Earth Systems Study Guide-KEY
Ch 17 & 18
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What is the most abundant gas in the atmosphere? Nitrogen
Which of the following terms best describes air? (Element, Compound or mixture). Mixture
The form of oxygen that combines three oxygen atoms into each molecule is called _ozone_.
What is the lowest layer of the atmosphere? Troposphere
Most important weather phenomena occur in what layer of the atmosphere? Troposphere
What is the tropopause? the boundary between the troposphere and the stratosphere
When does the autumnal equinox occur in the Southern Hemisphere? (Not Northern). March 21
Days and nights are equal in length everywhere during equinoxes. T or F? True
All matter is composed of atoms or molecules that have energy of motion, also known as
Kinetic_ energy.
When air transfers energy to a cooler object, what happens to the air temperature? It decreases
What causes heat, or the transfer of energy from one object to another? differences in
temperature
Which electromagnetic waves have the longest wavelengths? Radio
What process describes the transfer of heat through matter by molecular activity? Conduction
Which process involves mass movement within a substance? (Conduction, convection or
radiation?) Convection
Define the greenhouse effect. The heating of the lower layer of the atmosphere from radiation
absorbed by certain heat-absorbing gases
On average, how much of the sun’s energy that reaches Earth’s outer atmosphere is reflected
back into space? 30%
Earth receives energy from the sun through what method of heat transfer? Radiation
On average, how much of the sun’s energy is absorbed by Earth’s atmosphere and clouds,
without reaching Earth’s surface? 20 %
Which of the following best describes the primary wavelengths of radiation emitted by Earth’s
surface? (Longer or shorter than those emitted by the sun?) Longer
The two most important heat-absorbing gases in the lower atmosphere are _water vapor and
carbon dioxide___.
Define scattering. weak light rays that travel in different directions
In general, what is true about the temperature at places at higher altitudes? They have cooler
temperatures than places at lower altitudes
Which heats more rapidly and to a higher temperature, land or water? Land
What is a leeward coast? (Be able to read the following diagram) West coast is windward coast,
east coast is leeward coast.
25. In figure 17-1, what is true of the weather in city A and city B? City A is located on the leeward
coast, City B’s temperature is strongly influence by prevailing ocean winds and it has cool
summers and mild winters.
26. Isotherms are lines that connect points of equal _temperature___.
27. At night, clouds act as a blanket by _absorbing outgoing radiation___.
28. Rain, snow, sleet, and hail are all examples of _precipitation___.
29. Water vapor makes up what fraction of atmospheric gases? 0 to 4 percent
30. Define sublimation. the conversion of a solid directly to a gas, without passing through the
liquid state
31. Define condensation. The change of state from a gas to a liquid
32. The process of converting a liquid to a gas is known as _evaporation___.
33. What is true about warm, saturated air? (does it hold more or less water vapor than cold air?)
More
34. What is relative humidity? It indicates how near the air is to saturation.
35. Define dew point. the temperature to which air would have to be cooled to reach saturation
36. If the water-vapor content of air remains constant, lowering air temperature causes a(n) ____.
(Increase or decrease in relative humidity?) Increase
37. When air expands or contracts, what type of temperature change does it experience? Adiabatic
38. The wet adiabatic rate of cooling is less than the dry rate because _of the release of latent
heat___.
39. What occurs when air is compressed? Air temperature rises and air molecules move faster.
40. Cool air acts as a barrier over which warmer, less dense air rises, in a process known as _frontal
wedging___.
41. Orographic lifting is associated with ____. (Mountains or rivers?) Mountains
42. What is associated with stable atmospheric conditions? widespread fog, temperature inversion
and the buildup of pollutants
43. What is true about stable air? It tends to resist rising.
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What is produced by condensation? Dew, fog and clouds
Which cloud type is best described as sheets or layers that cover much or all of the sky? Stratus
Which cloud type consists of globular cloud masses with a cauliflower structure? Cumulus
Which term is used to describe clouds of middle height? Alto
A low cloud that blankets the sky and often generates precipitation is called a(n) _Nimbostratus
Cloud___.
Which term means “rainy cloud”? Nimbus
What conditions favor the formation of fog by radiation cooling? cool, clear, calm nights
Compared to clouds, fogs are _at lower altitudes___.
What two things have to occur to have fog? radiation cooling and the movement of air over a
cold surface
List two processes that have been proposed to explain the formation of precipitation.
the collision-coalescence process and the Bergeron process
What does the Bergeron process produce? Either rain or snow
What process includes a “freezing nuclei”? the Bergeron process