Physical Geography Test 1 – Flashcards
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Size of Earth
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12,756 km diameter at equator
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Shape of Earth
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Geoid, wider than tall
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Latitude
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Angular distance north or south of the equator (parallel lines)
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Longitude
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Angular distance east or west of the prime meridian (lines meet at the poles)
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High Latitudes
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Arctic/antarctic: 66.5 N/S to pole Subarctic/subantarctic: 55 - 66.5 N/S
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Mid Latitudes
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Midlatitude: 35 - 55 N/S Subtropical: 23.5 - 35 N/S
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Low Latitudes
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Equatorial and tropical: 23.5 S - 23.5 N
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Geographic Grid
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Maps earth with latitude and longitude
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Solar Declination
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Latitude where the sun is directly overhead at noon
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Summer Solstice
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June 22nd, solar declination: 23.5 N (tropic of cancer)
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Winter Solstice
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December 22nd, solar declination: 23.5 S (tropic of capricorn)
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Vernal Equinox
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March 21st, solar declination: equator
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Autumnal Equinox
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September 23rd, solar declination: equator
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Plane of the Ecliptic
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Plane in which the earth revolves around the sun, forms a 66.5 angle with Earth's axis
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Tilt
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Earth is tilted at a 23.5 angle
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Circle of Illumination
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The dividing line between day and night
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Latitudinal Distribution of Energy
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Insolation received at higher is dispersed over a greater area due to angle, sub-solar point recieves 2.5x more engergy than poles
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Reasons for Seasons
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Revolution around sun, rotation on axis, 23.5 tilt, axial parallelism, and sphericity
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Troposphere
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Contains 90% of mass in the atmosphere, has a lapse rate of 3.5F/1000 ft until temp reaches -57 C, extends from 0 km to 18 km
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Stratosphere
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Very little density, so little atmospheric pressure, temperature increases from -57C to 0 C, extends from 18 km to 50 km
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Atmospheric Composition
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N2=78%, O2=21%, Ar=.9%, CO2=.04%, H2O=0 to 4%
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Longwave radiation
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Earth's surface (cooler objects) emits lower energy, longwave radiation, lower frequency
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Shortwave radiation
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Sun (hot objects) emits high energy, shortwave radiation, higher frequency
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Electromagnetic Spectrum
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Visible light: .4-.75 micrometers Wavelength is the distance between two peaks of a wave, and frequency is the number of waves in 1 second.
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Transmission
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No energy exchange
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Scattering
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Change in direction of radiation
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Absorption
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Absorbs EM wave and heats up
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Radiation Balance: Atmosphere
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21% absorbed, 7% reflected
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Radiation Balance: Surface
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45% absorbed, 3% reflected
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Radiation Balance: Clouds
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3% absorbed, 21% reflected
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Total shortwave radiation lost to space
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31% (Earth's Albedo)
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Solar Constant
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Average amount of energy received at thermopause. 1372 W/m^2 +/-5 W/m^2
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Albedo
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The percentage of radiation that is reflected. Black objects = small albedo, white objects = big albedo.
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Normal Lapse Rate
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Average lapse rate (3.5 F/1000 ft)
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Environmental Lapse Rate
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Actual lapse rate, varies based on local conditions
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Global Temperature Distribution
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Temperature on earth varies because of latitude, altitude, cloud cover, land vs sea, wind and ocean currents.
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Controls on Temperature: Latitude
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Higher latitudes receive less isolation than lower latitudes.
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Controls on Temperature: Altitude
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Higher altitudes are colder, due to decreased pressure.
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Controls on Temperature: Land-sea effects
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Marine environments have less of a range in temperature, because of the fluid nature of the ocean, so it can mix and maintain a more constant temp.
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Controls on Temperature: Wind/Ocean Currents
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East coasts in the northern hemisphere are warmer because of the circulation of water in clockwise pattern.
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Atmospheric Pressure
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Pressure on earth by the force of gases hitting surfaces, decreases with elevation
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Controls on Wind: Pressure Gradient
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Difference in atmospheric pressure between areas of high pressure and low pressure. Wind blows from high to low.
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Controls on Wind: Coriolis Effect
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Deflection of wind due to rotation of earth, proportional to wind speed. Turns to right in N hemisphere, and S hemisphere.
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Controls on Wind: Friction
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Slows speed of wind, decreasing Coriolis effect.
