict | A struggle for power, property, strong disagreement between people, groups, that results in often angry argument a difference that causes disagreement between ideas, feelings |
| What are the causes of conflict | Lack of Resources Land Religion Economic Political Instability |
| How can conflict affect wellbeing | Conflict affects wellbeing because there would be no services, no jobs, no shelter as everything would be destroyed |
| What are the three ways to identify conflict cause, length and scale | Cause Lack of Resources, Land, Religion, Economic, Political Instability Length Various, the longer it goes on for, the more damage, the shorter, the less damage Scale Minimal, Mild, Moderate, Intense, Severe |
| Label the countries in the horn of Africa and their capitals | |
| What is the social, economic and environmental impacts of conflict | Social People die, lose family, lose homes. Economic People lose jobs, farms, businesses. Environmental Land gets destroyed or polluted by bombs, fire, etc |
| Define Refugee and Asylum Seeker | Refugee A person who has been forced to leave their country in order to escape war, persecution, or natural disaster Asylum Seeker A person who has left their home country as a political refugee and is seeking asylum in another. |
| Conflict investigation as a case study | Effects of Conflict There are many reported disruptions in the northwest to the center of the country due to industrial operations that impacting the environment, there are also many forest fires, damage to natural protected areas, disruption of water-supply communications and widespread impact on soil and agricultural land, water and electricity supply, Cause of Conflict News the conflict was sparked due to the pro-Russian activists taking control of the government buildings within the towns of Donetsk and Luhansk regions, the actions taken to override the government control were repeated from the Black Sea peninsula conflict in Ukraine. |
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