Atmosphere and Ocean Circulation
Terms:
Trace gases
Greenhouse gases
Radiation
Conduction
Convection
Thermal radiation
Heat budget
Convection Current
Coriolis Effect
Hadley Cell
Ferrel Cell
Polar Cell
Atmospheric Circulation Cell
Tropical Cyclone
Extratropical Cyclone
Key Questions:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
18.
19.
20.
21.
What percent of the Earth’s atmosphere is made up of Nitrogen? Oxygen? Trace Gases?
What are the five gases that make up what we know as the Greenhouse Gases?
How does heat affect the atmosphere?
What is the difference between a trace gas and a greenhouse gas?
Describe thermal radiation.
What is meant by Earth having a “heat budget”?
How is Earth heated? How is the atmosphere heated?
How does heat affect circulation of the atmosphere?
Why does the equator receive more heat than the poles?
How does Earth move thermal energy to balance the amount of heat at different locations?
Describe the flow and direction of air in a convection current.
How many total atmospheric circulation cells are there?
How many pairs of atmospheric circulation cells are there?
How many atmospheric circulation cells are located in each hemisphere (North and South)?
What are the names of the different atmospheric circulation cells?
Where are each of the atmospheric cells located (approximate latitude)?
Which direction do each of the atmospheric circulation cells flow in the Northern Hemisphere?
Describe the Coriolis Effect.
Which way do objects affected by the Coriolis Effect curve to in the Northern Hemisphere?
Where are the trade winds located, and which direction do they blow in the N. Hemisphere?
Where the westerlies located, and which direction do they blow in the N. Hemisphere?
22.
23.
24.
25.
26.
27.
28.
29.
30.
31.
Which direction does air flow around a high pressure system? Low pressure system?
Where and when do extratropical cyclones form?
How do extratropocal cyclones form?
Where are the most violent extratropical cyclones located in North America?
Where do tropical cyclones occur? Where is the one place they do NOT occur?
What are the different names for tropical cyclones in different parts of the world?
What are some defining characteristics a storm needs to qualify as a tropical cyclone?
How many categories can a hurricane go through?
How do hurricanes affect humans?