Term
| 1. What are the 2 most abundant elements in the universe? |
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Definition
| Answer: The two most abundant elements in the universe are Hydrogen and Helium. |
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Term
| 2. Know the orbital parameters that determine how sunlight is distributed on the planets. |
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Definition
| Answer: Distance from the sun, Orbital Eccentricity (which is a measure of the departure from circularity, Axial Tilt, Direction of Tilt in Space. |
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Term
| 3. Scientists estimate our Sun is approximately how old? |
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Definition
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Term
| 4. What is the most abundant gas in the atmospheres of Venus and Mars? |
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Definition
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Term
| 5. Where did Earth’s atmosphere and oceans come from? |
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Definition
| Answer: Earth’s oceans and Atmosphere were formed by heating and differentiation from the sun. As Earth Warmed and partially melted, water locked in the minerals hydrogen and oxygen were released and carried to the surface by Volcanic Venting. The released vapor condensed into clouds and produced precipitation, which produced oceans. The atmosphere was formed in a similar method. |
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Term
| 6. Know the percentage of air pressure at different altitude relative to the sea level pressure. |
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Definition
Answer: At 0m, the standard barometric pressure is 101.325 kPa (760 mmHg). This means that there is 100% of the oxygen available at sea level
0m- 0% (which means that there is 100% of oxygen available)
4000m- 33%
8000m-66%
12000m-100% |
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Term
| 7. What was the most likely composition of Earth’s early atmosphere? |
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Definition
| Answer: It was probably rich in hydrogen compounds like methane, ammonia, hydrogen, cyanide, water and formaldehyde. |
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Term
| 8. What is the primary source of energy for Earth’s atmosphere? |
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Definition
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Term
| 9. What are the 4 interacting “spheres” (components) of the Earth System? Know their boundaries and their unique features. |
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Definition
Answer:
Troposphere- Extending up to about 10-15 km. Temperature and pressure drop as you go higher up in the troposphere.
Stratosphere: Extending from about 15 to 50 km. It gets warmer as you go higher away from Earth because of absorption of sunlight by ozone. The pressure in the Stratosphere is relatively low.
Mesosphere: Extending from 50 to 80 km. The Mesosphere is a cold layer where the temperature generally decreases with increasing altitude. The atmosphere of the mesosphere is thick enough to slow down meteors hurtling into the atmosphere.
Thermosphere: Extends from 80 km to outer space. The temperature is hot and may be as high as thousands of degrees as the few molecules present receive extraordinary large amounts of energy from the sun. |
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Term
| 10. Know how the height of the Troposphere varies - from equator to the poles. |
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Definition
| Answer: The Troposphere is wider at the equator than at the poles |
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Term
| 12. What are the four most abundant gases in DRY AIR in Earth’s atmosphere today? Be able to list them in order from most abundant to least abundant. |
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Definition
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Term
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Definition
| Answer: Aerosols are tiny liquid droplets such as fog, or tiny solid particles, such as ice crystals, smoke, sea salt crystals, dust, and volcanic emissions, suspended in the air. |
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Term
| 15. Know the average sea level atmospheric pressure in pounds per square inch, millibars, inches of mercury, and hectoPascals |
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Definition
| 14.7 pounds per square inch, 1013.25 millibars, 760 millimeters of mercury |
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Term
| 16. How does pressure change as you go higher up in Earth’s atmosphere above the surface? |
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Definition
| As you go higher up in earth’s atmosphere, the air pressure increases. |
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Term
| 17. Even though the concentration of oxygen is close to 21% in the upper stratosphere, explain why (without proper breathing apparatus) you would not be able to survive there. |
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Definition
| Answer: Because its average temperature is roughly -46 degrees celcius (-51 degrees Fahrenheit) |
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Term
| What are the names given to the 4 “layers” of the atmosphere (based on temperature changes in those regions)? |
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Definition
| Answer: Troposphere, Stratosphere, Mesosphere, Thermosphere |
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Term
| Which atmospheric layer contains the most naturally occurring ozone found in Earth’s atmosphere? |
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Definition
