GGP 115 – Week 2 – Flashcards

A dark colored surface has a higher albedo value than a light colored surface. (T/F)

The subsolar point migrates annually between 45&#-80; N and 45&#-80; S latitude. (T/F)

The analogy of comparing Earth's atmosphere to a greenhouse is exactly how the Earth-atmosphere system operates. (T/F)

The reflective quality of a surface is called its albedo and is expressed as a percentage, with 100% referring to a surface that reflects the maximum amount of insolation. (T/F)

Which of the following would be true for the net radiation balance in a midlatitude location? A.Net R is constant throughout the year. B.There is a surplus of Net R during the summer and a deficit during the winter. C.There is a deficit of Net R during the summer and a surplus during the winter. D.The season at which surpluses and deficits occur varies from one year to the next.

The normal lapse rate for temperature decreases is an average of 3&#-80;C per 1000 m (T/F)

Clouds moderate temperatures producing lower daily maximums and higher nightly minimums. (T/F)

The single most important control on temperature A.latitude B.altitude C.land-water differences D.evaporation

A daily temperature curve exhibits a lag of about three hours relative to an insolation curve. (T/F)

The Mount Pinatubo eruption in June 1991 affected the atmosphere in which of the following ways? A.The atmospheric albedo increased. B.An increase occurred in the amount of energy absorbed in the atmosphere. C.A worldwide decrease in surface temperatures occurred in the two years after the eruption. D.All of these were effects of the eruption.

Which of the following is not responsible for the urban heating effect? A.The materials cities are constructed from conduct heat better than natural soils. B.The materials cities are constructed from store heat better than natural soils. C.The albedo of urban environments is substantially higher than that of natural landscapes. D.The concentration of people, machines and heat generating devices adds more heat to the environment.

If a surface absorbs insolation, A.its temperature increases. B.its temperature decreases. C.its temperature is unaffected. D.diffuse radiation occurs.

Heat energy flows from objects that are hot to those that are cold. (T/F)

The amount of CO2 in the atmosphere is higher than it has ever been for the last 800,000 years (T/F)

Approximately fifty percent of the atmosphere is compressed by gravity below an elevation of 5500 m (18,000 ft) (T/F)

Insolation is the only source of energy that is ultimately responsible for heating the atmosphere and driving weather phenomena. (T/F)

The principal controls and influences of temperature patterns include A.Earth's tilt, rotation, revolution, and sphericity B.latitude, altitude, land-water land-water heating differences, cloud cover, ocean currents, and surface conditions C.land-water heating differences only D.specific heat only

The fact that nature produces more pollution than humans do means that anthropogenic pollution is insignificant, and we need not worry about it (T/F)

Because water has a higher specific heat than land, it cools more quickly. (T/F)

In general, as distance from the subsolar point increases, the average annual insolation decreases and the average annual temperature increases (T/F)