CORRECT WELL DETAILED ANSWERS|LATEST
Case study: Salmon Abundance - ANSWER Salmon stocks in the Pacific north west are
declining despite efforts to restore spawning habitat. Research led to the discovery of the
Pacific Decadal Oscillation
Pacific Decadal Oscillation - ANSWER 20-30 year cycles of warm and cool
temperatures in the North Pacific
Climate is... - ANSWER The most fundamental component of the physical environment
Weather - ANSWER Current conditions- temperature, precipitation, humidity, cloud
cover
Climate - ANSWER Long term description of weather, based on averages and variation
measured over decades (includes cycles and long term trends)
Global climate system - ANSWER Driven by energy which is derived from solar
radiation
Incoming radiation - ANSWER -1/3 reflected back by clouds and aerosols
-1/5 absorbed by ozone, clouds and vapor
-49% absorbed by earth
Outgoing energy - ANSWER -sensible heat
1
,-latent heat
-long-wave (infrared) radiation
-emitted by surface
-re-radiated back to earth by greenhouse gases
Greenhouse effect - ANSWER A natural process existing since the beginning of time
(without it earths temperature would be about 33 degrees Celsius cooler) many gases
emitted by humans
Earths energy balance - ANSWER Solar radiation most intense at equator
Energy is spread pole-ward by winds and ocean currents
Atmospheric radiation - ANSWER -caused by differential heating of Earths surface
-determines major climate zones
Low pressure - ANSWER Warm rising air; condenses to form precipitation
-0• (tropical rainforests)
-60• (temperate forests)
High pressure - ANSWER Dry, cool, falling air
-30• (deserts)
-90• (tundra)
Global wind patterns - ANSWER Winds flow from areas of high pressure to areas of
low pressure
Prevailing winds - ANSWER Consistent patterns of air movements
2
, Coriolis Effect - ANSWER Winds appear to be deflected due to the rotation of the Earth
Heat capacity - ANSWER Unit of heat required to increase the temp of a substance by
one degree
Oceanic circulation - ANSWER Driven by surface winds but modified by the presence
of land masses (speed of the ocean currents is about 2-3% of the wind speed)
Downwelling - ANSWER Colder, saltier, (denser) water sinks
Upwelling - ANSWER Prevailing winds pull water away from coastline
-brings nutrients that settled in deep waters back to the photic zone
-areas of high primary production which cascades through the food chain
Ocean circulation: deep - ANSWER Not wind driven but density driven
Highly stratified, little vertical motion (fueled by sinking water masses)
Lapse rate - ANSWER Decrease in temperature with increasing height above the
surface
Why does it get colder as you move up a mountain? - ANSWER Pressure in the
atmosphere decreases with increasing elevation, which decreases the heat capacity of the
air
Highlands exchange air move effectively with cooler air in the surrounding atmosphere
Global precipitation patterns - ANSWER Associated with atmospheric circulation but
modified by mountain ranges and semipermanent high- and low- pressure zones
3
Case study: Salmon Abundance - ANSWER Salmon stocks in the Pacific north west are
declining despite efforts to restore spawning habitat. Research led to the discovery of the
Pacific Decadal Oscillation
Pacific Decadal Oscillation - ANSWER 20-30 year cycles of warm and cool
temperatures in the North Pacific
Climate is... - ANSWER The most fundamental component of the physical environment
Weather - ANSWER Current conditions- temperature, precipitation, humidity, cloud
cover
Climate - ANSWER Long term description of weather, based on averages and variation
measured over decades (includes cycles and long term trends)
Global climate system - ANSWER Driven by energy which is derived from solar
radiation
Incoming radiation - ANSWER -1/3 reflected back by clouds and aerosols
-1/5 absorbed by ozone, clouds and vapor
-49% absorbed by earth
Outgoing energy - ANSWER -sensible heat
1
,-latent heat
-long-wave (infrared) radiation
-emitted by surface
-re-radiated back to earth by greenhouse gases
Greenhouse effect - ANSWER A natural process existing since the beginning of time
(without it earths temperature would be about 33 degrees Celsius cooler) many gases
emitted by humans
Earths energy balance - ANSWER Solar radiation most intense at equator
Energy is spread pole-ward by winds and ocean currents
Atmospheric radiation - ANSWER -caused by differential heating of Earths surface
-determines major climate zones
Low pressure - ANSWER Warm rising air; condenses to form precipitation
-0• (tropical rainforests)
-60• (temperate forests)
High pressure - ANSWER Dry, cool, falling air
-30• (deserts)
-90• (tundra)
Global wind patterns - ANSWER Winds flow from areas of high pressure to areas of
low pressure
Prevailing winds - ANSWER Consistent patterns of air movements
2
, Coriolis Effect - ANSWER Winds appear to be deflected due to the rotation of the Earth
Heat capacity - ANSWER Unit of heat required to increase the temp of a substance by
one degree
Oceanic circulation - ANSWER Driven by surface winds but modified by the presence
of land masses (speed of the ocean currents is about 2-3% of the wind speed)
Downwelling - ANSWER Colder, saltier, (denser) water sinks
Upwelling - ANSWER Prevailing winds pull water away from coastline
-brings nutrients that settled in deep waters back to the photic zone
-areas of high primary production which cascades through the food chain
Ocean circulation: deep - ANSWER Not wind driven but density driven
Highly stratified, little vertical motion (fueled by sinking water masses)
Lapse rate - ANSWER Decrease in temperature with increasing height above the
surface
Why does it get colder as you move up a mountain? - ANSWER Pressure in the
atmosphere decreases with increasing elevation, which decreases the heat capacity of the
air
Highlands exchange air move effectively with cooler air in the surrounding atmosphere
Global precipitation patterns - ANSWER Associated with atmospheric circulation but
modified by mountain ranges and semipermanent high- and low- pressure zones
3
