Geography Test 1 – Flashcards

is the study of long term averages, variability and locations of weather phenomena

Gases whose distribution in the atmosphere in uneven in both time and space are categorized as

In which direction if any does the atmosphere exert pressure?

The most abundant of the variable gases is

Sea-level pressure in Tuscaloosa is

What atmospheric gas is made up of one oxygen atom and two hydrogen atoms bonded together?

The standard unit of energy in the International System (SI or "metric") is the

Which of the following involves energy storage in the water molecule in the form of latent heat?

The international agreement to reduce the amount of CFCs entering the atmosphere is

All of the following involve the input of energy EXCEPT:

The thermal layer of the atmosphere with the greatest density is:

One of the main roles of plants in biogeochemical cycles is to

About what percentage of incoming shortwave energy (sunlight) is absorbed by Earth's surface

This is currently the most important anthropogenic greenhouse gas

Ozone consitst of ---- molecules of oxygen, is found primarily in the ----- and protects us from-----.

Ozone

Which of the following best explains why mountain climbers sometimes carry oxygen tanks to breathe from?

When we say that "heat rises," it is because heat causes fluids (air, water) to expand. This expansion means the same number of molecules occupy a greater space, resulting in

The difference between open and closed systems is that

A dynamic system refers to a system in which

A snowball that rolls down a hill, gradually gaining more and more mass and rolling faster and faster as it continues, would be an example of a

Which of the following statements is true about the transfer of energy, matter, or momentum in the atmosphere?

The cycling of chemical substances throughout the biosphere is accomplished through

Which of the following is NOT an example of energy being absorbed?

Getting the bottom of your feet burned when walking on hot beach sand is due to.

When making macaroni and cheese you notice the noodles rising and falling in the boiling water. This is best explained through the process of

Which of the following types of electromagnetic radiation are arranged in the proper decreasing order of energy?

Food contains stored energy. Where did the energy come from that is store in food?

The process where water vapor changes phase from a gas to a liquid is called

The bubbles that form in a pot of boiling water are composed of

If you breathe on a mirror, part of the mirror clouds up. What are you actually seeing when you see the mirror cloud up?

Which is an example of water changing phase?

Overall the natural "greenhouse effect"

Greenhouse gases (e.g. CO2)

Why has the concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere been increasing over the last century?

On Earth (compared to the Moon for example) we can see things even in shadows because atmospheric gases do this to light

Rayleigh Scattering; which is why we have a blue sky, is cause by

----- refers to the Earth spinning on its axis

Given the current axial tilt how many days per year does Tuscaloosa experience a solar angle of 90 degree (sun directly overhead at noon)?

As one approaches the equator, the angle of incidence---- and the atmosphere attenuation----.

Density is a measure of

What two variables determine air pressure?

What happens to the temperature of a gas when it is compressed?

Horizontal and vertical energy imbalances in the Earth System produced by ------- create movement in the atmosphere and the ocean.

All matter not only radiates -----, but ----- is emitted over a wide range of electromagnetic wavelengths

The law that essentially states that "Hotter objects emit more energy than cooler ones" is the

The solar constant is

As the temperature of an object decreases, total energy emitted will

The Earth's energy budget is the balance between incoming radiation from the sun (mostly visible light) and outgoing ----- energy from Earth.

Energy from the Sun is transformed into other forms of energy in the Earth System. In the atmosphere these other forms include the energy of wind, and the ------ stored in water vapor.

Airborne particulates, called--- have a complex effect on Earth's energy balance: they can cause both cooling, by reflecting incoming sunlight back out to space, and warming, by absorbing and releasing heat energy in the atmosphere.

The hydrologic cycle includes all of the following processes except

The Celsius and Fahrenheit temperatures scales have a significant shortcoming not shared by the Kelvin scale, which is that

At the theoretical Absolute Zero (zero kelvins)

Which of the following statements bout Earth is false?

During the December solstice

Setting aside Global Warming; the Earth's energy budget is essentially balanced (100% in- 100% out); however, absorption of long- wave radiation by the atmosphere keeps Earth's equilibrium temperature above freezing. What term is used to describe this influence?

Which of the following are examples of potential energy?

The percentage of reflected radiation compared to the total incoming radiation is known as:

Earth's atmosphere is a mixture of ------ with small, but important, quantities of -----.

The atmosphere has ----, is bound to Earth by gravity, and exerts ----- that is greater near Earth's surface and decreases with altitude

Which of the following is true?

Greenhouse gases- such as ----,------, and methane-occur naturally in small amounts and absorb and release heat energy more efficiently than abundant atmospheric gases like nitrogen and oxygen

The amount of solar energy received at any point on Earth's surface varies due to among other things, Earth's-----, its daily rotation, and its-----.

Which of the following correctly describes the earth's shortwave-radiation balance?

If you add 100 calories of heat to 1 gram of water who's temperature ins 100 degree's Celsius the resultant temperature of the water will be around

Patterns of circulation in Earth's atmosphere can be observed at many different spatial scars from global to local. Temperature differences,-----, and the configuration of the continents and oceans establish the large-scale atmospheric circulation.

All of the following are true regarding the earth's radiation balance EXCEPT.

What important variables could be changed to alter Earth's Energy Budget?

The earth's radiation balance involves