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| from 23.5° N Latitude to the Arctic Circle (66.5° N Latitude) |
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| from 23.5° S Latitude to the Antarctic Circle (66.5° S Latitude) |
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| the % of incident radiation that is reflected back to space because of the various Earth materials (the average albedo of Earth’s surface is about 30%) |
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| the rising and sinking air moving in a circular fashion, similar to the convection in Earth’s mantle. |
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| the moving air the moves from high-pressure regions toward low-pressure regions. |
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| the change in intended path of a moving body, it causes moving objects on Earth to follow curved paths. |
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| the conditions of the atmosphere at a given time and place. |
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| In the Northern Hemisphere, air moving from high to low pressure curves to the right and results in a counterclockwise flow of air around low pressure cells. |
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| As air leaves the high-pressure region and curves to the right, it establishes a clock-wise flow of air around high-pressure cells. |
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| When an equal amount of solar energy is applied to both land and ocean, the land heats up about 5 times more due to its lower heat capacity. The land heats the air around it and, during the afternoon, the warm, low-density air over the land rises. Rising air creates a low-pressure region over the land, pulling the cooler air over the ocean toward land. |
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| At night, the land surface cools about 5 times more rapidly than the ocean and cools the air around it. This cool, high-density air sinks, creating a high-pressure region that causes the wind to blow from the land. |
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| large volumes of air that have a definite area of origin and distinctive characteristics. Examples are: Polar air masses, tropical air masses, continental. |
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| the contact between a warm air mass moving into an area occupied by cold air. |
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| the contact between a cold air mass moving into an area occupied by warm air. |
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| a hurricane intensity scale that divides tropical cyclones into categories based on wind speed and damage. |
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| smaller ice floating in the sea that is not considered an iceberg. |
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| broken off (calving) chunks of glaciers. |
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| Explain the variations in solar energy with latitude |
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| Sunlight strikes low latitudes at a high angle, so the radiation is concentrated in a relatively small area. Sunlight strikes high latitudes at a low angle, so the same amount of radiation is spread over a larger area. |
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| Explain, in detail, the Coriolis effect….how it develops and what is causes |
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| The Coriolis Effect – Changes the intended path of a moving body, furthermore, the difference in the speed of Earth’s rotation at different latitudes are what cause this effect. Example would resemble a merry-go-round, if you were to throw a ball from one side to the other when it was spinning the path of the ball would not be straight. |
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| Distinguish between Hadley, Ferrel, and Polar cells |
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Hadley Cell – between 0° & 30° Latitude the air rises and falls back w/in the 30°
Ferrel Cell – Between 30° & 60° Latitude
Polar Cell – between 60° & 90° Latitude |
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| Define subtropical highs, polar highs, subpolar lows, & equatorial low |
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Subtropical Highs – The high-pressure zones of descending air at about 30° N & S Latitude.
Polar Highs – the high pressure regions of descending air at the poles.
Subpolar Lows – the low pressure band at about 60° N & S Latitude.
Equatorial Lows – the rising air ban of low pressure at the equator. |
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| Distinguish between trade winds (northeast and southeast), westerlies, and polar easterlies |
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Trade Winds happen in the Hadley Cells
Westerlies happen in the Ferrel Cells
Polar Easterlies happen in the Polar Cells |
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| Distinguish between doldrums (ITCZ), horse latitudes, and polar fronts |
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Doldrums happen @ 0° (The equator)
Horse Latitudes happen @ 30° N & S Latitude
Polar High & Lows - @ 60° N & S Latitude |
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| Describe the origin and movement of tropical cyclones |
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Origin – they begin as low-pressure cells that break away from the equatorial low-pressure belt and grow as they pick up heat energy in the following manner: Surface winds feed moisture into the storm, when water evaporates, it stores tremendous amounts of heat in the form of latent heat of evaporation, when water vapor condenses into a liquid it releases this stored heat-latent heat of condensation-into the surrounding atmosphere, which causes the atmosphere to warm and the air to rise. This rising air causes surface pressure to decrease, drawing additional warm moist surface air into the storm.
Movement – when hurricanes are initiated in the low latitudes, they are affected by the trade winds and generally move from east to west across ocean basins. Hurricanes typically last from 5 – 10 days. |
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| Discuss the types of destruction associated with tropical cyclones, include specific examples |
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The types of destruction is broken down into the Saffir-Simpson Scale.
Category 1 = 74-95 MPH, minor damage to buildings
Category 2 = 96-110 MPH, Moderate: Some roofing mater, door and window damage, some tress blown down.
Category 3 = 111-130 MPH, Extensive: Some structural damage and wall failures, foliage blown off trees and large trees blown down.
Category 4 = 131-155 MPH, Extreme: More extensive structural damage and wall failures; most shrubs, trees and signs blown down.
Category 5 = >155 MPH, Catastrophic: Complete roof failures and entire building failures common; all shrubs, trees, and signs blown down, flooding of lower floors of coastal structures. |
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| Explain the formation of sea ice and icebergs |
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Sea Ice – is ice that forms directly from seawater. It begins as small needle-like hexagonal crystals, that eventually become so numerous that a slush develops, as the slush begins to form into a thin sheet, it is broken by wind stress and wave action into disk-shaped pieces called pancake ice.
Icebergs – is a body of floating ice that has broken away from a glacier. Icebergs are formed by vast ice sheets on land, which grow from the accumulation of snow and slowly flow outward to the sea. |
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| What percentage of solar radiation reaching Earth is absorbed by the oceans and land masses |
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| Explain the greenhouse effect, including the gases that contribute to it |
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| The gasses in the atmosphere allow incoming sunlight to pass through but it traps heat, the gases are water, carbon dioxide, and methane are the main gasses. |
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| Discuss the implications of increased global warming and efforts to limit greenhouse gases |
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| Because of the increase of the greenhouse gasses (specifically carbon dioxide), the heat is not able to escape the Earth’s atmosphere, this is causing temperatures in the troposphere to rise. |
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