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Term
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Definition
| Answer: Ozone is important because it absorbs ultraviolet radiation from the sun, prevents most of it from reaching the earths surface. |
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Term
| What is temperature inversion? |
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Definition
| Answer: The condition in which the temperature of the atmosphere increases with altitude in contrast to the normal decrease with altitude |
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Term
| Know the temperature of the freezing point and boiling point of water on both the Fahrenheit and Celsius temperature scales |
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Definition
Answer: Celsius- 0 degree freezing point, 100 degree boiling point
Fahrenheit- 32 degree freezing point, 212 degree boiling point |
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Term
| What is the average global temperature of Earth on the Fahrenheit and Celsius scales |
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Definition
| Answer: 59 degrees Fahrenheit, 15 degrees Celsius |
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Term
| 25. What is average “room temperature” on both the Fahrenheit and Celsius scales? |
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Definition
| : 68 degrees Fahrenheit, 20 degrees Celsius |
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Term
| 26. Define “temperature” and “heat”, and understand the difference between the two |
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Definition
| Temperature is a measure of the average kinetic energy of partials in a substance. Heat is the transfer of energy into or out of an object due to the temperature differences between the objects. |
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Term
| 27. Know if energy is absorbed by water or released by water as it changes phases |
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Definition
| Ice to liquid (melting) then to vapor (evaporation) absorbs energy. Liquid (evaporation) to Gas also absorbs energy. Liquid (evaporation) to Vapor absorbs energy. Vapor to Liquid (condensation) losses energy. Liquid to Solid (freezing) releases energy. |
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Term
| 28. Describe/define the 4 methods of transporting energy around the Earth system: radiation, conduction, convection, and latent heat |
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Definition
Radiation: The process by which heat is transferred in waveform at the speed of light.
Conduction: The process by which heat energy is transmitted through collisions between neighboring molecules.
Convection: is heat transfer by mass motion of a fluid such as air or water when the heated fluid is caused to move away from the sources of heat, carrying energy with it.
Latent Heat: is energy released or absorbed by a body or a thermodynamic system, suring a constant-temperature process |
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Term
| 29. Know the relative order of regions of the electromagnetic spectrum: ultraviolet (short wavelength), visible light, infrared (long wavelength). |
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Definition
| Answer: Electromagnetic radiation is reflected or absorbed mainly by several gases in the Earth's atmosphere, among the most important being water vapor, carbon dioxide, and ozone. Some radiation, such as visible light, largely passes (is transmitted) through the atmosphere. These regions of the spectrum with wavelengths that can pass through the atmosphere are referred to as "atmospheric windows." Some microwaves can even pass through clouds, which make them the best wavelength for transmitting satellite communication signals. |
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Term
| Know the “rules of radiation” |
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Definition
Answer: All things with a temperature above absolute zero emit radiation
i. Sun emits energy
ii. Earth emits energy
iii. YOU emit energy
iv. EVERYTHING emits energy...
- Unless it’s at “absolute zero” when molecules stop moving
The higher the temperature of the object, the shorter the wavelength of radiation emitted
The higher the temperature of the object, the greater the total radiation emitted
• Sun is 6000 K (10,000 F)
• Earth is 289 K (59 F)
• Sun 160,000 times more energy than the Earth
• This concept is called the Stephan-Boltzman Law |
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Term
| In what region of the electromagnetic spectrum does the Sun emit its peak energy? |
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Definition
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Term
| In what region of the electromagnetic spectrum does Earth emit its peak energy? |
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Definition
| In the inferred portion of the spectrum |
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Term
| Why do the sun and Earth emit their peak energies in different wavelength regions of the electromagnetic spectrum? |
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Definition
| Earth emits radiation at longer wavelengths than the sun |
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Term
| 34. Describe what can happen to solar energy when it reaches Earth, in terms of reflection, scattering, and absorption (that is, be able to describe each of these processes) |
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Definition
Reflection - Clouds reflect about 20% of the incoming solar radiation back to space
Scattering - The small gas atoms and molecules that make up the atmosphere preferentially scatter the shorter wavelengths of light.
Absorbed - Solar energy is NOTÅ absorbed equally in the atmosphere. Very short wavelengths of energy are absorbed high in the atmosphere.
Most of the energy absorbed at the surface is in visible and longer wavelengths. |
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Term
| Explain why the sky is red/orange during sunset. |
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Definition
| As the sun gets lower in the sky, the sunlight has to travel through more atmosphere. |
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Term
| 34. Describe what can happen to solar energy when it reaches Earth, in terms of reflection, scattering, and absorption (that is, be able to describe each of these processes) |
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Definition
Reflection - Clouds reflect about 20% of the incoming solar radiation back to space
Scattering - The small gas atoms and molecules that make up the atmosphere preferentially scatter the shorter wavelengths of light.
Absorbed - Solar energy is NOTÅ absorbed equally in the atmosphere. Very short wavelengths of energy are absorbed high in the atmosphere.
Most of the energy absorbed at the surface is in visible and longer wavelengths. |
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Term
| Explain why the sky is red/orange during sunset. |
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Definition
| As the sun gets lower in the sky, the sunlight has to travel through more atmosphere. |
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Term
| 36. What is meant by “Latent Heat”? |
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Definition
The heat energy required to change a substance from one state to another.
EX: Water going from solid to liquid |
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Term
| 37. Know the terms used to describe the changes in the phases of water (e.g., evaporation, sublimation, etc.) |
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Definition
Ice to Vapor – Sublimation
Vapor to Ice – Deposition
Ice to Liquid – Melting
Liquid to Vapor – Evaporation
Vapor to Liquid – Condensation
Liquid to Ice - Freezing |
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Term
| 39. Explain why there are seasons on Earth. Which latitudes are affected most by seasonal changes? |
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Definition
| Due to the tilt of the earth it causes the sun to hit certain parts of earth more than other parts. Most affected latitudes are the ones closest to the equator. |
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Term
| 40. What is the difference between an “Equinox” and a “Solstice”? |
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Definition
Solstice – 24 hours of daylight for one region
Equinox – Starting at the equator the sun either goes north or south, depending on the time of year, and each region has 12 hours of daylight |
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Term
| 41. Give a general explanation of the “atmospheric greenhouse effect” |
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Definition
When the sun gives the earth radiation the atmosphere either reflects it or absorbs it.
When radiation leaves earth that atmosphere reflects a small amount back to earth or it lets it go into space |
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Term
| 42. What are the two most abundant greenhouse gases in Earth’s atmosphere? |
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Definition
| water vapor, carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, and ozone. |
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Term
| 45. Describe the 4 main controls on temperature; be able to use the information to explain the temperature difference between the two hemispheres |
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Definition
: latitude – determines intensity of sunlight and length of day
land and water distribution
ocean currents
elevation
Land and oceans absorb and reradiate heat differently. Consequently, land heats up rapidly and loses heat just as rapidly. In contrast, oceans distribute thermal energy through a much greater depth and take longer to change temperature. |
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Term
| How does the intensity of solar radiation vary with latitude? |
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Definition
| Latitudinal Shifting due to the seasonal migration of the Sun |
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Term
| What is the “Heat Index”? |
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Definition
| combines air temperature and relative humidity in an attempt to determine the human-perceived equivalent temperature — that is, how hot it feels |
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Term
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Definition
| Hyperthermia is an abnormally high body temperature caused by a failure of the heat-regulating mechanisms of the body to deal with the heat coming from the environment. |
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Term
| What is meant by “Specific Heat”? |
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Definition
| the amount of heat needed to raise the temperature of 1 gram of water by 1 degree Celsius is greater (~3 times) than to do the same for 1 gram of soil/rock. |
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Term
| What is meant by “Wind Chill |
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Definition
| Wind chill is based on the rate of heat loss from exposed skin caused by wind and cold. |
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Term
| What is the highest temperature ever recorded in the U.S.? |
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Definition
| 134 Degrees F July 10, 1913 |
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Term
| What is the highest temperature ever recorded in Oklahoma? |
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Definition
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Term
| What is the lowest temperature ever recorded in Oklahoma? |
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Definition
| 31 degrees F February 10, 2011 |
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